The Philippines' leading integrated telco network PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) have added new citations to their roster of ISO certifications, reinforcing the Group's commitment to excellence across its operations.
Over the past year, PLDT Group has achieved additional certifications for Quality Management System (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management System (ISO 14001:2015), Occupational Health and Safety Management System (ISO 45001:2018) and Business Continuity Management System (ISO 22301:2019), which cover key processes and critical network facilities nationwide.
“In achieving these certifications, we have expanded our commitment to excellence by creating a comprehensive framework that demonstrates our unwavering dedication to quality, environmental sustainability, occupational health and safety, and business continuity. This integrated approach enables us to provide our customers with products and services that meet the highest standards while minimizing our environmental impact and ensuring the well-being of our employees,” said Analeen See Co, head of PLDT and Smart's Business Continuity Strategy and Analytics Division under the company's Business Continuity and Resilience Office (BCRO), which has spearheaded the pursuit of these quality standardization measures.
"As we continuously collaborate and fine-tune our processes in order to earn these certifications, our operations become more efficient. This, in turn, enables us to serve our customers better, faster and more reliably," said Leo A. Gonzales, VP and Head of Property Facilities and Asset Resiliency Management, and Chairman of PLDT Central Environment, Health and Safety Committee. "These milestones are proof of the combined hard work and support of various business units across the organization, as we work together to operate excellently, be responsible stewards of the environment, and take care of our own people,” he added.
To facilitate and ensure world-class customer experience through reliable and resilient operations, PLDT established a pervasive resiliency framework through ISO 22301:2019, which enables the company to consistently prevent, minimize, and recover from disruptive incidents while mitigating financial and reputational impact across its critical facilities and operations nationwide. These certifications cover critical assets including cable landing stations and network operations centers, and ensure that the Group's facilities that support voice, data, and converged multimedia services connectivity are compliant to international standards for business continuity preparedness.
Meanwhile, under ISO 9001, organizations address inefficiencies and areas for improvement within their operations through the implementation of standardized processes and procedures, regular review of performance, feedback from stakeholders, and corrective actions, as guided by ISO 9001 standards.
ISO 14001 focuses on the integration of environmental management in the company’s strategies. The standard promotes environmental protection through the efficient use of resources relevant to the company’s operations, and waste reduction. On the other hand, ISO 45001 helps companies come up with a framework on improving employee safety, reducing risks in the workplace, and creating better, safer working conditions. It aids organizational plans for emergencies and potential life-threatening situations.
These ISO certifications support PLDT’s thrust for resiliency, industry-leading operational excellence, and enhanced stakeholder confidence, and also align with the Group's commitment to adopt the highest standards of occupational health and safety and environmental performance, fortifying its operational focus on employee welfare, customer experience, and sustainability.
These efforts also underscore the PLDT Group’s commitment to helping the country attain the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly on UN SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth and UN SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and help boost the government's overall thrust to digitalize the nation, narrow the digital divide, and bring the benefits of the internet closer to more Filipinos across the country.
