Creating shared value for a sustainable future
Across the Philippine archipelago, from the busy heart of Metro Manila to the quiet towns of the Visayas and the vibrant landscapes of Mindanao, one name has become woven into everyday life: SM. Its presence is more than the familiar glow of a mall sign or the hum of shoppers moving through its halls. It lives in the rhythm of neighborhoods, in family traditions, and in the shared spaces where communities come together.
Over the decades, SM has grown from a small shoe store into one of the country’s leading companies, with SM Investments Corporation as the parent company. Beyond retail, SM’s core businesses include banking through BDO Unibank, Inc. and China Banking Corporation, property development through SM Prime Holdings, and portfolio businesses like 2GO Group for logistics and Philippine Geothermal Production Company for renewable energy.
But SM’s true strength lies in the way it uses that reach to inspire and uplift.
SM’s presence feels almost like a heartbeat in pulse with the country. Inside its halls, families linger over shared meals while children tug at their parents’ hands toward glowing displays. Small business owners stand proudly at their stalls, greeting strangers who may soon become loyal customers. Shoppers pause to take in the sparkle of lights and the hum of music that fills the air. Around every corner, conversations flow, ideas take root, and communities draw closer. Beneath it all is a quiet but steady force: spaces built to bring people together, opportunities designed to let dreams take flight, and a lasting commitment to care that reaches far beyond the season.
Legacy built with heart
The story of SM is, in many ways, the story of modern Filipino ambition. It began with Henry Sy Sr., who opened a small shoe store in Manila in the late 1950s. From that modest beginning grew a business that mirrored the aspirations of a nation finding its post war identity. Over time, the store expanded into department stores, then malls, and eventually into banking and property development. Each step reflected a combination of entrepreneurship and sensitivity to the evolving needs of communities.
But what distinguished SM’s journey was its guiding philosophy. From the start, growth was not seen as a solitary pursuit. As the company flourished, it carried with it the belief that business should create opportunities for others. Malls were designed not just as shopping destinations but as modern community spaces where families could gather and local enterprises could flourish. Banking services were extended to reach people who have little access to the formal financial systems. Property developments were planned with the long view of community integration and the convenience of 15-minute cities. These decisions were deliberate, grounded in the understanding that sustainable success depends on shared prosperity.
SM’s legacy is visible in the physical spaces it builds and the invisible networks it supports. Every store opening creates jobs. Every mall becomes a platform for countless small retailers. Every investment in infrastructure signals trust in local economies. Over the decades, this approach has turned SM into more than a corporation. It has become a social presence that grows alongside the communities it serves.
Where corporate vision meets compassion and care
Walking through an SM mall or store, one might see families strolling, friends meeting for meals, or children playing in activity areas. Beneath these everyday scenes lies a carefully nurtured culture of stewardship.
SM Foundation and its division SM Cares is the public expression of this culture. It is an integrated framework that guides how the company interacts with people and the planet.
SM Foundation stemmed from the belief of the founder that social development and business go hand in hand. Established in 1983, it serves communities through college scholarship grants and school buildings, medical missions and the refurbishment of health and wellness centers, shelter, disaster response, environmental programs and care for persons with special needs among others. It is driven by the vision to build a Philippines where everyone has the opportunity for self-improvement and the environment is sustained for future generations.
These efforts often unfold quietly, embedded in daily operations, yet their impact ripples through communities.
Small enterprises big dreams
Among SM’s most impactful contributions is its support for micro-, small-, and medium enterprises. Across its nationwide network, more than 100,000 MSMEs operate as tenants, suppliers, or partners. This vast ecosystem represents a vibrant cross-section of Filipino entrepreneurship: food stalls serving family recipes, craft shops showcasing local artistry, small clothing brands finding their first big audiences, and homegrown suppliers scaling up to meet national demand.
For many of these businesses, SM is the bridge between local potential and national exposure. A small kiosk in a provincial mall can introduce a product to thousands of daily visitors. A lease inside an SM property can turn a neighborhood venture into a recognizable brand. Beyond providing space, SM helps these enterprises thrive through capacity-building programs, marketing support, and access to financial services through its banking units. For example, small suppliers are often connected to financing solutions that allow them to expand production, purchase equipment, or hire additional workers.
This support has a multiplier effect. When a small business grows, it creates local jobs, strengthens community economies, and inspires others to take entrepreneurial risks. Many MSMEs that began as single stalls have expanded into multiple branches, franchised their concepts, or developed export-ready products. SM’s role in these journeys is often steady and behind the scenes, but entrepreneurs frequently describe SM as a trusted partner that gave them their first real platform.
Care in action across the archipelago
SM’s heart is most clearly seen when its values move from boardrooms to communities. Across the country, countless stories unfold quietly inside malls, workplaces, and neighborhoods.
When disasters strike, SM’s properties often transform into safe spaces. During major typhoons, malls have sheltered families overnight, with food courts providing warm meals and event spaces turning into evacuation centers. In some towns, SM’s buildings have been among the few structures that remain powered during storms, offering charging stations for residents desperate to reach loved ones. These responses are the product of planning, investment, and a sincere sense of responsibility. The company has integrated disaster resilience into its infrastructure, ensuring that its spaces can serve as reliable lifelines in moments of crisis.
Environmental care is woven into these efforts. SM has steadily increased the number of properties using solar energy, built water catchments underneath its malls to help mitigate flooding in communities, introduced water recycling systems that save millions of liters annually, and maintained recycling programs involving tenants and customers alike.
Solar roofs, improved insulation, and more efficient cooling systems contribute to lower energy use. These measures might not always be visible to the public, but they show how environmental responsibility can live quietly in the background of daily operations.
SM also introduced sustainable living choices through its retail stores, positively impacting consumer behavior. It has created an ecosystem that brings shoppers and suppliers together to shift to a more sustainable way of life— through clean beauty, sustainable fashion and eco-friendly home living.
Building communities through inclusion
One of SM’s most enduring contributions to Filipino life is its ability to create spaces where people come together. In a country where malls often double as public squares, SM properties have become modern gathering places that reflect diversity and inclusion. The company recognizes this role and designs its spaces accordingly. Ramps, elevators, tactile paving, accessible restrooms, and dedicated programs for persons with disabilities turn malls into places where everyone feels welcome.
This inclusivity extends beyond infrastructure. SM hosts job fairs that connect employers with job seekers. It organizes events that promote cultural appreciation and supports initiatives that highlight the talents of persons with disabilities. These efforts transform malls from simple commercial centers into living communities where people can connect, learn, and grow together.
Real people, real impact
Behind every figure in SM’s financials are human stories that reveal the true impact of its programs.
A group of young millennials started the company Kangkong King, driven by ambition and innovation. Like with all Kultura partner-MSMEs, their vision was encouraged and supported.
Starting with three employees in 2021, Kangkong King now employs around 70 people. From working at a house kitchen to having their own office and factory, Kangkong King has gone a long way in a short time. Their partnership with Kultura, SM’s specialty retail brand, started with a cold email, a solid belief in their products, and knowing who they wanted to partner with.
Anne Gaw, Kangkong King Marketing Head shares, “With Kultura, we’re able to reach Mindanao, Visayas, which has been one of our struggles when we were starting.”
In Agdangan, Quezon, an association of weavers, made up of housewives, create buri fans for Kultura. An organization called Mga Likha ni Inay helps these housewives market their products.
“We’re supporting and helping around 1,800 clients, direct and indirect. This includes employees of the clients we’re assisting,” shares Aristopher Punzalan, President of Mga Likha ni Inay.
Growing up in Zamboanga City, Alhadzfar Jammang’s family relied on his father’s income as a driver while his mother focused on caring for him and his six siblings. Although college seemed out of reach, he pursued the SM Foundation scholarship to focus on his studies. He was able to graduate cum laude in 2023 from the Universidad de Zamboanga with a degree in Accountancy. The SM Foundation scholarship covered his tuition and miscellaneous fees and provided a stipend, allowing him to concentrate on his coursework.
These are only a few among thousands of stories that unfold each year. They show SM as a partner that gives ordinary people the tools and platforms they need to build better lives.
Sustaining growth with heart
As SM looks toward the future, it continues to build on sustainable growth. The company envisions a future where development is inclusive, where small businesses flourish alongside larger enterprises, and where environmental stewardship is embedded in every strategy.
The company’s initiatives remind us that real impact is measured over time. It lives in the persistence of entrepreneurs who open their shops each morning, in the resilience of families rebuilding after storms, and in the quiet determination of young scholars chasing their dreams. It is reflected in greener buildings, inclusive spaces, and partnerships that strengthen local economies.
This vision is grounded in decades of action. From a single shoe store to a national network of malls, retail stores, banks, and other properties, SM has kept one principle constant: success carries a responsibility to give back. That principle shapes decisions, guides investments, and defines the company’s role in the country’s journey forward.
As communities look ahead, SM continues to move with them. Across the Philippines, communities continue to grow, businesses keep evolving, and dreams find new ground to take root. This rhythm is familiar for SM. It invests in people, supports innovation, and listens to the evolving needs of those it serves.
