Diversity drives us forward. By embracing different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, we at Robinsons Retail build stronger teams that are empowered to deliver the best results for our customers and communities. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace remains steadfast. Our hiring and onboarding processes are designed to be objective and non-gendered, ensuring equal opportunities for all. This approach enables us to attract and retain a diverse pool of talent, empowering individuals to thrive in an environment where they feel valued and respected.

Women continue to play a crucial role in Robinsons Retail's leadership. As of 2024, 70.5% of our workforce are women, underscoring their strong presence across all levels of our organization. Women hold 57.8% of executive-level positions, marking an increase from 54.5% in 2023 and reflecting our continued efforts to promote gender equity at the top. Similarly, female leaders comprise 64.8% of our managerial and supervisory roles. Meanwhile, women represent 73.9% of our rank-and-file employees, maintaining a consistent majority across our workforce.
In line with our commitment to inclusivity, we are proud to provide meaningful employment opportunities to Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). As of 2024, 21 PWD employees are part of our Southstar Drug team, reinforcing our goal of building a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve with the aim of expanding the program across other banners.

Our efforts in championing our employees resulted in our inclusion in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Statista’s list of the Philippines’ Best Employers 2024, where we ranked 4th out of 21 companies in the retail and wholesale industry. Our subsidiaries Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Appliances, Rose Pharmacy, and South Star Drug were also recognized.

Southstar Drug was named as a finalist in the diversity and inclusion category of the Investors in People Philippines Awards 2024, a recognition that underscores our commitment to fostering an inclusive and empowering workplace as we continue to collaborate with the Project Inclusion Network, the Autism Society of the Philippines, the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Business and Disability Network, the Parañaque Center for Children with Special Needs, and the Manila City Hall. Since 2016, we have provided employment opportunities to close to 40 PWDs across our stores, with a 90% retention rate.

In August 2024, Robinsons Retail, represented by Group General Manager Joanne Seno-Arceo, participated in the launch of the “Census on Women in Executive Leadership Teams in Publicly Listed Companies” organized by the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE). This event aimed to shed light on the representation of women in executive leadership roles across various industries.

She highlighted the company’s ongoing efforts in championing gender diversity and inclusion across Robinsons Retail, reinforcing its dedication to fostering a more equitable workplace.

At the event, Joanne was joined by Thea Marie Sordan from Cebu Pacific Air, another company under the Gokongwei Group. The presence of both leaders underscored the group’s commitment to gender diversity across its various businesses. The event also provided an opportunity to connect with other women leaders and discuss further advancing gender parity in leadership.

Ensuring the health and safety of our employees is paramount to Robinsons Retail, as it directly impacts their well-being and productivity. We adhere to stringent standards set by the Department of Labor and Employment to maintain safe and healthy working conditions across our operations.

In 2024, Robinsons Retail recorded 57,801,976 safe manhours following 58,021,056 in 2023. Work-related injuries significantly decreased to six in 2024 from 17 in 2023, reflecting our ongoing efforts to improve workplace safety.

To ensure preparedness, we conduct regular safety drills at our head office and across retail banners, equipping employees with the knowledge to respond effectively in emergencies. Our teams also undergo continuous training to promote hazard identification and ensure regulatory compliance.

Our commitment to helping our employees grow by providing meaningful learning opportunities remains. Through the Robinsons Retail Academy (RRA), we offer structured programs that equip our people with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their roles and advance in their careers.

RRA delivers targeted programs that address the diverse learning needs of our workforce. New hires undergo a structured orientation to ensure smooth integration, while our Digital Learning Program offers bi-weekly courses focused on personal, people, and operational excellence. For regular employees, the Retail Excellence Curriculum builds retail-specific leadership and management skills, while the Management Development Curriculum—now called the General Management Development Program—prepares key talents for future leadership roles. Thematic Programs also address strategic priorities like supply chain management and customer experience.

In 2024, we expanded our leadership development initiatives with the Leadership Enhancement & Acceleration Program (LEAP), which has two tracks: leadership and a specialized track for functional competency mastery. Additionally, the Executive Development Program (EDP) was introduced in partnership with esteemed institutions such as IMD, INSEAD, Deloitte, and CCL, ensuring high-caliber executive education tailored to business needs.

A key highlight of 2024 was the Leadership Management Development Program (LMDP), where 25 Robinsons Retail executives completed a six-module curriculum at the Ateneo Graduate School of Business – Center for Continuing Education (CCE). Spanning three months, the program covered MBA-level subjects and culminated in an Action Learning Project, where participants applied their acquired knowledge to real-life business challenges. The final presentations were evaluated by a distinguished panel of executives from Gokongwei Group and Ateneo, reinforcing the practical impact of the program.

To increase accessibility and flexibility, we expanded our digital learning initiatives in 2024, driving higher engagement across all levels. Total training hours for the year reached 194,014, with employees averaging 8.0 training hours each.

Through these efforts, Robinsons Retail continues to invest in its people, ensuring they are equipped to thrive, innovate, and contribute to the company’s long-term growth.

Given our reliance on electricity and fuel for store and office operations, we recognize the need to manage our energy use and emissions more effectively. In recent years, we have begun transitioning to lower-impact refrigerants in our refrigeration and air-conditioning systems and have started exploring energy-efficient technologies. We are also in the early stages of conducting more thorough energy and emissions studies and assessing the potential for renewable energy sourcing—particularly for facilities with higher energy consumption—as our store network continues to grow.

In 2024, Robinsons Retail consumed a total of 401.9 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy. Of this, 99.4% came from non-renewable sources such as grid electricity, generator sets, and our company fleet. Steadily, our renewable energy is growing at 0.6%. Solar installations at our head office, combined with the existing renewable power generations of 2 Shopwise stores brought renewable consumption to 2.4 million kWh—an increase of 28% from 2023. This transition avoided approximately 1,666 tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of over 76,000 mature trees.

Our total greenhouse gas emissions stood at 407,279 tonnes of CO2 emissions—68% from electricity use (Scope 2) and 32% from direct fuel use and refrigerant leakage (Scope 1). Despite a 3% rise in grid electricity usage due to store expansions, we achieved a net reduction of 10,915 tonnes of CO2 emissions compared to 2023. This was mainly due to the gradual shift away from high-global-warming refrigerants in our food segment. The resulting emissions reduction is comparable to the carbon captured by 501,163 mature trees.

We are currently undertaking a group-wide energy and emissions study to guide the development of realistic yet progressive climate targets. These efforts are aimed at improving operational efficiency while supporting a longer-term shift to cleaner energy options.

On climate resilience, we are looking to conduct new hazard and vulnerability assessments for recently established critical facilities, planning to expand these in the years ahead as part of strengthening our overall climate strategy. For prior assessments, please refer to pages 25–31 of our 2023 Annual and Sustainability Report.

1. Based on renewable materials (paper bags) and non-renewable materials (plastic bags) consumption
2. Based on solid waste generation data
3. Based on fuel consumption of rented vehicles
4. Based on plastic footprint of sold house brands
5. Based on electricity consumption of Uncle John's franchised stores

Recognizing the need for responsible energy resource management, Robinsons Retail has taken a significant step toward reducing its carbon footprint through the installation of a solar energy system at its Head Office compound.

In April 2024, we completed the installation of a 382.8 kWp solar panel system. From May to December of the same year, the system generated an average of 29,293.82 kWh of electricity per month, significantly reducing operational costs and dependence on non-renewable energy sources.

Compared to our 2022 power consumption baseline, this initiative has led to an average energy cost reduction of 21.22%. Additionally, it has yielded an impressive ₱335,832.39 in monthly savings, accumulating to ₱2,686,659.09 in total annual savings.

Beyond cost efficiency, the environmental impact of this initiative is evident. By generating renewable energy, we are preventing the emission of approximately 166.9 metric tons of carbon dioxide each month—equivalent to planting 7,600 mature trees annually based on the Arbor Day Foundation's carbon sequestration estimates.

To further our commitment to sustainability, we plan to gradually expand solar panel installations beyond our Head Office to include our stores, reinforcing our efforts to reduce carbon emissions and optimize energy use. Furthermore, we are preparing to implement our Energy Management Policy, which will introduce measures to manage energy consumption, lower emissions, and enhance environmental performance—all while maintaining operational efficiency and meeting customer needs.

Water Management

Although Robinsons Retail’s operations are not considered water-intensive, we continue to track water consumption across our stores, offices, and warehouses. Water is sourced from local third-party providers and is primarily used for lavatory facilities, regular cleaning, and maintenance activities.

As our store and warehouse footprint grows, overall water consumption has continued to increase. Our total water consumption increased by 14% to 1,466,744 cubic meters in 2024. Our water use intensity also increase by 7% to 7.1 cubic meters per million Pesos in revenue.

Routine monitoring of plumbing and water systems remains in place across various locations, which may help in identifying leakages or inefficiencies early. These efforts support the continued exploration of practical ways to manage water use more efficiently as our network expands.

Waste Management

Robinsons Retail continues to monitor its waste generation and management practices across stores and facilities. Standardized segregation measures remain in place, with most of the solid waste generated being non-hazardous—comprising compostable, recyclable, and residual materials, which account for 99.7% of total waste. Hazardous waste makes up a minimal portion at 0.3%.

In 2024, total solid waste generation increased by 4%, or 424,732 kilograms, compared to the previous year. But, waste generation intensity continued to decrease since 2023, this time by 2%, from 52.4 to 51.2 kilograms of solid waste per million Pesos in revenue.

Efforts to streamline waste data collection and analysis are ongoing, contributing to a clearer picture of waste trends and potential areas for improved handling and diversion.

*Restated the 2023 value due to improvements in data consolidation and analysis.

Materials Consumption

Robinsons Retail continues to monitor the use of materials, particularly in consumer packaging. While plastic bag consumption remained relatively stable in 2024 despite store expansions, the use of paper bags as an alternative increased by 33.1%. This trend reflects the broader shift in packaging preferences across various formats.

Efforts to improve data tracking on materials—such as alternative packaging options and recycled or upcycled inputs—are ongoing. These aim to build a more complete picture of material use and support informed decision-making on resource efficiency and sustainability.

Implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility Act also continues across our relevant business units, with strategies evolving to gradually shift toward packaging with a reduced environmental impact. Further updates on our plastic footprint reduction will be shared as data and systems become more standardized in the coming years.