SUSTEX 2025: Innovation Meets Sustainability

SM Prime Holdings, Inc., through SM Supermalls, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and ARISE Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies officially staged the inaugural SM Sustainability Expo (SUSTEX 2025) at the SMX Convention Center Aura, Taguig.

The two-day event, themed “Innovation for Environmental Stewardship,” brought together over 50 exhibitors, government agency leaders, the private sector, the international community and sustainability advocates to showcase cutting-edge solutions that advance a greener and more resilient future.

SM Prime Executive Committee Chairman Hans T. Sy and DOST Secretary Renato Solidum seal their commitment to environmental stewardship at the launch of the first-ever SM Sustainability Expo.

SM and DOST Leaders strike the Beat of Sustainability and lead the ceremonial Solidrum and angklung performance, symbolizing harmony and collective action at the inaugural Sustainability Expo 2025.

Symbolic Opening: “Beat of Sustainability”

The Expo opened with the ceremonial “Beat of Sustainability,” led by DOST Secretary Renato Solidum and SM Prime Executive Committee Chairman Hans T. Sy, who together struck the Solidrum—a bamboo drum shell developed by the DOST – Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI).

They were joined by SM Supermalls President Steven Tan, SM Prime Vice President Jessica Sy-Bell, SM Supermalls Vice President Engr. Liza Silerio, and other dignitaries, who played the angklung, a UNESCO-recognized bamboo instrument. The performance symbolized harmony and collective action in advancing sustainability.

Leadership Perspectives

In his opening remarks, Hans T. Sy emphasized that sustainability lies at the heart of SM’s business and highlighted the importance of partnerships—“Public-private partnerships such as this show how science and business can unite to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. We encourage more of this as the private sector can provide support to projects by local scientists.”

Secretary Solidum echoed this view, noting that SUSTEX demonstrates how innovation and science can strengthen national resilience and drive a circular economy, as championed by similar DOST efforts.

“Through OneDOST4U: Solutions and Opportunities for All, we ensure that the science, technologies and innovations we develop are not just theories in journals or prototypes in laboratories—they are real solutions, accessible to businesses, communities, and every Filipino. This is also what we mean by Agham na Ramdam—science that is not distant; science that is felt, lived, and experienced by people in their everyday lives,” Solidum shared.

“My call is simple: enough talk. We’ve had summits, forums, declarations that fill up shelves and inboxes. What we need now is proof. Businesses must set their sights on real, tangible goals—not pretty brochures, not slogans, but numbers you can measure, promises you can check.”

Mr. Hans Sy and Ms. Jessica Sy-Bell and visit the DOST-AKO Packaging booth at SUSTEX 2025, underscoring their support for innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.

SUSTEX 2025 visitors engage with the FatHopes Energy booth, learning about innovative solutions for converting used cooking oil into sustainable biofuels.

Expo visitors explore the DOST-PNRI booth at SUSTEX 2025, discovering innovations in nuclear science and technology for sustainable development.

Engaged discussions take place at the PARMS booth during SUSTEX 2025, as visitors learn about collaborative solutions for recycling and materials management.

Innovation Marketplace: Over 50 Exhibitors

SUSTEX 2025 featured more than 50 exhibitors showcasing technologies, initiatives, and products that reflect Filipino ingenuity and global collaboration. Notable exhibits included SM Prime and SM GUUN’s “Waste-Free Future” campaign, which highlighted their joint initiative with Japan’s GUUN Environmental Company on advanced waste management. 

ARISE Philippines showcased efforts to advance disaster resilience through private sector collaboration. The DENR’s Loop Forward Program promoted circularity and large-scale waste reduction. The DOST-FPRDI centerpiece featured sustainable Lalang Pandan furniture, essential oils from Philippine plants, and bamboo musical instruments. Meanwhile, the DOST-CHRG presented innovations in electric vehicle technology.

A panel discussion at the Ignite Stage during SUSTEX 2025 gathers experts to share actionable insights on sustainability and innovation.

DOST leaders engage in a Fireside Chat at the Ignite Stage during SUSTEX 2025, sharing perspectives on science-led development and collaboration.

A Catalyst for Action

Running from August 29 to 30, the Expo featured interactive sessions, product showcases, and knowledge exchanges. The event reinforced SM’s continuing sustainability roadmap, including its Waste-Free Future campaign and commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2040.

“May this Expo be more than an event. May it be a catalyst for collaboration, a hub for practical solutions, and a reminder that business can be a force for good—when guided by purpose, discipline and partnership,” Sy concluded. 

Celebrating 40 Super Years of Evolving with Every You, SM Supermalls—one of Southeast Asia’s largest mall developers—continuously evolving to lead the way in sustainable development by integrating green design, energy efficiency, disaster resilience, and environmental stewardship into its 88 malls in the Philippines, all while creating inclusive spaces that enrich communities, support climate action, and ensure a better, more sustainable future for generations of Filipino shoppers.