Sowing the seeds of sustainability: Ayala Land partners with BYD Cars Philippines
In a world grappling with the mounting challenges of climate change, industry leader, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) has joined forces to BYD Cars Philippines and Mastercard to spearhead planting seeds for a more sustainable future. This initiative exemplifies their shared commitment to combat the global climate crisis and inspire meaningful change.
Ayala Land’s Sustainability Commitment
As the Philippines’ leading and largest property developer, ALI has long been at the forefront of sustainable practices. The company has dedicated hundreds of hectares of its landbank to establish Carbon Forests, actively working to mitigate the impact of climate change. This dedication to environmental stewardship has positioned ALI as a trailblazer in the realm of green initiatives.
Driving Sustainable Mobility Side by Side
ALI welcomed BYD Cars Philippines as its newest partner in the Gift of Tree Program under the ACMobility’s ACRE Movement. The partnership between the two companies was sealed in a ceremonial signing event by its executives Ayala Land Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Robert S. Lao and ACMobility’s Head of Automotive Retail Distribution, Antonio Zara III.
The ACRE Movement Program, which started in 2022 in partnership with AC Honda, involves the gifting of one native tree for every car sold to customer by the company to create and promote meaningful ownership to clients, promote environmental stewardship, and foster stakeholder engagement. The gifted trees are planted and nurtured in selected Carbon Forest sites within the ALI landbank.
To date, 8,586 trees composed of 35 Philippine native tree species have been gifted and are nurtured within the Laguna and Cebu Carbon Forests. BYD will be greening the San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan and Davao Carbon Forests with one tree per BYD car sold.
ALI Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer Robert Lao said, “Ayala Land and BYD share a vision for environmental stewardship and stakeholder engagement, and we are proud to be their partner in driving sustainable mobility.”
With the growing number of partners and collaborators within the Ayala Group with the same goal of nurturing and growing forests, ALI is optimistic in achieving Net Zero Goal by 2050.
Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition
ALI has forged alliances with like-minded organizations that share its values. One notable example is its previous collaboration with Mastercard, a renowned worldwide provider of payment solutions. Through the Priceless Planet Coalition (PPC), Mastercard has showcased its dedication to sustainability, aligning with ALI’s vision.
Last November, ALI and Mastercard introduced a campaign in line with the PPC’s mission. Each time a Mastercard credit or debit card is used to spend Php 3,000 at participating ALI Hotels, a tree will be donated. This strategy transforms the act of spending into a means of supporting the environment, allowing consumers to make a positive impact on the planet while enjoying themselves.
The campaign, which ended in January 2024, successfully led to the planting of 50,000 trees in critical forest areas worldwide.
ALI generously contributed $100,000 to Mastercard, which was utilized for this tree-planting initiative. This initiative reflected the companies’ dedication to expanding the global network of Carbon Forests and amplify their collective impact on the environment.
