Fiber broadband provider lauded for zero-waste plan

CEBU, Philippines —  Converge ICT Solutions Inc., one of the country’s largest fiber broadband providers, secured a Silver Award at the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines’ Corporate Social Impact Awards, underscoring the company’s growing push to hardwire environmental stewardship into its operations.

The recognition, granted under the Environmental Sustainability and Resource Efficiency category, highlights Converge’s “Countdown to Zero Waste” program—an expanding, multi-phase initiative aimed at slashing the firm’s operational waste, from electronic equipment and PVC materials to plastics and general solid refuse.

The initiative anchors the company’s long-term commitment to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2030, a target embedded in its sustainability agenda.

Lawyer Laurice Esteban-Tuason, Converge’s Corporate Compliance & Data Protection Officer and Corporate Sustainability Officer, said the award affirms the company’s broader strategy to integrate circular practices across its nationwide footprint.

“This recognition strengthens our resolve to accelerate our zero-waste journey and champion initiatives that protect the environment while empowering the communities we serve. We aim to be tech for good,” she said.

The three-stage campaign reflects a calibrated expansion of environmental responsibility across the organization.

In its initial phase, Converge teamed up with accredited recycling partners to process and repurpose electronic waste—one of the world’s fastest-growing waste streams—into usable construction materials such as bricks and chairs.

The company also installed zero-waste bins in business centers across the country, providing customers and employees drop-off points for outdated devices.

Another component of the program focuses on upcycling tarpaulins and other marketing materials into bags, mats, and household items. Converge tapped KreAtions PH, a women-led social enterprise employing single mothers and stay-at-home mothers, to produce the upcycled goods.

The initiative also includes the refurbishment of returned modems, extending product life cycles and reducing the need for new hardware purchases.

The program’s second phase targets single-use plastics reduction within Converge offices, embedding sustainability into day-to-day corporate practices. Its most recent phase introduces a company-wide waste segregation system aligned with Pasig City’s rules, ensuring more uniform waste management standards across Converge facilities.

Early results suggest the strategy is gaining traction. Since its formal rollout in 2023, Converge has repurposed 1,333 kilograms of plastic waste from employees and customers into eco-cast construction bricks.

In 2024, the company collected 65.72 kilograms of e-waste for recycling. Refurbished modems continue to displace new-unit demand, with 8,000 units reissued in 2022 and more than 112,500 in 2023.

The AmCham Corporate Social Impact Awards honor companies demonstrating leadership in corporate social responsibility and delivering programs that generate measurable benefits for communities nationwide—a benchmark Converge aims to broaden as it scales its sustainability strategy.