LIFE IN THE NEW PHILIPPINES METRO SANTA ROSA Santa Rosa Magazine's SPECIAL FEATURES Section Home   Videos   Enchanted Kingdom   San Lazaro   SM Fashion   Aquabest   PBSP   SONA   Lea Salonga   Education Revolution AQUABEST AND MOTHER COMPANY GQWEST PLEDGE THEIR SUPPORT FOR CSR AWARENESS MONTH "The combostore is part of our efforts to show that eco friendliness and business can coexist." AQUABEST AND ITS MOTHER COMPANY GQWEST would like to join the world in observing the CSR Awareness Month.       Aquabest has long realized the importance of being socially responsible and has long practiced CSR before the practice became popular. "Our goal is not just to give back to the community. Anyone can do that. What we want is to give back more than what we take in a manner that benefits the environment as well as the people," says Carson Tan CEO of GQWEST Inc. As such the company has worked to integrate their CSR efforts into its day to day operations. That is why the company has initiated its Green Mindset Program.       The campaign was launched with the grand vision of eventually giving back more than it takes. From its beginnings as a tree planting program the company decided to expand it to make greater contributions to the betterment of society. "We started the program after seeing the impact of environmental degradation, which affects our business by diminishing the water supplies that our stores rely on," says Tan.       A key component of the program is to make company operations carbon neutral and reengineer them so all its activities contribute to the program. This will make the program sustainable.       Another is the combostore concept that maximizes water usage by integrating a Laundromat with the water store utilizing the 60 percent of a stations water input normally discarded as part of the water filtration process. They also use environmentally friendly detergents eliminating any pollutants as well as technology to use less detergent. *** ***       "The combostore is part of our efforts to show that eco friendliness and business can coexist. You don't have to choose between profit and being environmentally conscious. With innovation you can integrate them," Tan said.       Complementing the resource efficiency measures it practices is the recycling program it instituted for its plastic bottles. The company also plans to reduce their energy consumption, by utilizing solar panels to provide part of their stores power needs.       Finally, the company plans to upgrade their participation with the Haribon Foundation's tree planting efforts. The company plans to employ local residents in the tree-planting site to take care of the tree planted. Hiring the locals will provide them livelihood while at the same time increasing the survival rates of the plants.       The company believes that it can serve as an example for other companies to follow in setting up their respective CSR programs. It hopes that the success of the Green Mindset Program will show other companies that being profitable and being ecofriendly can go hand in hand. AQUABEST EXHIBITS AT 10th FILIPINO FRANCHISE SHOW Aquabest signs up to support the 10th Filipino Franchise Show. AQUABEST, THE COUNTRY'S LARGEST WATER STORE NETWORK, is this month taking part in the country’s largest franchise show and it promises to offer a great time with fun filled activities to all visitors of its booth.       "This year there will be 300 participants, that's 300 success stories to show and inspire everyone that Filipino businesses can be world class. Given such a wide range of concepts available, aspiring entrepreneurs would definitely find a franchise that would best suit them," says Carson Tan, CEO of GQWEST Inc which owns the Aquabest brand.       Aquabest is a long time member of AFFI, and has a nationwide network of around 500 stores. At this year's show, the company will finally unveil what the shift is all about as it publicly launches the "Shift Happens" Campaign.       "Shift Happens" is the company's effort to provide water that not only quenches your thirst but also improves your health by introducing structured water. Structured water restores the natural energy of water, thus reenergizing and renewing its restorative abilities. The company's Grander Technology, imported from Austria, makes all this possible.       Grander Technology works by realigning water molecules to their natural configuration allowing the water to regain its natural vitality and makes the water molecules more organized. Another way to picture it would be to compare a disorganized group of people trying to enter a room contrasted with a group that lines up properly. Overall, by reorganizing the water molecules Grander technology energizes them and makes them more efficient leading to better water that will reinvigorate you to your very core. Lucky visitors of the Aquabest booth can meet a constellation of celebrities, play games, win prizes, get free structured water, and have their pictures taken. It's fun for everyone!       Gracing the launch is a veritable constellation of stars like Gabby Concepcion, Nicole Hyala, and surprise celebrity endorsers. Fans can now meet and greet their idols while learning more about water. Aside from meeting your favorite stars one can try their luck and test their water IQ with the games the company has prepared. Great prizes await the lucky winner from Aquabest.       Also have your picture taken with the lovable Aquabest mascot Aquabuzz. Quench your thirst and get to experience what "Shift Happens" is all about by sampling Aquabest's structured water to be given away at the booth to all visitors.       The 10th Filipino Franchise Show is presented by the Association of Filipino Franchisers Incorporated (AFFI) the country's premier franchise group comprised of local franchise concept. The show is the largest in the country and will feature over 300 franchise concepts. It runs from July 21 to 24 at the World Trade Center. See Aquabest's seasonal reminder on SRM's Food and Health page.                                                                                                           - stories by Almira Antiporda (photos courtesy of Aquabest) ********* ********* ********* Aquabest Intro      1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10      11      12      13