While on their way home from work, Koleen and Dave - seasoned sustainability executives in two of the Philippines’ top firms, found themselves in an elevator talking about how the professional sustainability community in the Philippines was, in fact, hardly a community.

Almost as this was happening, Shawntel and Mai - two new sustainability professionals ready to shake up the game, were having the exact same conversation over some pizza and pasta.

Sustainability, as a field, practice, and career has been growing steadily in the Philippines. Yet, all four of them knew that in order to elevate the practice of sustainability in the country, we needed to better support the very heart of the sustainability movement - the people.

Thus, by March of 2020, Koleen, Dave, Shawntel, and Mai, alongside several key sustainability practitioners and players came together to start the Society of Sustainability Practitioners or SSP.

SSP works with key players to elevate and professionalize the field of sustainability in the Philippines. This is achieved through cultivating a community of practitioners, building their capabilities, and enabling them and their organizations to make better decisions anchored on sustainability goals. 

Since its founding, SSP has grown to house over 200 members coming from various corporations, NGOs, social enterprises, and advocacies. It has become a true space and community where practitioners can connect with, learn from, and collaborate with one another; while also contributing to change, impact, and sustainability projects inside and outside of their organizations.

Today, SSP and all its members are able to work towards building a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous Philippines, together.