Teleperformance Philippines, the first and only five-peat certified Great Place to Work® company in the country, recently held a program review and ceremonial turnover of wellness supplies and KISS (Keep It Safe & Sure) dispensers as part of their HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) in the Workplace Policy, at Teleperformance Vertis North site.
The main highlight of the event was the ceremonial turnover of the KISS dispensers, which was provided in partnership with the Department of Health through their Project Red Ribbon Care Management Foundation and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. as part of the Comprehensive Corporate HIV Program. The dispensers include condoms, lubricants, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP), and HIV testing. In addition, counseling was made available, and a demonstration of HIV testing was made at the site.
Rachel Cacabelos, Teleperformance Philippines Vice President for Human Resources, Communication & Marketing noted, “This would show that TP is one with the community, not only the community inside but outside. Because it’s an environment, an ecosystem that you need to bend, and TP cannot do this alone. We need to have partners, like private and government partners who will help us further our advocacy not only for Teleperformance Philippines but for all communities as a whole as well.”
The program also aimed to have a review of Teleperformance’s HIV policy, culture journey, as well as the milestones achieved by the initiative that began way back in 2015, which makes Teleperformance a safe and healthier workplace for all. The policy seeks to provide a continuous drive for testing and education through e-learning, safeguard health and wellness, and have people-initiated transformation with their 3A’s (Adapt, Adopt, Advocate) Model, which has produced more than 80 advocates around the country and continues to increase.
The program also adheres to Republic Act No. 11223, also known as the Universal Health Care Act, which guarantees all Filipinos equitable access to high-quality, low-cost health-care goods and services while protecting them from financial risk. It ensures that every Filipino is healthy, safe from health hazards and risks, and has access to affordable, high-quality, and easily accessible health care that meets their needs.
“Truly, this is what Universal Healthcare law embraces, for all, and one of those is healthy workplaces. That’s why I salute this group [Teleperformance Philippines], for doing this. Rest assured for our supporters to have these kinds of programs and in the future so we’re all in this together, and let’s expand this,” said Dr. Gretchel Tolentino, Assistant Regional Director of Department of Health (DOH).
Present at the event were representatives from public sector partners like the DOH, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), as well as guests from organizations such as the Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) and IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP).
Dr. Felix Labanda Jr. from the Bureau of Working Conditions of DOLE remarked, “It is a big thing that HIV in the Workplace is really forwarded as something that is very relevant, which means it’s something that is not kept hidden. That is always the goal of Department of Labor and Employment; to remove the stigma and discrimination for something that is not acquired in the workplace. This turnover ceremony is a step forward to bringing perspective that you’re not just working here, but also, it is part of the solution.”
The HIV in the Workplace Policy of Teleperformance is implemented under its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiatives, which the company has been championing, not just for its employees, but also for the communities they have adopted.