PLDT has been recognized as a Leader in the Global Child Forum’s (GCF) latest global children’s rights and business benchmark, a global assessment and report on the state of children’s rights across 1,108 companies, in eight sectors and six regions.
Conducted by the GCF in collaboration with the Boston Consulting Group, the report aims to assess the degree to which children’s rights have been addressed and integrated in a meaningful way by a company.
PLDT achieved an 8.9/10 overall rating—four points above the technology and telecom sector average, and the highest among PH companies rated by the GCF. PLDT scored perfect marks in 21 out of 25 indicators across the areas of governance, workplace, marketplace, and community and environment, underscoring the Group’s concrete steps and success in developing and implementing policies and practices that address its impact on children’s rights.
“We are proud of this recognition by the Global Child Forum that underscores our longstanding commitment to create a safe and sustainable environment for important members of society—our children. As the country’s largest integrated telco, we recognize our important role in nurturing and protecting children as the prime movers of the digital space, and the future leaders of the world,” said Alfredo S. Panlilio, President and CEO of PLDT and Smart.
The Group’s 2023 rating is a big improvement from its 2020 to 2022 results, where PLDT received Improver and Achiever status. As benchmark Leader, PLDT has been recognized for developing and implementing policies and practices that address its impact on children’s rights.
In particular, PLDT received perfect marks in five out of five workplace indicators, underscoring that it has built safe, decent, and family-friendly working conditions for its employees and business partners. Meanwhile, PLDT received 9.4/10, 8/10 and 8/10 overall scores in the areas of governance, marketplace, and community and environment.
PLDT and wireless unit, Smart, have long recognized the important role of children as future shapers of the nation, and continue to make significant strides in the integration of Children’s rights into their workplace, marketplace and community.
In 2018, the Group partnered with UNICEF for the adoption of the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) framework. PLDT and Smart then proceeded to develop their Child Safeguarding Policies, and institutionalized CRBP integration in the areas of human resources, product development and marketing, supply chain management, and community engagements.
As the first Philippine corporate entities to integrate children’s rights into their business operations, PLDT and Smart piloted use of UNICEF’s updated Mobile Operators Child Rights Impact Self-Assessment (MO-CRIA) tool in 2021. The MO-CRIA enabled PLDT and Smart to better understand their operational impact on child rights and further enhance their continuing adoption of the CRBP.
With child protection as an integral and material focus of the Group’s sustainability roadmap, PLDT and Smart forge strategic partnerships with global, national, local and multi-sectoral entities, and provide relevant resources, tools, and training to their executives, employees, customers, and communities they serve.
“This GCF recognition inspires us even more, to continue doing business responsibly, to elevate customer experience, to nurture the best workplace, and to make a noble difference through our products, programs and platforms that enable and safeguard the rights of children,” Panlilio added.
Initiated by H.M. the King and H.M. the Queen of Sweden in 2009, the Global Child Forum brings together thought leaders and influencers from academe, business, civil society, and government in order to spur action for social change around children’s rights.
