Aligned with their sustainability purpose of connecting and empowering Filipinos everywhere, the Philippines’ largest fully integrated telco provider PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) substantiated the Group’s commitment to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in its first Communication on Progress (CoP) report. The report documents the two companies’ progress towards incorporating UNGC Principles and the UN Sustainable Goals in the business.
PLDT and Smart made their initial commitment to the UNGC in 2020, and are the only Philippine telco with Participant status under the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. A tier higher than Signatories limited to local engagement, PLDT and Smart’s Participant status allows them to actively engage with the UNGC at the global level. They join over 9,500 companies in over 160 countries which committed to support sustainable business practices in line with the Ten Principles of the UNGC. These Principles, which reflect universal sustainability values, cover human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.
“Sustainability is one of our key business fulcrums. Thus, we reaffirm our support of the UNGC’s Ten Principles. We believe that a principles-based approach to sustainability is fundamental in taking a shared responsibility for building a better world,” said Al Panlilio, PLDT & Smart President and CEO.
The UNGC developed the Principles to help guide companies in transforming the world we live in. They serve as a blueprint in shaping a global culture which aims to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
PLDT and Smart’s first CoPs describe the companies’ actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its Principles into the business strategy, culture and daily operations. It also outlined how PLDT and Smart are carrying out their fundamental business responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labor relations, environmental protection and fighting corruption.
PLDT and Smart included in their CoPs the various Covid-19 response efforts undertaken, as well as the Group’s Child Safeguarding Policy, aimed at protecting Filipino children online. The policy is a result of the Group’s continuing partnership with UNICEF and the corresponding implementation of the globally recognized Children’s Rights and Business Principles framework.
The Group also reported that the concept of sustainability was introduced to the fundamental supply chain requirements of competitive quality, cost, service, and delivery with the incorporation of Sustainability Guidelines in the Vendor Conforme Sheet. The CoP also mentioned the Group’s participation in the UNGC’s Statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation, which is an expression of the companies’ commitment to demonstrate ethical leadership and good governance.
“We are in the process of undertaking a mapping of our sustainability targets and actions vis-a-vis the Ten Principles. We are proud of the accomplishments we documented in our first CoP and look forward to reporting continued progress in subsequent reports, underscoring our commitment to the UNGC,” said Melissa Vergel De Dios, head of PLDT’s Corporate Sustainability Office.
PLDT’s commitment to UNGC Principles underscores group-wide support to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, with UNSDG #9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure as its SDG anchor.
