Jollibee Foods Corporation and Republic Cement Unite to Recover and Divert Plastic Packaging Wastes through Co-Processing

TAGUIG CITY, Philippines. 01 February 2024 – The Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), one of the fastest growing  restaurant companies in the world, recently inked a partnership with Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. ("Republic Cement"), to support the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Law. 

The EPR law aims to reduce the volume of plastic waste generation and extend the life of plastics by adding value or purpose through upcycling or recycling.

As part of its Joy for Tomorrow global sustainability agenda, JFC aims to recover post-consumer plastic packaging wastes, divert it away from the landfills and waterways, and send these to Republic Cement for co-processing. 

Republic Cement, a leading local cement manufacturer and the pioneer of co-processing in the country, will use the collected post-consumer packaging wastes as alternative fuel in the cement manufacturing process.

During the MOA signing held at the Republic Cement head office in Taguig City, Republic Cement CEO Mr. Roman Menz emphasized the role of the company in supporting organizations like JFC. 

“Republic Cement provides a very important solution to fight plastic pollution by diverting wastes away from landfills and waterways, away from areas where it can negatively affect communities. We are happy to see the commitment of the JFC towards doing their part in solving our current plastic pollution crisis. Republic Cement is with JFC in their journey for a greener, more sustainable world.”

JFC Vice President for Network Development Group Gerard Paul Filart, for his part, shared that the partnership with Republic Cement is timely and momentous as the company just celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2023. “We are committed to supporting our Global Sustainability Agenda with its three main pillars of Food, People, and Planet. With this partnership with Republic Cement, we are taking steps towards minimizing wastage while providing something of value.  With this, we are hoping we are helping to bring more joy for tomorrow.” 

The MOA covers wholly owned brands of Jollibee Foods Corporation in the Philippines, namely Jollibee, Chowking, Mang Inasal, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon; and franchised brands operated by JFC in the country, specifically Burger King, Panda Express, and Yoshinoya.

Jollibee Group’s Hybrid Work Model Campaign Named Global Finalist at 2023 Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards

MANILA, Philippines. – Jollibee Group’s return to office campaign “Back with Joy” was among the finalists at this year’s Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards, a global program recognizing initiatives that push the marketing and communications function forward.

The Back with Joy campaign was shortlisted for Excellence in Change Communications, competing against international companies such as Cisco and Southwest Airlines. Jollibee Group is the only Philippine-based company in the category.

"Back with Joy’s recognition at the Gartner Marketing and Communication Awards affirms our efforts to build a safe and collaborative environment for our employees as we continue to thrive in the hybrid work model,” shared Arsenio Sabado, Chief Human Resources Officer of Jollibee Group. “This recognition is timely as we celebrate our first year of our hybrid work model, with its success made possible by our JFC Team who embraced our joyful return to the office.”

The Excellence in Change Communications category recognizes campaigns that supported leaders and managers in creating clear and compelling change communication and helped drive employee understanding of the change and capability in taking supportive action, among others. 

Back with Joy 

Anchored on a human-centric approach to redesigning new employee’s work-life balance, Jollibee Group’s Back with Joy focused on health and well-being, enhanced collaboration, and social connection. The campaign equipped JFC teams and managers with tools and frameworks to thrive in the hybrid environment and also involved a one-month pilot phase to survey what went well and what could be improved in the back-to-office setup. 

Jollibee Group’s participation in the Gartner Marketing and Communications Awards reflects its continuing commitment to its people, as well as its goal of providing a safer and more encouraging work environment for its employees. 

This recent achievement joins the list of recognitions the company has received this year. In March, Jollibee Group took home two Silver Anvil Awards at the 58th Anvil Awards conferred by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines. Silver Anvil Awards were given to the Jollibee Times Square New York Campaign and the JFC Annual Report.

JFC’s HR Head for the Philippines named sole Filipina Finalist in WeQual Awards 2023: People Category

MANILA, Philippines. – Another feat for Filipina women leaders on the global stage. Ruth Angeles, Jollibee Group’s Head of Global Organization, Leadership, and Culture and Head of Region Philippines Human Resources, was cited as the only Filipina among the three finalists for the People category at the WeQual Awards, Asia-Pacific 2023. 

The WeQual Awards identify senior executive women with exemplary leadership qualities. The Awards aim to promote and accelerate gender parity at the top of the world’s largest companies.

“It is a great honor to become part of this global list of outstanding senior executive women. This recognition inspires me to do even more to foster our JFC culture of inclusivity and equality in the workplace that allows employees, regardless of gender, to grow and succeed,” Angeles said. 

WeQual cited Angeles as a skilled communicator with a deep understanding of aligning people strategy with business objectives. WeQual likewise recognized Angeles’ well-developed judgment and remarkable resilience. 

Angeles started her journey with the Jollibee Group in 2006 as HR Manager for Jollibee Worldwide Services and became part of its pioneer leadership team. After this stint, she led Red Ribbon Philippines’ HR function, helping keep people aligned amid its business turnaround at the time. She was soon elevated to HR Head of Jollibee Philippines, facilitating a culture transformation that helped the brand achieve significant sales and store network growth. Today, Angeles leads the Regional HR team in the Philippines and the Global Organization, Leadership, and Culture team concurrently.

As the Regional HR Head for the Philippines, Angeles oversees the consistent delivery of HR programs, systems, and processes while building the talent pipeline for organizational sustainability in the region. Simultaneously, Angeles drives cultural transformation across JFC’s BUs and functions globally through learning and development, organizational development, and employee engagement. 

In the Philippines, women comprise most of Jollibee Group’s management positions. The organization was named in the list of Forbes’ Most Female Friendly Companies—a testament to its commitment to supporting its women employees worldwide. Last year, Cynthia Castro, Finance Head of Jollibee Group’s Philippine Region and Jollibee Philippines, was also recognized as a finalist in the WeQual Awards. 

UST Inaugurates Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center at its Santa Rosa Campus

MANILA, Philippines. – The University of Santo Tomas (UST) held the solemn blessing and formal inauguration of the UST-Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center (UST-TTCIC) at its 40-hectare campus in Santa Rosa City, Laguna. The rites coincided with UST’s 412th foundation anniversary on April 28, 2023.

The innovation center is named after its donor Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong, Chairman and Founder of Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC). Tan Caktiong graduated from the UST in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He also received a Doctorate in Business Administration, honoris causa, from UST in 2018.

In his message, Tan Caktiong expressed his joy over the completion and inauguration of the innovation center and its significance to the UST community, as well as to the future of the Philippines.

“This state-of-the-art innovation center in the midst of the UST community is intended to champion innovation and entrepreneurship with its end in mind to benefit not only the University, but also the country and society as a whole,” Tan Caktiong said. “This Center can serve as a catalyst for promoting innovation that foster connection, empathy, and compassion, and I am very excited to see the impact it can have on many people’s lives and well-being.” 

Innovation for a better future 

Tan Caktiong has always been passionate about innovation and continuous learning, evident in how he steered JFC from a single-brand company into one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with 16 brands operating over 6,500 stores across 34 countries.

“I am very thrilled of how this Center perfectly aligns with my ardent belief in the incessant thirst for continuous learning and dreaming big, all the more so as the pace of change in the world is increasingly becoming more rapid,” he said. “Being unable to adapt can put in question one’s relevance and render one’s knowledge, skills, and even entire businesses obsolete.”

Tan Caktiong added: “Innovation is not only an engine for economic growth, but also a tool for social transformation. As we build back better from the pandemic, this Center is in a remarkable position to harness the power of science and entrepreneurship in developing products and processes that can promote food security and improve livelihoods, especially in the rural areas.” 

Partnership for nation-building

UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., Ph.D., in his message, shared that “The UST-TTCIC is designed to foster creativity and collaboration. It will be a place for researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to exchange ideas, share knowledge and work together towards a common goal–creating a better future.”

“The various laboratories, workshops, and workspaces in this building have been carefully planned to support a wide range of research and innovation activities, whether you’re a scientist working on a breakthrough discovery, an engineer developing a new technology, or an entrepreneur launching a startup, this Center will provide you with resources and support our stakeholders need to succeed,” Rev. Fr. Ang added.

UST held the groundbreaking ceremony of the UST-TTCIC in December 2020. In September 2022, UST laid down its 15-year road map for the Center. On the same occasion, the Assistant to the Rector for UST Santa Rosa Prof. Philipina Marcelo, Ph.D., presented the three phases of UST Santa Rosa’s long-term operational and sustainability plan. She mentioned that UST Santa Rosa will target health and well-being, food security and safety, environmental sustainability, energy, information and communications, and material sciences as its interdisciplinary research areas.

“The Innovation Center is a tangible manifestation of our shared commitment, common values, and vision. We get an opportunity to nurture the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and entrepreneurs, and in so doing, we will continue to shape the future of our country,” Tan Caktiong said of the partnership with UST.

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About Jollibee Group

Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC, also known as Jollibee Group) is one of the fastest-growing restaurant companies in the world. Its mission is to serve great-tasting food and bring the joy of eating to everyone through its 16 brands with over 6,500 stores across 34 countries including the Philippines, United States, Canada, the People's Republic of China, United Kingdom, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, and Australia. 

The Jollibee Group has eight wholly owned brands (Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Yonghe King, Hong Zhuang Yuan, Smashburger); four franchised brands (Burger King, Panda Express, and Yoshinoya in the Philippines, and Tim Ho Wan in certain territories in China); 80% ownership of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; 60% ownership in the SuperFoods Group that owns Highlands Coffee; and 51% ownership of Milksha, a popular Taiwanese bubble tea brand. 

The Jollibee Group, through its subsidiary Jollibee Worldwide Pte. Ltd. (JWPL) owns 90% participating interest in Titan Dining LP, a private equity fund that owns the Tim Ho Wan brand. The Jollibee Group has a joint venture with the THW Group to open and operate THW restaurants in Mainland China. It also has a business venture with award-winning Chef Rick Bayless for Tortazo, a Mexican fast-casual restaurant business in the United States.

The Jollibee Group has launched its global sustainability agenda dubbed Joy for Tomorrow, which aims to strengthen the company’s commitment to sustainable business practices. The agenda centers on the key pillars of Food, People, and Planet, and consists of 10 focus areas namely: food safety, food quality, nutrition & transparency, employee welfare, farmers livelihood, community support, good governance, packaging & recycling, waste reduction, and energy & water efficiency. Each focus area sets goals and initiatives that contribute and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

The Jollibee Group was named the Philippines' most admired company by the Asian Wall Street Journal for ten years. It was also honored as one of Asia's Fab 50 Companies and among the World's Best Employers and World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies by Forbes. The company is also a two-time recipient of Gallup’s Exceptional Workplace Award, making it the only Philippine-based company to receive the distinction. 

To learn more about Jollibee Group, visit www.jollibeegroup.com