3 Philippines firms land in Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index

MANILA, Philippines — Three Filipino-owned companies – the Sy Group’s SM Investments Corp. (SMIC), the Consunji-led I Holdings Inc. and Semirara Mining and Power Corp. (SMPC) – made it to this year’s Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI).

The three companies are among 380 firms around the globe across 11 sectors included in the 2021 GEI, which looks at the value that companies put into gender equality.

DMCI Holdings and SMPC chairman and CEO Isidro Consunji said women hold key positions in their companies.

“We recognize the value and contributions of women across the DMCI group of companies. They occupy key positions in our board, management and workforce. With our companies’ inclusion in the GEI, we hope to provide more women with the opportunities and support they need to reach their full potential,” Consunji said.

SMIC, which was also counted in the index in 2020, was included in this year’s index for scoring at or above a global threshold established by Bloomberg to reflect a high level of disclosure and overall performance across the framework’s five pillars.

“We are pleased to be recognized again and likewise extend our appreciation to Bloomberg. We believe in upholding equal opportunities for our people that promote a better workplace,” SMIC president and CEO Frederic DyBuncio said.

This year’s Bloomberg roster expanded to represent 44 countries and regions, including firms headquartered in Indonesia and Bermuda for the first time.

Companies come from across different industries such as automotive, banking, consumer services, engineering and construction and retail.

The GEI brings transparency to gender-related practices and policies in publicly listed companies. The comprehensive, transparent GEI scoring methodology allows investors to assess company performance and compare across industry peer groups.

The index measures gender equality across five pillars: female leadership and talent pipeline, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, sexual harassment policies, and pro-women brand.

Bloomberg chairman Peter Grauer said companies’ commitment to disclosure makes the business case for inclusion and driving transparency in the markets.

Through disclosure of gender-related metrics using the GEI framework, the firms included in the 2021 GEI have committed to provide a comprehensive look at their investment in workplace gender equality and the communities in which they operate, raising the bar of what should be expected from other companies within the same industry.