Global science company 3M announced that effective 1 July 2022, Reggie Pulumbarit has been appointed Vice President of 3M Global Service Center Philippines, and Managing Director of 3M Southeast Asia region in a career expansion. 

Prior to this appointment, Pulumbarit was Director, 3M Global Service Center Philippines and Country Leader, 3M Philippines.

Throughout Pulumbarit’s 26 years of working at 3M in various businesses and functions, he has been passionate about activating initiatives to develop businesses, services, and employees. In 2016, he led the setup of the Global Service Center (GSC) in the Philippines, which now delivers significant value to 3M through its wide portfolio of services, including finance, sourcing and procurement, IT support, and human resources. He was appointed Director of the 3M GSC Philippines in 2016. Under his leadership, 3M GSC Philippines was certified as a Great Place to Work® in 2020 and 2021.

In 2021, Pulumbarit was appointed as 3M Philippines Country Leader, where he maintained a culture of compliance, continued to build 3M’s brand and reputation, enhanced employee engagement, and deepened relationships with partners and customers in the country. 

Pulumbarit is a certified Global Business Services Professional and Lean Six Sigma Master Blackbelt. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering from De LaSalle University.

Throughout his career, Pulumbarit has been recognized for his leadership abilities and significant contributions to the company. His background, experience, and achievements make Pulumbarit well-positioned for this expanded role. 

Global science company 3M today launched the second edition of its case competition the 3M Inspire Challenge. Previously held across Southeast Asian countries, the case competition is now open to undergraduates from all disciplines and backgrounds across ten countries in Asia-Pacific – Australia and New Zealand, India, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The challenge calls for participants to enhance 3M’s business and improve lives across three themes: (1) Sustainable Materials, (2) The New Paradigm (A Pandemic-Aware World), and (3) Equity (Through Science and Technology). These themes are aligned to three of the five key trends showcased in the 3M Futures platform, which identifies trends, insights, and perspectives on the most exciting science of today—and the “futures” of tomorrow. 3M’s annual science perception survey, the 3M State of Science Index 2022, also found sustainability and equity as top priorities among Asia-Pacific respondents.

Laying out the motivations for the challenge, Jim Falteisek, Senior Vice President, 3M Asia Corporate Affairs and Managing Director, 3M Korea said: “We are passionate about unlocking the power of people, ideas, and science. Through 3M Inspire Challenge 2022, we want to uncover solutions to create a more positive world for the future, while tapping in our expertise to cultivate the next generation of diverse leaders, thinkers, and creators.” 

To help shortlisted teams finetune their ideas in preparation for the competition finals, professionals from 3M will mentor shortlisted participating teams from September 2022 onwards. 

Kicking off with the Country-Level Semi-Finals, three shortlisted teams will compete with local peers in a live judging panel in October this year. Awarded the title of ‘Country Champions’, the winning team from each country will win a cash prize of USD$2,000, and secure internships at local 3M offices. 

In November, the Country Champions from each country will proceed to the Regional-Level Finals. There, the ultimate winning team will be crowned the ‘Regional Champions’ and receive a USD$5,000 cash prize.

This year’s 3M Inspire Challenge follows the successful run last 2021, which garnered a total of 122 participating teams from Southeast Asia. Top ideas included smart bandages that can monitor different stages of the wound healing process proposed by the Malaysian team, a 3M 360° virtual store from the Vietnam team, and sustainable bioplastic surgical masks ideated by the Indonesian team

Encouraging diverse participation in STEM 

With an emphasis on innovation through diversity and inclusion, the 3M Inspire Challenge is an example of how 3M is dedicated to cultivating a truly diverse talent pipeline in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Making it mandatory for teams to be gender diverse, 3M ensures that women have the equal opportunity to hone their innovation acumen and gain exposure in STEM, ultimately paving the way for more creative and innovative ideas. 

The challenge builds on 3M’s diverse community engagements aligned to this commitment. These include partnerships with multi-awarded non-profit organization Mano Amiga to provide high quality STEM educational opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and make a positive impact in the education and science fields. 

Registrations are now open

Interested participants can now register at the 3M Inspire Challenge website. Groups should consist of two to four students, and must be gender diverse. Full details of the case themes can be found on the 3M Inspire Challenge website.

Timeline of challenge

“For the past 120 years, 3M has built its reputation on doing things ethically,” said Michael Duran, 3M senior vice president and chief ethics and compliance officer. “Our purpose as a company and unwavering integrity help us deliver to our customers and make 3M a great place to work. I am truly proud of our more than 90,000 3M employees who work to protect 3M’s reputation every day.”  

3M’s Code of Conduct is what makes 3M’s ethical reputation strong among consumers and across many industries. Company leaders create and promote a workplace environment where compliance and ethical business conduct are expected and encouraged by leading through example. 

“3M takes pride in being an ethical and law-abiding company, with uncompromising honesty and integrity at the core of what we do,” said Reggie Pulumbarit, 3M Philippines Country Leader. “Through our Code of Conduct, we set an even higher standard that all employees must comply with, no matter their position in the company. Our employees and partners are expected to make good, ethical decisions based on 3M’s fundamental values of honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, concern for others, and personal accountability. For decades, we have built a reputation for integrity and doing business right, and no one at 3M is free to compromise it. We owe it to all who count on us—our colleagues and our partners — to do business the ethical and proper way, at all times and under all circumstances.”

3M is one of 136 companies around the world designated as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2022. The assessment includes more than 200 questions on culture, environmental and social practices, ethics and compliance activities, governance and diversity.

“The World’s Most Ethical Companies honorees understand the mandate today for business to be ethical, accountable, and trusted to drive positive change,” said Ethisphere CEO, Timothy Erblich. “Congratulations to 3M for receiving this recognition for the ninth year in a row. It’s a testament to 3M’s commitment to do the right thing and its dedication to integrity, governance, and community.”

The World’s Most Ethical Companies assessment process includes questions on environmental, social, and governance factors, safety, equity and inclusion and social justice and serves as an operating framework to highlight leading practices of organizations across industries and around the globe. Ethisphere® is the global leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices that fuel corporate character, marketplace trust and business success.

You can learn more about 3M’s Code of Conduct and Ethics & Compliance by visiting: 

The full list of the 2022 World’s Most Ethical Companies can be found at:

3M has announced its latest project 3M Futures, a new platform showcasing five global science and technology trends shaping the world today—and the future of tomorrow. The platform explores each topic alongside commentary and perspectives from 3M experts, scientists, engineers, and designers at the forefront of their fields. 3M Futures also features data from global, third-party research conducted across 11 countries to understand perceptions of these top science, technology, and design trends.  

3M Futures 

As science and technological innovations continue to advance rapidly, 3M explores the top five global trends for 2022:

• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR): Mixed reality is already changing the way we live, work and entertain—the metaverse is poised to change our perceptions of reality. 
• Artificial Intelligence (AI): How artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionizing everything from entertainment to business but require conversations about broader implications and ethics.
• Sustainable Materials: The circular economy is introducing innovation in material science and design while disrupting industry, ushering in a more sustainable future.
• The New Paradigm—A Pandemic Aware World: The pandemic has created a paradigm shift in how we interact. From telemedicine and health-conscious design to remote work, the new abnormal is here to stay.
• Equity—Through Science and Technology: The greatest innovation comes from diverse thinkers. Equity, representation and equal access to science and technology learning, like minority representation and STEM in youth, are paramount to solving the challenges of both the present and the future.

“Every day, 3Mers around the world are unlocking the next phase of what’s possible and exploring the latest trends in science and technology,” said Kevin Gilboe, Head of 3M Design, International. “3M Futures is a great opportunity for us to showcase the broad ways 3M is helping to shape the future—developing, designing, and engineering cutting-edge solutions within the most relevant global trends, while profiling the incredible talent across our company who are experts in their fields.”

“3M is committed to leveraging science and technology to innovate solutions that will address the world’s biggest challenges,” said Reggie Pulumbarit, Country Leader of 3M Philippines. “In a developing country like the Philippines, it is important that we create innovations that help improve lives, open up possibilities for talent, and address struggles in new ways. Through platforms such as 3M Futures, we hope to deepen our investment in making science more relevant and engaging, as well as highlighting how science and technological innovations continue to impact daily life.”

3M Experts 

The expert contributors chosen to participate include an array of 3M scientists, engineers, designers and other leaders at the forefront of their industries. From artificial intelligence to equity, each is passionate about their fields and has a personal interest in broad applications of technology and science.

3M Futures Survey

The 3M Futures Survey uncovers global perceptions of future technologies, with results from 11 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, UK, USA and South Korea. The survey uncovers what respondents believe future innovation should focus on across the globe and the ways they have—or have not—directly interacted with the technologies referenced across the five core trends.​ 

Key findings include:

• Science and technology 

Public health, humanitarian crises, extreme weather crises, a cure for Alzheimer’s and ecological disasters are seen as the top problems to focus on over the next 5 years.

• Mainstream Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is expected to be a normal part of our everyday lives sooner than other advancements, especially in gaming and entertainment.

• AI interest and concerns

The survey results showed that while people are excited about AI, many are concerned about data privacy and want more transparency on how the technology is being used in society. 

• Sustainability: top environmental threats 

Respondents feel single-use plastics are a bigger threat to the environment than fossil fuels and fast fashion. 

• Real life vs. tech.

In the shadow of the pandemic, tech-driven innovations are being met with some resistance as many are trying to decrease tech in their life and seek in-person socialization and hobbies.

3M Futures is now accessible online from all 3M locations, including the Philippines, through 3M.com/futures. Following its launch across all media platforms, 3M Futures will feature ongoing stories, VR demos and content throughout the year. Insights from the survey will inform exploration of future topics and content.

To download full 3M Futures survey data, including by country and infographic breakdowns, visit: https://futures.3m.com/resources

3M, in its commitment to further advance sustainability and efficiency, is responding to the demand to tackle and reduce plastic pollution while optimizing social impact. Today, ocean-bound plastic waste pollution continues to pose environmental, economic, and social problems in the Philippines, who is the world’s third-biggest contributor to plastic pollution in the ocean. It is because of this crisis, as well as key priorities in sustainability, society and education, that 3M has pledged its support to the Plastic Flamingo Plastic Waste Management project in the Philippines. 

The grant to the Plastic Flamingo amounting to Php1,200,000.00 is provided by 3Mgives, 3M’s global social investment arm, to the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the business-led social development organization committed to poverty reduction. The grant will provide support for efforts to increase the collection and recycling of plastic, reduce the plastic waste going to and polluting oceans, as well as improve the income from waste-picking as a livelihood. 

“Sustainability is at the heart of 3M. It drives our innovations and inspires us to collaborate with various stakeholders, including non-profits and communities, to solve global problems and improve everyday life. We hope that our support for the Plastic Flamingo Waste Management Project helps address an environmental challenge that impacts communities in the Philippines,” stated Reggie Pulumbarit, Country Leader, 3M Philippines, Inc and Director, 3M’s Philippines Global Service Center.

The project, with the support of 3M Philippines and PBSP, officially began in October 2021 and is now in full swing. After PBSP selects, employs, and briefs the new community waste pickers and provides them with safety gear and equipment, the organization intend to commence plastic waste collection in February until September of this year. It is expected that at least 32 metric tons of plastic waste will be collected from this strengthened strategy involving traditional collection points and communities. 

3M Philippines is committed to enabling progress in sustainability, society, and education in the Philippines. Just last September, the company hosted the final leg of the 3M Inspire Challenge, a regional competition that calls for student-driven solutions in technology, sustainability, and innovation. Another notable partnership is 3M Philippines’ collaboration with Mano Amiga Stem Femme Club, which empowers young girls who are interested in STEM. Lastly, the company conducted the 3M Impact Program, wherein selected employees from 3M Philippines and 3M Global Service Center take part in skill-based volunteering programs led by 3M’s nonprofit partners.

The Plastic Flamingo is a French social enterprise that launched in 2019 with a pilot project in the Philippines. Through its plastic waste management project, it aims to support the employment of junk shops and collection members from the local community, while continuing to hire mostly women personnel for its warehouse and recycling facility. Furthermore, the collected plastic will be transformed into eco-planks that will be used to construct emergency shelter kits for Filipinos displaced by natural disasters.