Sustainability Movement booms

From just 10 businesses and non-government organizations (NGOs) in 2015, the Philippine Sustainability Movement (PSM) has grown into 70 members, including the Department of Agriculture, after a decade of advocating responsible, traceable and sustainable food systems in the hotel, restaurant and catering industry.

PSM initiator Christian Schmidradner of the environmental, social and governance (ESG)consultancy Pristine Solutions, says the movement has achieved a lot in the past 10 years.

“In the beginning, 5-star hotels had zero certified sustainable seafood (CSS) on their menu. We increased it to 75 to 80 percent certified sustainable seafood on the menu of these hotels,” Schmidradner says.

CSS means the fish comes from a healthy or not overfished stock, and are traceable, according to Schmidradner.

“So, you cannot take out more than three-quarters of the fish stock. You need to know where the fish comes from,” he says, adding that the supply must not come from illegal fishing and endangered species.

Another PSM achievement over the years is continuous and improved compliance with sustainability policies and rules as well as sourcing of certified products.
In line with this, PSM is holding an international sustainability exposition in November 2026 with the theme “digital innovations and artificial intelligence meet sustainability,” Schmidradner reveals.

He said the PSM wanted to have partners from the clean energy and digital sectors and the expo will try to bridge members with them by learning more unbelievably interesting and inspiring solutions such as ocean clean-ups of plastics, smart cities, software solutions in electricity, food waste solutions with AI cameras, and many more.

Meanwhile, the PSM gathering at Sheraton Manila last 7 November was more than a celebration of its 10th year but it brought non-government organizations and solutions together to help its members move forward, according to Schmidradner.

“It is to bring more circular economy solutions, more blue economy solutions, more plastic reduction solutions into the market so corporations have a better chance to fulfill their CSR (corporate social responsibility) and ESG programs,” he says.

Aside from hotels, restaurants and food caterers, PSM includes conservation NGOs, certification agencies, organic farmers and waste recyclers that supports a nascent circular economy. There is ChopValue that recycles chopsticks into home and office furniture and other products. There is also Gud Is Better, maker of biodegradable and compostable food containers, beverage cups, straws, bowls, wooden cutlery and trash bags.
Suffice to say, the impact of PSM is evident.

“I think we reached a lot in terms of raising awareness, of bringing sustainable solutions into the market and helping partners fulfill their ESG programs,” says Schmidradner.

“We work with organic farming communities, with sustainable fishermen, because if we want to have sustainable solutions but there’s not enough production, then we cannot implement it,” he adds.