By: Therese Rhea Rose Vallente 

As Xavier Ateneo approaches its centennial milestone, the university community continues to discern how its mission can respond meaningfully to the pressing challenges of our time. In a world facing complex social, environmental, and economic challenges, institutions of higher learning are called not only to educate but also to lead in shaping pathways toward a more just and sustainable future.

XU administrators engage in the learning session, deepening their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility

It is within this spirit of discernment and collective responsibility that the learning session titled Mainstreaming the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Laudato Si’ Goals (LSGs) in Xavier Ateneo was held on 3 March 2026, at the XU AVR 1. As part of Social Development Week, the session brought together administrators, faculty, staff, and students to integrate these global frameworks into the university’s mission and institutional practices.

Rooted in the Ignatian tradition, the gathering invited the university community to integrate the SDGs and LSGs into its academic, research, and community engagement activities. Engr Dexter S Lo, VP for Social Development, opened the session by stressing the importance of aligning university work with global sustainability goals. He noted that as Xavier Ateneo approaches its centennial, it must strengthen its societal impact through concrete, measurable commitments.

Resource Speaker Maria Antonette Emata, XU KTTO Coordinator and Certified Sustainability Reporting Auditor,
highlights key strategies in sustainability reporting

Ms Maria Antonette Emata, KTTO Coordinator and Sustainability Reporting Accountant, discussed SDGs and Sustainability Reporting, introducing frameworks like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and ESG standards. She explained how using measurable metrics allows institutions to track their contributions to sustainable development while identifying growth areas. For Xavier Ateneo, she noted that sustainability reporting is more than compliance; it is a tool for data-informed management that ensures institutional impact remains aligned with its mission and values.

Ms Therese Rhea Rose Vallente, Assistant to the VP for Social Development and, member of the XU Laudato Si’ University Committee, presented the Renewed XU Laudato Si’ University Roadmap, which aligns Xavier Ateneo with Pope Francis’s call to care for our common home. Refined in 2025, the roadmap embeds sustainability into university operations through three pillars: environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and ecological conversion. The presentation reaffirmed that caring for our common home is not only an environmental concern but also a deeply moral and spiritual responsibility. It calls for a holistic commitment that also addresses social justice, community well-being, and the formation of individuals who are responsive to contemporary global challenges. In this context, the university’s commitment to Laudato Si’ is not merely aspirational but an integral expression of its Jesuit identity and mission.

Mr Mario Alejandro Neri, Information and Knowledge Management Officer, discussed how the SDGs and Laudato Si’ Goals intersect with university quality assurance. He noted that these frameworks are already reflected in Xavier Ateneo’s teaching, research, and outreach. He emphasized that the objective is not simply to boost global rankings, but to pursue authentic sustainability rooted in the Jesuit mission. By aligning quality assurance with these goals, the university can more effectively measure and strengthen its contribution to societal transformation.

Engr Dexter Lo returned to the stage to outline concrete steps for mainstreaming the SDGs and LSGs across the university’s core functions: teaching, research, formation, and community engagement. Central to this strategy is the integration of these goals into the planning processes of all campus units. This includes "tagging" activities within project proposals, published research, agreements, and budgeting to track institutional alignment. Furthermore, the university will conduct an annual sustainability report to systematically measure and map its contributions toward sustainable development and the care for our common home.

In a key moment of the session, university leaders shared their commitments to institutionalizing these goals. VP for Administration Engr George M Abasolo, VP for Higher Education Dr Juliet Q Dalagan, and Assistant Dean of the College of Engineering Engr Jefferson R Vallente, Jr affirmed a collective responsibility to embed sustainability and social responsibility across all facets of university life.

Director of the MAERS Center Dr Astrid L Sinco synthesized the session by calling for deeper discernment and collaboration across the Xavier Ateneo community. She emphasized that integrating the SDGs and Laudato Si’ Goals is more than an institutional task; it is a shared mission to participate in building a more just and sustainable world.

University President Fr Mars P Tan leads the commitment ritual, symbolizing Xavier University’s dedication to advancing
the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Laudato Si’ Goals

University President Fr Mars P Tan, SJ concluded the session by reaffirming his commitment to advancing these global frameworks within Xavier Ateneo. He emphasized their importance for both the university and the broader community, calling on all members to translate these goals into meaningful action. The event culminated in a commitment ritual led by Fr Tan, symbolizing the university’s collective resolve to pursue the SDGs and live out the Laudato Si’ Goals through responsible stewardship and concrete action.

As Xavier Ateneo journeys with others, mainstreaming the SDGs and LSGs exemplifies its enduring response to the signs of the times. By living these commitments, the university reaffirms its mission to transform learning into service and nurture a community dedicated to global sustainability.