PLDT and Smart employees participate in a Yes, She Can! workshop for women empowerment.

PLDT Inc. (PLDT) and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) celebrated Women’s Month by lining up several activities for women empowerment and to further strengthen the company’s gender, diversity, and inclusion initiatives in the workplace.

“What we want to do differently this year is that aside from celebrating women’s contributions in the workplace, we also want to create sustainable programs that endeavor to empower them,” said Gina Ordoñez, Chief People Officer at PLDT and Smart.

Together with its partner, the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment, PLDT and Smart held their Yes, She Can! seminar in person, for the first time since its inception during the pandemic. Employees were able to attend a workshop promoting self-awareness among women professionals, as well as webinars on Embracing Equity, Leadership and Women Empowerment, and Preparing Girls & Young Women for the Future.  

“We really commend PLDT and Smart for their program, Yes, She Can! Aside from the seminar, we were able to generate ideas from employees themselves on how they can improve the company’s programs so that they can really realize their potential. It’s a good thing happening for them, and I hope other companies would learn from them as well,” said Amor Curaming, Program Manager at PBCWE.

In 2021, PLDT and Smart became the first Philippine telcos to sign up as members of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), to achieve large-scale organizational transformation through evidence-based strategies and best practices in the workplace. The Group also enacted a Diversity and Inclusion Policy that promotes a collaborative environment and protects women employees against any kind of harassment, abuse, discrimination, intimidation retaliation or prejudice.

“Research has shown that employers who prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion have a stronger capacity to develop a robust workforce compared to their competitors because you have a workforce that’s more diverse, more unique. I think Yes, She Can! is a great opportunity also for PLDT and Smart to gather all these unique perspectives and come up with workplace policies that truly reflect the needs of their employees,” said Jen Mendoza, Client Engagement Membership Specialist at PBCWE.msign

These initiatives are part of PLDT and Smart’s commitment to embed Sustainability in their business operations, as well as align with their contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal #5: Gender Equality.