In photo are Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) Chief Sustainability Officer Ernesto Carlos (middle); flanked by (L-R) DENR Undersecretary for Policy, Planning, and International Affairs Jonas Leones; DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla, President of Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS) Jess Reyes; and DENR OIC Assistant Secretary for Environment and Concurrent Director of the Environmental Management Bureau Jacqueline Caancan.
Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) was recently honored with a Special Citation for Obliged Enterprises during the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) 2026 Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) Recognition Program: Celebrating Achievements and Milestones.
At the heart of this achievement is APC’s SariCycle® program, an innovative and flexible plastic waste collection initiative that empowers local micro-entrepreneurs, including Sari-Sari store owners, to take a leading role in the community in reducing plastic waste and pollution. This program enjoins small businesses into agents of environmental change as the joint efforts contribute to providing recycling centers with improved feedstock or materials that are clean, sorted and more suitable for processing.
To fuel this program, APC works closely with accredited partners, such as Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies (BEST) and the Quezon City Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Department (QC CCESD).Through these partnerships, APC reaffirms its resolute dedication to sustainability by delivering initiatives that are impactful, collaborative, and inclusive.
As an FMCG company, this recognition by the DENR validates APC’s approach of embedding sustainability into the core of their operations and empowering communities to take action alongside the company. The award is a reminder that when businesses and communities work together, sustainability becomes not just a goal, but a shared achievement.
In addition, this recognition further reinforces APC’s 2030 Roadmap, which seeks to highly reduce its environmental impact by 50%–all while extending 1 billion people’s healthy life expectancy.
Beyond regulatory compliance, APC believes that sustainability drives healthier environments, empowered micro-enterpreneurs, and stronger local economies. The company also sets the standard for responsible business practices in the country by demonstrating that corporate leadership and national progress can go hand in hand.
