PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) recently celebrated Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Week 2023 at their Makati headquarters.
Recognizing the vital role of Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) in the workplace, the integrated telco organized a line-up of activities for their employees, in partnership with government agencies and institutions to promote a safe and healthy workplace for all. The Group has been commemorating the week-long celebration since 2021.
Joining the celebration of EHS Week 2023, PLDT and Smart Chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan shared a message with all employees. “In our third year of the EHS Week Celebration, I call upon our leaders to align with our Occupational Safety and Health and Environmental Commitment, which is to make work conducive for employees’ safety as the number one priority in our management decisions. Let us all walk the talk and turn our vision into genuine actions,” Pangilinan said in his message.
“We are keen on providing our employees with the tools and knowledge necessary to perform their work safely and efficiently, so our third-year celebration is underpinned by engagement activities and awareness seminars to help shift our cultural mindset and integrate EHS principles into business,” added Al S. Panlilio, President and CEO of PLDT and Smart, in an excerpt from his EHS Week 2023 message.
Apart from celebrating EHS week, this initiative also aims to raise awareness, strengthen capacity, and provide points for collaboration on building a smarter and safer Philippines, starting within the workplace and among PLDT and Smart’s employees.
Led by the Group’s Property and Facilities Management (PFM) team, there were also learning sessions on sustainability, emergency preparedness, health, and safety. “We continuously work with our employees in ensuring the safety, health, and protection of each one of us, including our families and those within our communities. Through our EHS initiatives, we hope to accelerate our organizational goals even further,” said Leonard Gonzales, Vice President of PFM at PLDT and Smart.
The EHS Week 2023 is part of a broad range of activities undertaken by PLDT and Smart in their continuing drive to further elevate the Group’s standing as a premier workplace, and to institute the PLDT Group as the region’s leading Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) telco. These objectives are two of the five pillars of PLDT and Smart’s multi-year transformation journey in response to the rapidly shifting market conditions in the Philippines.
The celebration also underscores PLDT and Smart’s broader commitment towards building a smarter and more resilient Philippines through empowerment and capacity development. This is also aligned with UNSDG #8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.