SM PRIME Wins ICSC Foundation Award, Marketing Citations

At the ICSC Awarding Ceremonies at the Recon Asia conference in Shanghai, China.  ICSC President and CEO Michael Kercheval presents the ICSC Foundation 2011 Community Support Award to SM Supermalls President Annie Garcia and Regional Operations Manager Arch. Renee Bacani.  Also shown in photo from left are SM Leasing Manager Mr. Chivas Allejo, recipient of ICSC Foundation's John T. Riordan Professional Education Scholarship; SM VP for Marketing Millie Dizon and Regional Marketing Manager Richie Gonzales with Asia Pacific Awards with citations for the My City, My SM and Global Pinoy programs, respectively.

 SM Prime Holdings was recently awarded the 2011 Asia Community Award by the International Council for Shopping Centers Foundation for its Breaking the Poverty Chain campaign during the recent ICSC Recon Asia conference in Shanghai, China.

During the event, the ICSC Foundation also awarded the John T. Riodan Professional Education Scholarship to Chivas Allejo of the SM Supermalls Leasing Division. Likewise, SM Prime received two citations for the Asia Pacific Shopping Center Awards for two marketing programs: for My City, My SM in the Public Relations category and for Global Pinoy in the Cause Related category.

The Breaking the Poverty Chain campaign, which was held in time for the 25th Anniversary of SM City North EDSA, SM Prime's first mall, was a partnership with Gawad Kalinga to build 25 homes for poverty stricken families. Volunteers and employees of SM City North EDSA mobilized to create a community that would change the quality of life for the 25 families, and at the same time boost the demographics of the area.

SM Prime Holdings President Hans T. Sy conducted a ceremony where each family received their new home. Overwhelmed by the joy of the recipients, Mr. Hans decided to extend his initial campaign and create an entire SM GK Village to benefit over 100 families. The campaign not only impacted the families who have received homes, but also allowed the community to flourish. Once a slum area, it has since been converted into a successful, fully functioning community.

As the winner of the ICSC Foundation's Community Support Award, SM Prime's North EDSA mall will receive a US$5,000 donation to support their philanthropic cause. SM City North EDSA will also be eligible for the ICSC Foundation's 2011 Albert Sussman International Community Support Award, which honors the best community support program worldwide.

Established in 2006, the ICSC Foundation's Community Support Awards is a worldwide awards program that honors corporate social responsibility and community efforts of shopping centers for charitable initiatives that enhance the communities the retail real estate industry serves.

The ICSC Foundation is the non- profit charity arm of the International Council for Shopping Centers, the premiere global trade association of the shopping center industry. Established in 1957, the ICSC has more than 55,000 members in over 90 countries including shopping center owners, developers, managers, marketing specialists, investors, retailers, and brokers, as well as academic and public officials. As the global shopping center industry's trade association, ICSC links with more than 25 national and regional shopping center councils throughout the world.