UnionBank partners with Humble to promote culture of sustainability, circular living

To help build a culture of sustainability among its employees, Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) recently partnered with Humble Sustainability (Humble), a startup whose goal is to promote circular living in the country. The partnership was officiated through a virtual memorandum of agreement signing ceremony last June 17.

Humble is a startup based in the Philippines that harnesses technology and innovation to provide an avenue where Filipinos can do away with items at home or workplace that they don’t want anymore, in a way that is more environment-friendly and sustainable. The items are then repurposed so they can be useful to others.

Under the partnership, UnionBank will incorporate Humble’s waste collection program into the Bank’s employee engagement and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, giving UnionBank employees a new way of disposing of their unwanted items at home and decluttering more responsibly. At the same time, UnionBank will extend its support for startups to Humble, which will help the latter in its operations going forward.

UnionBank Employee Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Sustainability Head Dave Devilles said that through the partnership, the Bank will be able to integrate sustainability into the lives of its employees beyond creating reports and complying with government requirements. “We also see it as a way to engage our employees, and at the same time, to show a different way for our employee volunteers that sustainability can also be blended in their CSR work.”

Humble Co-founder Josef Werker thanked the Bank for supporting the startup and said he believes the partnership will help them raise awareness on the importance of circular living. “Circular living has the capability to change the world and it just starts with one step, and collaborations like this are indeed important first steps.”

UnionBank Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer Michelle Rubio underscored the importance of culture in driving a sustainable mindset within an organization, and hopes that the partnership will help UnionBankers become even more eco-conscious. “I hope this collaboration can teach us other things and how to think of sustainability differently, and it starts with the things that we have, the things we don’t need, and the things that we can give up, so that others can benefit.”

UnionBank is one of the top ten Philippines banks in terms of assets. Through its Tech Up Pilipinas Program, the bank is fulfilling its sustainability mission to use digital technology and innovation for social good in three focus areas, namely: digital transformation, sustainable finance, and inclusive prosperity.