SM Malls in the Visayas Win Silver at the ICSC MAXI Awards

SM malls in the Visayas continue to gain global recognition for sustainability and community-driven innovation. Two Visayas SM Malls won a Silver Award at the prestigious International Council of Shopping Centers MAXI Awards for “Art From All: Turning Community Action into Public Art.” This was a sustainability campaign mounted at the most-loved SM City Cebu and SM City Iloilo, that transformed environmental responsibility into an engaging and immersive mall experience. The ICSC MAXI Awards is regarded as one of the world’s most respected recognitions for excellence in marketing and innovation in the retail and shopping industry.

ICSC MAXI Awards for SM City Cebu and SM City Iloilo

Launched in May 2025, Art From All encouraged shoppers and mall communities to donate plastic waste which was later repurposed into large-scale eco-art installations displayed inside the malls. Through the initiative, a total of 31,634 plastic items were collected and transformed into meaningful public artworks, turning recycling into a highly visible and participatory activity that allowed communities to directly contribute to artworks carrying both cultural and environmental significance.

At SM City Cebu, collected plastic bottles were transformed into a massive whale shark or “butanding” eco-art installation titled “The Gentle Giant,” symbolizing Cebu’s rich marine biodiversity and coastal heritage. The artwork served as both a visual centerpiece and a reminder of the importance of protecting marine ecosystems through collective environmental action.

Meanwhile, at SM City Iloilo, donated plastic waste became part of the “Mangrove Memory Tree,” a life-sized eco-installation created by Ilongga artist Margaux Blas in partnership with Rezbin. Inspired by the role of mangroves in protecting coastal communities and marine ecosystems, the installation symbolized resilience, sustainability, and the collective power of community participation in environmental conservation.

Making Sustainability More Engaging

Art From All was designed to make sustainability more engaging and accessible for everyday shoppers, transforming ordinary mall visits into opportunities to create positive environmental impact. Through the campaign, guests were invited to donate recyclable materials and see these items reimagined into inspiring public art installations,  proving that small actions from the community can come together into meaningful experiences all for you and for future generations.

The recognition from the ICSC MAXI Awards reflects SM Supermalls’ growing commitment to championing initiatives that create positive environmental and social impact across the communities it serves.

The Art From All campaign also reinforces the company’s broader sustainability efforts under its long-running green initiatives focused on waste management, plastic reduction, environmental education, responsible development, and community engagement.

The SM Green Movement

Alongside Art From All, SM Supermalls also earned Silver recognition for “The SM Green Movement: Sustaining Communities Through Responsible Design,” further affirming the company’s vision of creating greener and more resilient communities through sustainable mall operations and environmentally conscious practices,  continuously delivering innovative and purposeful experiences.

Starting this May, SM Supermalls continues to strengthen its sustainability and community-driven initiatives with Art From All expanding this time across SM malls in the Visayas region. Each participating mall will unveil the featured artworks in June 2026 to celebrate World Oceans Day.