SM Hotels and Conventions Corporation (SMHCC) has secured a major international sustainability accolade, clinching the “2025 World’s Leading Sustainable Circular Economy” title at the World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards held in Dubai.
The recognition spotlights the company’s flagship “Plate for the Planet” initiative, a program designed to transform hotel dining into a model of circular economy practice. According to the company, the awards body screens entries with the help of Sustainable Business students from Nova Business School before review by an independent advisory board.
At the heart of SMHCC’s winning pitch is a bold target: cut per capita food waste at both consumer and production levels while lowering greenhouse gas emissions across its food service operations.
“Through the program, SMHCC endeavors to halve per capita global food waste… while greening supply chains and maintaining food waste per cover below industry levels as part of our decarbonization plans,” said Vice President for Quality and Sustainability Leah Magallanes.
“Plate for the Planet” operates under the company’s broader Sustainable Diner Program, which curates menus using locally sourced and hotel-harvested ingredients. Kitchen scraps are diverted from landfills through composting and biodigester systems, with nutrient-rich compost funneled back into hotel gardens and partner farms. These include collaborations with farmers supported by the SM Foundation’s Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan program.
SMHCC said sustainability “champions” are deployed across all properties to measure food waste per cover and continuously refine processes. The initiative also aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals on responsible consumption and production.
For SMHCC, the Dubai win signals more than prestige. It affirms a strategic pivot: embedding circular economy principles into core hospitality operations—without compromising guest experience.
