Aboitiz promotes diversity, equity & inclusion in the workplace
Diversity, inclusion, and workplace gender equality pervade throughout the Aboitiz Group of companies. Consistent with its core values, the Aboitiz Group provides equal opportunity to all its team members. The organization ensures to nurture and create a workplace where all employees are treated with dignity and respect.
In Aboitiz, no one is left behind. Team members are given opportunities and are treated with fairness regardless of age, gender identity, or diverse preferences and backgrounds. Aboitiz’s non-discrimination policies apply to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, talent management, and employee integration.
Workforce at the Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), the holding company of the Aboitiz Group, perfectly illustrates it, with 50.18% of its employees being women and 49.82%, men. About 42% of the executive-level positions are occupied by women holding strategic roles in various business units leading the Aboitiz Group.
When it comes to the health insurance policy of the company, AEV together with the Group’s business units adopted the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ and common-law partners as medical dependents of its team members. They are entitled to the same medical coverage as the spouse of a legally married team member.
Also, AEV has a standing policy on Anti-Sexual Harassment and Safe Space Act. Employees should be able to work in an environment that promotes equal employment opportunities and prohibits discriminatory practices, including harassment. Therefore, the company expects that all relationships among persons in the workplace will be professional and free of bias, harassment or violence.
The Group’s energy arm AboitizPower (AP) is likewise an equal opportunity employer. As part of its Human Rights commitment, AP welcomes and celebrates diversity in its organization, ensures inclusivity, and zero tolerance for any form of discrimination.
Like AEV, AboitizPower has publicly disclosed its anti-sexual harassment and safe spaces act in 2021. Also, AP has seen an increase in the percentage of female employees in the organization from 2019, 2020 and 2021 at 27.60%, 27.93%, and 29.03% respectively.
AboitizPower’s diverse workforce shows that about 29.01% account for team members who are more than 30 years old, 57.82% are those within the 30-50 year-old range, while 13.16% account for employees more than 50 years old.
The Group’s infrastructure arm Aboitiz InfraCapital (AIC) is also serious in implementing its Business Code of Ethics for Anti-Sexual Harassment. In addition, AIC together with AEV are committed to champion women empowerment as they joined the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment. Through the partnership, the company held an Unconscious Bias webinar for team members and will soon undergo the Gender Equality Assessment, Results and Strategies program. It also ensures its Human Resources (HR) initiatives are gender-neutral, such as its Mentoring Partnership, 360 Degree Feedback, and Talent Management Program.
Meantime In AboitizLand, fair treatment and psychological safety is highlighted to everyone. Team members are encouraged to express their true sentiments at work via pre- and onboarding experience surveys. Thus, AboitizLand provides multiple channels where team members can freely express their concerns, sentiments and inquiries.
PHOTO TAKEN BEFORE PANDEMIC. Aboitiz Foundation engages in Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives that develop people’s skills and foster equality among all its beneficiaries. In Mindanao, these lumad students enjoy the benefits gained from the Aboitiz Foundation and Davao Light scholarship program.
Externally, the Group has also spearheaded several corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that promote inclusion and equality through education programs. The Aboitiz Foundation for instance, has initiated TecVoc for Women in partnership with Banilad Center for Professional Development; Apprenticeship to Employment Program for SPED Class in Pagbilao; continued support extended to the Benguet Thanksgiving Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) by conducting capability-building training and financial workshops for its women members and officers; and the Mindanawon Program, a college education subsidy for Indigenous Youth in Davao Region.
The Mindanawon Program supports the lumads in Davao who are under the scholarship project of the Mindanawon Initiative for Cultural Dialogue (MICD) of the Ateneo de Davao University. Davao Light and Power Company together with the Aboitiz Foundation have been supporting this program for the last 17 years.
The Aboitiz Group is resolute in its commitment to continue championing diversity, inclusion and workplace gender equality within its business units as part of its adherence to Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and Goal 10 (Reduced Inequality) of the Sustainable Development Goals. #
