Women in the Philippines face many challenges when it comes to employment. According to a McKinsey & Company report released in 2016, only 50% are in the labor force, even if more women have college degrees compared to men.
But that doesn’t seem to be a problem for Convergys, which just became the first Philippine-based business process outsourcing (BPO) in the world to gain international certification on workplace gender equality.
The certification was given by the Economic Dividends for Gender Equality (EDGE), an international third-party evaluation system designed to help companies create an optimal workplace for women and men. To date, EDGE operates in over 170 organizations in over 48 countries, helping to close the workplace gender gap. External auditors from the EDGE group found that Convergys Philippines has equal gender representation in all employee levels, fair recruiting policies, and an inclusive workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, can work to the best of their abilities.
EDGE’s third-party evaluation also found that among Convergys 60,000 employees across 34 centers nationwide, 57% are female. Half of all leadership roles, as well as those identified for a future management position, are also occupied by women. Even traditionally male-dominated work areas like technical support and facilities management have a significant female population, comprising 45% and 40% of these groups respectively.
According to Ivic Mueco, Convergys President for Asia-Pacific, “Through this EDGE certification achieved by the Philippines team, we are able to show that an individual’s capabilities and talents are not valued through the filter of their gender, but through the caliber of performance they produce. This not only enables us to attract and retain talent, but it is also a way to make a lasting and collective difference in the region. Both our male and female colleagues believe they are treated fairly and that there is equal opportunity for all. This validation from our people is both encouraging and humbling– and we work tirelessly each day to make Convergys Philippines an organization we can all be proud of.”
From the start, Convergys has been committed to workplace gender equality. The company is also one of the pioneering members of the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE), which aims to promote women’s economic empowerment, address pay gap issues, female workplace participation and working conditions, and the development of leaders and managers to drive gender equality.
This is the kind of organization that other companies and employment sectors should aspire to be. According to the McKinsey & Company report, if the Philippines increases the workforce participation of women by just 1 percentage point each year, by 2025 it would add $40 billion to the Philippine’s gross domestic product (GDP), or a 9% percent increase.
Investing in women truly makes a difference!
