Century Pacific Food, Inc. (PSE:CNPF), one of the leading branded food and beverage companies in the Philippines, was recognized as one of Asia’s Most Influential Companies at the 2022 Asia Corporate Excellence and Sustainability Awards (ACES) by the MORS Group.
Inaugurated in 2014, ACES is Asia’s most prestigious leadership and sustainability awards, honoring business leaders, corporations, and brands that demonstrate responsible and sustainable business practices.
In a statement, Shanggari Balakrishnan, Chief Executive Officer of MORS Group, said, “Century Pacific Foods, Inc. has not only proven that sustainability and affordability can go hand-in-hand, but it has also provided solutions to market challenges through constant innovation and diversification. This serves as a powerful influence for industry peers to shift to more sustainable practices for the greater social and environmental good.”
Championing affordable nutrition
Established in 1978, CNPF is on a mission to nourish and delight its consumers by providing affordable protein sources through market leading brands and household names such as Century Tuna, 555, Argentina, and Birch Tree Fortified.
Furthermore, the Company aspires to provide healthier and better-for-the-planet food choices through innovation. CNPF recently entered the Plant-based Alternatives category with a mission to democratize healthy eating through a brand called, ‘unMEAT’. It is now exporting ‘unMEAT’ to key markets such as the U.S., UAE, Singapore, among others. With its pioneering shelf-stable line, ‘unMEAT’ has been expanding its footprint in major mainstream retailers internationally.
Christopher Po, Executive Chairman of CNPF, shared, “By and large, Century Pacific is a protein delivery company. We aspire to make food more nutritious and accessible for our consumers. In the Philippines, we cater to the majority of Filipino households, thus, we tend to play an important role in the country’s food security.”
Pursuing sustainability
In 2018, CNPF refreshed its vision to put sustainability front and center. As part of its endeavor to become a more responsible business, the Company institutionalized a three-pronged sustainability framework focused on Protein Delivery, Planet Preservation, and People Development, all aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Among its spotlight initiatives is its commitment to plastic neutrality. All of CNPF’s brands that make use of flexible plastic packaging are certified as Net Zero Plastic Waste brands, ahead of the recently passed EPR legislation. These brands effectively offset their plastic footprint through a partnership with the Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX), which helps companies recover an equivalent amount of plastic waste, preventing it from leaking into nature and ensuring it is processed safely.
The use of renewable energy and carbon neutrality are keystone initiatives as well. In its largest manufacturing hub in the country, over 60% of the energy requirements are from clean energy sources, such as solar and hydroelectric power. Additionally, the coconut division has launched an initiative to plant 1 million coconut trees and donate these to smallholder coconut farmers in partnership with Philippines’ largest ewallet GCash and impact organization Hope. These trees will sequester greenhouse gasses and render the division carbon neutral by 2028.
Moreover, through RSPo Foundation, CNPF’s flagship feeding program ‘Kain Po’, is targeting to deliver 10 million protein servings to vulnerable communities in partnership with Gawad Kalinga. Since inception, Kain Po has served 55 million meals to more than 500k beneficiaries nationwide.
In a joint statement, Christopher Po and Teodoro Po, the President and Chief Executive Officer of CNPF, said, “Essential to our strategy going forward is our sustainability and ability to balance the needs of all our stakeholders. We believe that sustainability – whether coming up with healthier products, taking care of our people and communities, or being good stewards of our resources – is essential to our longevity. We believe our commitment to responsible business will change the complexion and character of our business in a good way and will future-proof our enterprise.”
The 2022 ACES Awards was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. CNPF’s affiliate company, Shakey’s Pizza Asia Ventures, Inc. (PIZZA) was likewise recognized among Asia’s Best Performing Companies this year.
