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Commits to Help Restore the Country’s Mangrove Ecosystem

Through the Jollibee Group Foundation, Inc. (JGF), the corporate social responsibility arm of Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC), is still driving change. JGF led a mangrove regeneration campaign that included a series of tree-planting events that took place in three coastal provinces.

Employees of JFC have planted over 4,000 mangrove trees: 1,700 saplings in Lemery, Batangas, and 2,250 mangrove propagules along the shores of Carmen, Cebu, and Alaminos, Pangasinan.

The reforestation project, according to JGF President Gisela Tiongson, is a component of JFC’s stepped-up efforts to further its global sustainability strategy, Joy for Tomorrow, in keeping with the goal under the Planet pillar to support responsible planet-stewardship.  

“JFC’s 45th anniversary last year marked a special milestone that inspired us to step up our effort in creating value for our stakeholders and in giving back to the environment,” said Tiongson. “Through this mangrove reforestation program, we aim to help restore the mangrove ecosystem and build a more resilient future for our fellow Filipinos living in coastal communities.”

Strengthening collaboration

JGF has collaborated with national agencies and local community partners to ensure that the mangrove planting activities are done correctly using the right species that are planted in the right site and in the right season—all these considerations are crucial in ensuring mangrove survival and propagation.

Tiongson recognized the support provided by DENR SCIS-Strategic Alliance and Environmental Partnership Division, DENR-Environmental Management Bureau, DENR Region 7, City Environment & Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Cebu City and Carmen, and CENRO Calaca, Batangas. “We are grateful for their assistance and for guiding us throughout the activities, as well as the People’s Organization in Cebu for the mangrove seedlings,” she said.  

Fostering employee engagement

The reforestation program was started in 2023, with over 200 employee-volunteers from Jollibee, Greenwich, Red Ribbon, Zenith Foods Corporation, and Jollibee Worldwide Services Logistics. This also formed part of the Company’s engagement program for its employees and JFC’s 45th anniversary activities.

To bolster the project, JFC’s President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong and JGF’s Tiongson, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga on April 19.

Tanmantiong emphasized, “We are cognizant of the climate emergency we are in, and hence, we are taking steps to contribute to climate mitigation in the work of JGF, together with the company. To this end, we will be investing in mangrove reforestation initiatives with the help of our employee volunteers. And we will be supporting communities in mangrove management.”

In line with the MOU, JGF pledged to “extend its support to community-based mangrove protection and reforestation activities and mobilize volunteer employees to participate in the conduct of environmental programs and activities in mangrove reforestation.”

This year, JGF intends to expand the knowledge, expertise, and skill set of JFC staff members beyond their job duties by working toward establishing the initiative as an ongoing program. JGF also intends to carry out mangrove planting operations in Visayas and Mindanao under strict community control in order to further expand the nation’s mangrove ecosystem.

Continues to be the first and only Philippine-based company to have received the global award

For the third time in 2024, the locally owned restaurant chain Jollibee Group has been honored with the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award (GEWA). The company’s dedication to employee engagement as a key component of its business strategy is affirmed by this award. The Jollibee Group is still the only firm with its headquarters in the Philippines to have won this honor.

Over 100,000 teams worldwide, 2.7 million workers are covered by the GEWA. It honors top-tier companies that incorporate engagement into their workplace culture and is based on Gallup’s extensive and meticulous workplace survey.

“This recognition was made possible by the countless men and women of the Jollibee Group around the world who contribute and shape our uniquely joyful work culture,” said Ernesto Tanmantiong, Jollibee Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our three-time recognition is timely as it comes at the heels of our best year yet in 2023: a clear manifestation that our business success is deeply interconnected with our people’s success.”

“We remain committed to helping our talents build a career where they can live out their purpose, build meaningful relationships at work, and contribute with their unique talents to our mission of bringing the joy of eating to everyone. We strive hard to make our people not only successful but also happy,” Tanmantiong added.

Gallup Chief Executive Officer Jon Clifton congratulated winning organizations for redefining what it means to be a great place to work amid continuing workplace challenges. “Your commitment to creating environments where employees are listened to, valued, and positioned to use their strengths every day is what sets you apart. Thank you for setting a new global standard in what it means to be a thriving workplace,” Clifton said.

A Joyful Work Environment

Jollibee Group’s strengthened People Agenda was key to its record business performance, which was characterized by back-to-back best-ever years in 2022 and 2023.

Earlier this year, the company defined its Employer Value Proposition “Choose Joy,” which articulates the unique experience of being a Jollibee Group employee and the company’s culture of joy built over the past 46 years.

Through its D&I vision and commitment to “Joy for All,” the Jollibee Group has also continued to elevate the importance of diversity and inclusion (D&I) in the workplace. The D&I vision aims to cultivate a more joyful and inclusive environment for the team members who power the organization as well as the customers and stakeholders who are part of the organization’s ecosystem.

Amidst the epidemic in 2020, the Jollibee Group was initially granted the GEWA. It was the first time a business with its headquarters in the Philippines has received this honor. In 2023, the company was listed as one of TIME Magazine’s World’s Best Companies and won its second GEWA award.

The Jollibee Group has also been named one of the World’s Best Employers by Forbes Magazine for three years running, from 2020 to 2022. The business was included in Forbes’ first list of the World’s Top Female-Friendly Companies in 2021.

Coca-Cola Philippines and its partners commemorated Earth Day by gathering 444.85 kg of PET bottles and cans between April 16 and 21 as part of the Panaad sa Negros Festival 2024 through the Tindahan Extra Mile (TEM) program, following a successful launch in Bacolod.

In an effort to reduce plastic waste and fight pollution, the program gives micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and owners of sari-sari stores the ability to turn their establishments into places where empty plastic bottles are collected. By gathering bottles, micro-retailers can accrue points that can be exchanged for money and merchandise for their stores.

TEM is a collaboration between Coca-Cola Philippines, Basic Environmental Systems and Technologies, Inc. (BEST), and the Philippine Association of Stores and Carinderia Owners (PASCO). As of May, there are over 3,500 TEM members in the country.

This local effort aligns with The Coca-Cola Company’s global World Without Waste strategy. Globally, the company aims to collect and recycle the equivalent of each bottle and can it sells by 2030, make its primary consumer packaging recyclable by 2025, and use an average of 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030.

TEM is a crucial component of “May Ikabobote Pa,” Coca-Cola Philippines’ consumer engagement campaign, which encourages people to recycle their empty bottles and cans. Customers may find out the closest pickup locations and further information about the company’s recycling programs by visiting the Coca-Cola Philippines Sustainability Hub.

According to the 2023 Service Hero Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Awards, local food chain Jollibee has been named one of Kuwait’s Top 10 Brands for Customer Satisfaction.

An annual recognition program called the Customer Service Index Awards rewards Kuwait businesses who provide outstanding customer service. It gauges important aspects of the service, like overall satisfaction, expectations, and recommendation likelihood. It also evaluates several aspects of the services, including personnel, location, value for money, staff quality, speed, and dependability. For this list, more than 500 brands in 20 categories were assessed.

“Being recognized among Kuwait’s Top 10 brands for customer satisfaction from over 500 brands is a testament to our commitment to providing customers with great-tasting food served with the warmth and joyful service that the Jollibee brand is known for. This citation is not only a badge of honor for us, but it also means we are fulfilling our promise to our customers,” said Joseph Tanbuntiong, Jollibee Group Chief Business Officer and Head, Jollibee Global.

Meanwhile, Dennis Flores, President of Jollibee Group’s business in Europe, Middle East, and Asia, and Australia (EMEAA), congratulated the Jollibee Kuwait team and franchisee for this milestone recognition: “We celebrate this achievement with all our store and operations teams in Kuwait whose passion and dedication to our mission of serving great-tasting food and bringing the joy of eating to everyone has made this recognition possible. We are also grateful to our customers in Kuwait for their continued support and loyalty to Jollibee.”

“We extend our deepest gratitude to our franchisee Yacoub Aljajery for his steadfast belief in our brand. His hands-on approach not only ensures operational excellence, but also fosters a culture of passion and commitment, making exceptional customer service at Jollibee Kuwait possible,” Flores added.

The Jollibee Group opened the first Jollibee store in Al Watya, Kuwait City in February 2012 through franchisee Yacoub Aljajery of the Al Musaifra Catering Company. Today, Jollibee has seven stores in Kuwait, with loyal fans craving for bestselling products such Chickenjoy and Jolly Spaghetti.

Jollibee as a franchisor of choice

“I chose Jollibee as a franchise because of its strong brand recognition, delicious menu offerings, and the opportunity to introduce Jollibee to Arab/Kuwaiti customers, which has proven to be a successful venture,” said franchisee Yacoub Aljajery. “As a franchisee, I appreciate Jollibee’s comprehensive support system, including marketing assistance, ongoing operational guidance and training programs which have been instrumental in the growth and success of our franchise operations in Kuwait.”

“Being cited as one of the Top 10 brands in Kuwait is a recognition for our dedication and hard work in upholding Jollibee’s standards and values. This award also serves as our source of pride and motivation to continue delivering exceptional service and quality to our customers in Kuwait,” he added.

Jollibee also has stores in other Middle East countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman.

Recently, Jollibee has been ranked Top 5 Strongest Restaurant Brand in the World, overtaking more established Quick Service Restaurant brands, according to the latest annual brand ranking report by Brand Finance, the world’s leading independent brand valuation agency. Jollibee has elevated its rating from AA- to AAA. In addition, Jollibee is the only Philippine brand listed in the 2024 Top 25 Most Valuable Restaurant Brands and Top 10 Strongest Restaurant Brands.

The brand has also been cited as the Top 2 fastest-growing restaurant brand in the world. Surging by an impressive 51% to USD2.3 billion in brand value, Jollibee ascended from rank 20 to rank 17 in this year’s Global Restaurant Rankings.

Outside of the Philippines, mainstream customers are still gravitating for Jollibee. Mainstream non-Filipino locals make up around 100% of the clientele in Vietnam and Brunei, 81% in Malaysia, 80% in the UK, 70% in Singapore, and 60% in Hong Kong. This demonstrates the brand’s attractiveness on a worldwide scale.

Jollibee Group flagship brands in the ranking

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf TM, another brand owned by the Jollibee Group, is ranked among Kuwait’s Top 10 Brands for Customer Satisfaction. In the café category, it likewise came out on top. The flagship brand for the coffee and tea industry under the Jollibee Group is CBTL.

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

The Jollibee Group, a multinational restaurant chain dedicated to sustainable business practices, understands the need of collaborating with suppliers like Lamb Weston and McCain Foods, who also share the company’s dedication to ethical sourcing.

Core to Responsible Sourcing

McCain Foods is a Canadian corporation that specializes in potato goods, particularly fries. It has been a dependable supplier to the Jollibee Group for 20 years. The Jollibee Group collaborates closely with 3,500 farmers to rethink more sustainable potato cultivation practices.

Anchored in its regenerative agricultural practice, Farms of the Future supports farmers in adopting techniques that conserve water, minimize chemical fertilizer usage, and enhance soil health. These efforts contribute to its inclusive goal of empowering its farmers to face threats in the global food system, such as climate change, soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and food waste.

McCain Foods aims to further its commitment to responsible sourcing by operating three Farms of the Future in different growing regions on top of its locations in Canada and South Africa by 2025. This project is one of several initiatives that helped place McCain Foods at the 55th rank in the 2023 Food and Agriculture Benchmark. The Food and Agriculture Benchmark is part of the World Benchmarking Alliance, which provides an essential tool for measuring and comparing corporate performance with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It measures and ranks 350 keystone companies – from farm to fork – on key issues underpinning the food systems transformation agenda.

For its part, Lamb Weston, a global producer, and processor of frozen potato products, and one of the Jollibee Group’s longtime potato suppliers, has comprehensive sustainability goals focused on food, people, and the planet.

One of its banner initiatives is its Sustainable Agriculture program which continuously improves its processes, adopts the latest equipment and technology, and shares the best practices with its growers. Before introducing them to its growers, Lamb Weston recently piloted its technologies and practices in 100 Circles Farm–its 20,000-acre farm in Paterson, Washington, United States. With this, the company can better understand the opportunities and challenges that the farmers encounter. Lamb Weston has also invested in soil research and technologies, believing that healthy soil is the key to climate resiliency and long-term productivity.

Sustainability across the entire business

The Jollibee Group will strengthen its relationships with international suppliers who share its commitment to sustainability as it pursues its global sustainability strategy, Joy for Tomorrow, in tandem with its continued worldwide expansion.

In order to incorporate its sustainable business practices into a more unified structure that integrates the entire organization and directs its interactions with partners and stakeholders, the Jollibee Group launched Joy for Tomorrow.