Article by Current News Service contributor Stacy Ang last October 10, 2019

Stacy Ang

The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board Region XI, in partnership with Peace and Equity Foundation (PEF), recently organized  a green productivity training in Davao City to ensure environmental preservation while maintaining profitability of social enterprises.

The training emphasized to 11 social enterprises from Mindanao the threats of climate change and how to counter it by adopting the concepts of green productivity in the workplace. 

“If we implement green productivity, we can enhance our own productivity more,” Labor and Employment Officer II (LEO – II) Jessielee Bilog said in a statement.

The participants also learned the practice of 5Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover and Redesign) used by some organizations to manage their waste products.

“Another benefit of green productivity are more revenues. Especially if you’re practicing zero-waste management,” LEO II Ethel Sigrid Burgos said.

According to Merlyn Francisco, manager of Social Enterprise Institute (SEI) of PEF, the training is an opportunity for SEs to showcase learn good practices on protecting the environment without compromising on profits.

“Gusto natin i-build ang awareness sa iba’t-ibang pamamaraan na pwede nating matulungan ang environment natin and at the same time, maging productive tayo. Kasi pwede pa din tayong kumita sa pamamagitan nito.” she said.

To Betty More, President and CEO of Healthy Sweets, the training is a step forward towards a more environment-friendly social enterprise.

“Talagang maa-apply namin ang mga natutunan namin sa training. Pwede din namin itong ma-echo sa ating mga personnel para alam na nila ang gagawin.” she said.

The RTWPB will be monitoring how the SEs will implement their own activities to carry out their green productivity initiatives as a way forward after the training./ STACY  ANG