On the 19th of June 2020, Fairbuilding Network, BCI Asia’s Corporate Social Arm, held its first online engagement forum via Zoom. The online event was attended by 10 supplier companies, representatives from Habitat for Humanity International’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, the Founder of the featured organization, Animal Rescue Philippines and the project’s contractor, Shamayim Constructors.
Engagement Forums before COVID-19 was typically held face-to-face, either at the project site or in the BCI Asia Philippines’ office. It is a gathering of representatives from different construction suppliers and service providers who committed to assist in FairBuilding projects by providing a discount of at least 20% on commercial retail prices and/or a donation of their products or services. During the forum, the nonprofit organization’s representative or project contractor presents their project plans and its Bill of Materials (BOM) to the suppliers.
The project featured during the first online engagement forum is a Single Level House with Mini Animal Shelter developed by Animal Rescue Philippines, a solo independent volunteer indigent animal rescuer from Manila, Philippines. The event concluded with pledges of discount from suppliers of different trades such as tile, roofing, painting and waterproofing.
Through the engagement forums, FairBuilding aims to build the relationship between the nonprofit sector developers and the construction industry suppliers and eventually encourage transactions that will help the beneficiaries of this types of construction projects. As the future of physical events are still uncertain due to the corona virus pandemic, FairBuilding intends to continue organizing more online engagement forums and other digital events in the future.