Hans Sy champions private sector’s role in disaster resilience at UN forum
SM PRIME'S Hans Sy (second row from the top, second from the left) joins Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General Kamal Kishore (first row, fourth from the left), Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. (second row, first from the right), and world leaders at the Global Platform 2025 organized by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, set at Geneva, Switzerland from June 2-5.
Photo courtesy of Antoine Tardy
Mr. Hans Sy, Chairman of the Executive Committee of SM Prime Holdings, reaffirmed the vital role of the private sector in advancing disaster risk reduction (DRR) at the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) Global Platform 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Private sector: A key player in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Representing the Philippine private sector during the Ministerial Roundtable on “Accelerating Financing and Resilience: Tailored Solutions for DRR,” Sy underscored the importance of embedding resilience into business strategies.
“Resilience strengthens businesses while safeguarding lives and communities,” he said. “We know the government cannot do it alone. The private sector is ready to do more.”
Sy emphasized SM Prime’s commitment to DRR through strategic investments in disaster-resilient infrastructure and science-based planning. He also cited partnerships like the Adopt-a-City Program with the National Resilience Council and capacity-building efforts with ARISE Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry.
REPRESENTING the private sector, Mr. Sy (third from left) participates in the Global Platform’s Ministerial Roundtable to tackle accelerating disaster risk reduction finance and resilience.
Photo courtesy of SM
Integrating DRR into core business strategy
Speaking at the High-Level Dialogue on scaling DRR financing, Sy shared insights on what drives private developers to prioritize resilience. He cited SM Prime’s approach to integrating DRR into its core business strategy.
“Disasters may be unpredictable, but the impact doesn’t have to be — we can, and we must, prepare, mitigate, and adapt,” he said.
He cited resilient design features in SM malls, such as elevated structures, rainwater catchment systems, and earthquake-resistant engineering, which have minimized damage and ensured business continuity.
