The Philippine Star

Circular economy, anyone?

It’s no secret that tech power couple Dennis and Maria Grace Uy have disrupted the Philippine broadband space with their entry decades ago.

Now, their Converge ICT Solutions Inc. has become the leading Philippine fiber broadband provider.

But believe it or not, it’s not all business for the couple. Dennis Uy often talks about digital rights, and it has become the couple’s advocacy.

They want every Filipino, near or far from the capital or wherever they may be in this archipelag­ic country, to have access to affordable and reliable internet.

Now, the company has added another advocacy: circular economyꟷa system where materials are recycled and nature is regenerate­d.

Converge has become the first Filipino company to join the private sector-led ASEAN Circular Economy Business Alliance (ACEBA), which seeks to promote business action toward the adoption of circular economy strategies and practices in the Southeast Asian region, the company said.

“Facilitate­d by country leads in participat­ing member states of the Associatio­n of Southeast Asian Nations and supported through the ASEAN Responsibl­e and Inclusive Business Alliance (ARAIBA), ACEBA seeks to provide visibility for its members and to serve as a voice to its participat­ing companies to ASEAN, its entities, and government and business sectors in ASEAN members.”

At the ACEBA launch in Jakarta, Indonesia, last July, Converge joined 11 other companies and organizati­ons from ASEAN countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, and Cambodia, in pledging their support for the alliance. They are committed to promoting business initiative­s that advance the circular economy and contribute to the goals outlined in the ASEAN Circular Economy

Framework.

The Converge team, was led by vice president and head of corporate communicat­ions Jay- Anne Encarnado and vice president and head of supply chain and logistics Jeremy Gatpo. “Converge, as a leading fiber internet service provider in the Philippine­s, has always made it a priority to embed sustainabl­e practices into our operations. To this end, we actively promote a circular economy as we aim to reduce our solid waste to landfill to zero by 2030,” said Encarnado in her message during the launch event.

According to Converge, ACEBA participan­ts commit to advancing the circular economy through their business dealings, adopting appropriat­e circular economy solutions in their products, services, and/ or operations, and communicat­ing their circular economy initiative­s and achievemen­ts, including through ACEBA.

#CountdownT­oZeroWaste

During the launch, Converge highlighte­d its green efforts, including harnessing the power of fiber optic technology, which makes its operation more efficient and environmen­tally friendly. “We have shifted to 100 percent renewable energy for our two data centers. We have also launched a #CountdownT­oZeroWaste campaign in 2022 that called for the refurbishm­ent of our old modems and targeted used tarpaulin materials, plastic bottles and electronic waste. These are just some of the programs that we hope contribute to promoting circularit­y,” Encarnado added.

In July, Converge said, it also submitted its Communicat­ion on Progress, “which essentiall­y reaffirms the company’s pledge to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact. These ten principles cover the areas of human rights, labor, environmen­t and anti-corruption.”

Converge is committed to continuing to create policies and implement more programs that will help address the resource gaps and promote a circular economy.

The ASEAN Business Advisory Council and the ASEAN Corporate Social Responsibi­lity Network conceptual­ized ACEBA as an ASEANcentr­ic initiative of and for businesses to catalyze leadership and action for the regional circular economy transition in Southeast Asia, Converge also said.

“This will be done through activities such as networking and knowledge-sharing, developmen­t and promotion of best practice techniques, methods and tools and advocacy within the business sector and with government and other stakeholde­rs, in collaborat­ion with national business membership organizati­ons.”