Overview:
IP&E has launched a first-of-its-kind partnership with Palau’s leading conservation and workforce institutions, unveiling the “Preserving Paradise” campaign on Dec. 11 with President Surangel Whipps Jr. in attendance. The initiative commits long-term funding and collaboration to protect Palau’s environment while strengthening the people who safeguard it. Partners say the effort marks a new model of corporate responsibility rooted in culture, conservation and community.
By: L.N. Reklai
KOROR, Palau (Dec. 11, 2025) — “It is time that companies like us not only walk the walk, but talk the talk,” said Dr. John Rivera, IP&E’s Director of Human Resources, setting the tone for the launch of IP&E’s “Preserving Paradise” campaign Thursday at the Palau Royal Resort. The event, witnessed by President Surangel Whipps Jr., marked the beginning of a first-of-its-kind partnership model between the private sector and Palau’s conservation and workforce development institutions.
The new campaign brings together IP&E, the Palau Conservation Society (PCS), the Palau International Coral Reef Center (PICRC) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – Palau Chapter in a coordinated initiative linking environmental protection, cultural values and the development of Palau’s human capital. Through a memorandum of understanding signed at the ceremony, IP&E committed $15,000 each to PCS, PICRC and SHRM Palau for targeted community and conservation programs. Company executives also pledged to continue supporting additional needs as they arise, emphasizing that the campaign is designed as a long-term, value-driven relationship rather than a one-off donation.
For IP&E Retail Director Ricky Altonaga, the campaign grew from a personal reassessment earlier this year. During a short visit to Palau in May, he said he encountered a convergence of experiences that reshaped his understanding of IP&E’s role in the community. He learned about the Palau Pledge—printed in every visitor’s passport for years yet unread by him until that week—and spoke with conservation leaders, including PCS Executive Director Elbuchel Sadang and Sen. TJ Remengesau, about Palau’s efforts to protect endangered bird species and fragile coastal areas. He also had the opportunity to witness Palau’s marine environment firsthand during a dive.
“That week was very important,” Altonaga said. “For years, our promotions were purely business-centric—minimum purchases, chances to win something. But I realized it could be better. We could create something meaningful for the customers we serve in Palau. What we are launching now is more than a campaign; it is a commitment to family, to community and to safeguarding the future.”
PICRC Chief Executive Officer Siwal Blesam described the event as “a very historical moment,” noting that her board was present for what she said was the first formal gathering of its kind between IP&E and Palau’s conservation community. She credited IP&E with strengthening every dimension of PICRC’s mission.
“Your support has strengthened every part of our work, from advancing world-class research to expanding education and outreach,” Blesam said. “At PICRC, we believe that when people are empowered, conservation thrives. IP&E’s commitment to our shared values helps ensure that Palau’s reefs remain resilient, our communities stay engaged, and our young professionals have the tools they need to lead with confidence.”
The Preserving Paradise campaign is distinctive in its intentional linkage of conservation and people-centered development. Rivera emphasized that conservation work cannot succeed without investing in the people who steward Palau’s natural resources. He framed the partnership as part of a broader re-knitting of regional island identity and solidarity.
“These waters have united us far longer than anything else,” Rivera said. “It is time that we as an island community come back together, and it is time to support one another. Investing in people is part of ensuring that the environment remains protected for the next generation.”
PCS Executive Director Sadang said the partnership demonstrates that business growth and environmental responsibility can move forward together. “Palau’s environment is a foundation of our culture, identity and livelihood,” he said. “By choosing to invest in conservation, IP&E demonstrates an important willingness to support sustainable practices and safeguard our forests, reefs and marine ecosystems.”
He noted that IP&E has long been one of PCS’s consistent corporate partners, and the new campaign reflects a deeper, more intentional alignment. “The new collaboration is a reminder that protecting our land and seas is not just conservation work. It is an investment in the health, resilience and identity of our people,” he said.
SHRM Palau representatives also underscored the significance of the partnership, particularly the campaign’s commitment to elevate HR professionals and strengthen workplaces across Palau’s public, private and semi-autonomous agencies. They emphasized that empowering local professionals ensures that conservation institutions—and the communities they serve—have the capacity to sustain long-term stewardship.
Altonaga added that IP&E is prepared to expand its support as needed, whether through capacity-building, infrastructure improvements or technical assistance. He cited the example of supporting a new jellyfish tank if PICRC determines it is necessary. “If we see something that can make a difference, we will pick it up,” he said, noting that successful approaches in Palau could later be adapted in other islands where its parent company, Citadel, operates.
As the ceremony concluded, partners expressed optimism that “Preserving Paradise” represents a unified, forward-looking model for Palau’s development. “Let’s continue to inspire each other,” Sadang said, “and ensure that the beauty and abundance of Palau remain for the generations yet to come.”