PLDT Inc. and Smart Communications have partnered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to expand electronic waste collection and recycling efforts across the commission’s offices nationwide.
Under the agreement, the telecommunications companies will install collection bins under their “Be Kind. Recycle.” program and conduct activities to encourage SEC employees and stakeholders to dispose of used and damaged electronic devices responsibly.
The collected waste will be turned over to authorized treatment, storage and disposal facilities contracted by PLDT and Smart for proper handling and compliance with applicable environmental and human rights regulations.
The partnership forms part of the SEC Sustainability Week Program, which promotes environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and the adoption of globally aligned sustainability reporting standards.
SEC Chairperson Francis Lim said the commission supports efforts to integrate sustainability into corporate practices.
“The SEC strongly supports initiatives that incorporate sustainability into the core of corporate practices. We encourage all market participants to do their part in driving the shift to a more sustainable future,” Lim said.
PLDT and Smart Chairman and CEO Manuel V. Pangilinan said the partnership reflects a shared commitment to addressing the environmental and social impacts of electronic waste and supporting a circular economy.
The companies’ Be Kind. Recycle. program has established more than 200 e-waste collection points nationwide through partnerships with commercial establishments, schools, enterprises, cooperatives, local government units and other organizations.
Since 2023, PLDT and Smart have collected and recovered 42.5 metric tons of electronic waste, which they said helped avoid an estimated 17.3 metric tons of carbon emissions. The companies compared the reduction to the carbon absorbed by 286 tree seedlings over 10 years.
PLDT and Smart Chief Sustainability Officer Melissa Vergel de Dios said the companies recognize their role in facilitating the recovery and proper disposal of electronic waste associated with their services and network technologies.
“While we do not directly manufacture devices and electronics, we acknowledge that the use of our services and the continuous advancement of our network technology contribute to the generation of e-waste. We therefore embrace our responsibility to facilitate recovery and ensure proper disposal of consumer e-waste, particularly those associated with our products and services,” Vergel de Dios said.
Beyond collection and recycling, Smart works with device manufacturers that use recycled components in production and offer trade-in and trade-up programs to customers.
The companies said the initiative supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production and Goal 17 on Partnerships for the Goals.
Full disclosure: All news articles published on the TechSabado website are written by human journalists, unless otherwise specified. Final text editing is also performed by human editors, with artificial intelligence (AI) used only to assist with additional grammar and style guide corrections..
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