Cebu City, June 14 (PIA) -- Business groups in Cebu are spearheading a campaign pushing for green initiatives as business strategy. 

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), with the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to launch “EKO Fest” on June 15 which advocates for the business sector to go green in their business dealings. 

While promoting environmental sustainability as a business blueprint, EKO Fest also aims to establish Cebu as a hub of sustainable lifestyle in the Philippines. 

CCCI, in a statement, said EKO Fest promotes going green as a strategy for businessmen “for taking care of people, protecting the environment and becoming more profitable or achieving what is called the triple bottom line of ‘people, planet, profit’.” 

The festival will run from June 15 to 19 featuring successful cooperators of ECCP’s SMART Cebu project at SM Northwing. 

SMART stands for SMEs for Environmental Accountability, Responsibility, and Transparency. 

The festival will be capped by an EKO conference showing green initiatives and success stories of various sustainability champions in the country on June 19 at Radisson Blue Hotel. 

With the theme “Promoting Green Economic Development,” the conference will be highlighted by talks from various environment and business experts such as Philippine Business for Environment Executive Director Bonar A. Laureto, GIZ ProGED Project Manager Dr. Volker Steigerwald, Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. Chief Operating Officer Dominica B. Chua, etc. (RMN/PIA Cebu) 

Source: Philippine Information Agency; News; 15 June 2013