FPH bags award for gender equality

MANILA, Philippines — First Philippine Holdings Corp. was honored by a United Nations body that champions women’s rights for the conglomerate’s own thrusts to uphold women’s equality and empowerment.

FPH earned the recognition from the group, UN Women, when the organization concluded late in October the national or Philippine phase of the 2022 Asia-Pacific Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) Awards, an annual event in Asia that UN Women holds as a way of recognizing leaders and business organizations that promote gender inclusivity and women empowerment.

FPH was adjudged by UN Women second runner-up under the Gender Responsive Marketplace category of the WEP Awards for the company’s ratification and implementation early this year of its social safeguards policies. UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.

The FPH social safeguard policies integrate into the value chain the conglomerate’s recognition of gender equality and diversity (GED), on top of human rights, rights of indigenous people (IP), recognition of IP cultural heritage, as well as FPH commitment to protect the environment and manage its assets in a responsible manner. The integration of the safeguard policies encompasses FPH’s partners and host communities.

Aside from ratifying the social safeguard policies, FPH chairman and CEO Federico Lopez himself earlier joined a global movement of top corporate executives who signed the “CEO Statement of Support for the Women’s Empowerment Principles.”

In his statement of support, Lopez declared: “Solving the pressing issues of planet and society requires the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders. Guided by the (WEPs), we commit to provide a safe, inclusive, and equitable environment for our employees and co-creators (suppliers, contractors), respect the rights of our host communities, deliver the best products and services to our customers, and satisfy the expectations of our investors.

“This focus on gender diversity and inclusion elevates our collective potential to realize the FPH mission of a decarbonized and regenerative future for all,” he added.

FPH serves as the publicly listed holding company for the power, industrial and real estate assets of the Lopez Group of Companies. The Lopez Group has been at the forefront in the campaign to protect and enhance the environment aside from espousing GED.

National WEP awarding ceremonies were held in October in the Philippines, Indonesia and in other select countries where the WeEmpowerAsia Program of UN Women is present. The regional awarding ceremony is set for November.