PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications Inc. underscored the importance of workplace gender equality (WGE) and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices at the general membership meeting of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE).
PLDT and Smart chief sustainability officer, Melissa Vergel de Dios joined representatives of Cebu Pacific, DDB Group Philippines and Teleperformance in a panel which focused on progressive policies and practices for WGE and DEI.
“Focus on DEI has the capability of creating positive change – for both the organization and for oneself.”, she said.
Vergel de Dios said PLDT has been a long-time champion of women empowerment in the workplace.
She said one of the cadets of the PLDT Network Engineering program was a woman as early as 1980, who rose through the ranks to retire in 2020 as vice president in-charge of network rollout.
Four of thirteen PLDT board members are women, and four out of eight C-suite members are female.
Vergel de Dios also raised the importance of measuring progress in promoting WGE and DEI.
“What does not get measured does not get managed, and that it was important that the database was available and accurate. It is also important that the framework for data gathering should evolve in step with developments such as those in data privacy and new gender identities,” she said.
PLDT and Smart uphold equal opportunity in employment and do not discriminate against gender, as early as the recruitment and job application process, she said.
“The person hired for a position is the best candidate, regardless of gender. In addition, we monitor the gender pay gap, with the goal of ensuring that the pay for a position is the same, regardless of gender. And given the nature of our industry, we also continue to challenge gender stereotypes in engineering and IT-related fields and advocate for more women in STEM-related courses and careers,” said Vergel de Dios.
