UN Women gender equality awards given to eight businesses in the Philippines

Authors: Dominique Paranal, Antoinette Santos and Zoya Khanday

Manila, Philippines — Eight companies have received the 2022 Philippines Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Awards for championing gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace and community.

The WEPs, a gender-equality guide to action for the private sector, and the awards were created by WeEmpowerAsia, a UN Women programme funded by the European Union. These are the only awards in the Asia-Pacific region for companies taking action on gender equality.

“It is truly exciting to know how this year’s winners will be role models for over 7,000 WEPs signatories globally,” said Katja Freiwald, UN Women Asia and the Pacific Lead for Women’s Economic Empowerment, told today’s awards ceremony in Manila. “We continue to draw inspiration from these champions and hope to make space for cross-learning and exchanges at the regional level, where the incredible initiatives from the Philippines are always represented.”

The winners and runners-up of 2022 Philippines Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards celebrate at the awards ceremony in Manila, Philippines on 20 October 2022. Photo: Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment/Paolo Pangan

The winners and runners-up of 2022 Philippines Women’s Empowerment Principles Awards celebrate at the awards ceremony in Manila, Philippines on 20 October 2022. Photo: Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment/Paolo Pangan

The 2022 WEPs Awards are supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as part of its strategic partnership with UN Women in Asia and the Pacific. Last year, two Australian Government initiatives, Investing in Women and the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) worked with UN Women in encouraging more companies to sign the WEPs.

“The Australian Government shares a common goal with UN Women to promote gender-equal workplaces and are proud of the work we do together,” said Christine Clarke, Australian Ambassador for Women and Girls. “The WEPs are an excellent entry point for companies who want to make a commitment to workplace gender equality. The tools within the WEPs are accessible and widely used around the world to provide companies with important insights to increase workplace gender equality.”

“We are equally proud of the contributions of PBCWE to this work,” she said.

Roel Refran, Chief Operating Officer of The Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc., said: “I am also pleased that among those recognized today are publicly listed companies. I hope this will inspire more PLCs to be more active in advocating and adopting policies and practices that promote gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace, as well as in the communities they operate in.”

Ma. Aurora “Boots” Geotina-Garcia, Co-Chairperson of the PBCWE, said: “I call upon the winners to continue the good work and inspire others. To the finalists, improve on what you have started as there is always more room for winners. Lastly, to those who have not started their journey, it is never too late.”

Here are the companies, small, mid-size, and large, recognized in each category of the 2022 Philippines WEPs Awards: