The League of Corporate Foundations (LCF) marked 30 years of growth and achievements through its annual conference on 1 July and its leaders say the organization’s relevance as a force for good will continue as social challenges remain.

“For as long as associations, networks and leagues like LCF continue to advance the agenda for the marginalized and continue to challenge their members to do more and to be more, there will always be a need for good corporate citizenship,” Shem Jose Garcia, LCF Chair and executive director of Vivant Foundation Inc., told nearly 100 members of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) organization at the event held in Pasig City’s Bayanihan Center.

Garcia said LCF will be guided by its 30th anniversary theme of “Adapt. Align. Accelerate” moving forward.

“Effective CSR follows the same path we’re asking the whole sector to take: adapt the model to the problem, align it with what the country actually needs and accelerate it through partnership,” he said.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Philippine Development Plan, and Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) commitments are among the higher standards that have emerged to guide LCF in ensuring that its actions are grounded in data, in sound science, in ethical principles.

Edgar O. Chua, lead independent director of Shell Philippines Corporation, chairman of the Makati Business Club, and former country chairman of Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, said the LCF would be instrumental in enabling foundations to adapt to the new sustainability disclosure requirements.

Meanwhile, Garcia noted LCF’s remarkable performance in meeting some of the 17 SDGs.

“The number one I would say that LCF itself as an institution does is (SDG) number 17, which is collaboration and partnership,” he said.

Garcia explained that LCF itself does not implement any CSR programs but instead create a platform for its members to partner with one another and then to share best experiences on how to deal with other partners at all levels, from the national down to the LGU level.

LCF has the most impact on SDG No.4 or giving access to quality education in terms of number of projects and members’ involvement, according to Garcia.

In terms of where funds mostly go, a lot of the bigger LCF members heavily invest in health, he added. 

The LCG disaster resilience committee is one of the most active and has more collaborations, like organizing help for those affected by the recent Mindanao earthquake.

The LCF’s 2026 Conference on Good Corporate Citizenship ran for two days until 2 July.

Day one’s sessions covered inclusive livelihood programs for informal workers; how behavioral finance can make disaster preparedness the default for underserved communities, and donee institution accreditation.

Day two opened with a session on personal and organization commitments to living and working on a NET ZERO carbon footprint followed by a session marking LCF’s 30th anniversary that spotlighted the mental well-being of social development professionals and frontliners. The program also included Accelerate NOW!, where foundations like Ayala Foundation, Manila Water Foundation and Schneider Electric pitched active programs for partnership. 

The conference closed with remarks from Jaton Zulueta, executive director of AHA Learning Center, who challenged delegates to move corporate citizenship beyond “doing good” toward “being good.” 

“This country does not need more programs. It needs more foundations willing to be changed by the people they came to serve,” Zulueta said.