Globe Business’ Lead-In 2021 advocates for innovation with compassion
The COVID-19 global health scare—being the great disruptor—has wreaked economic havoc in an unprecedented proportion. Now that businesses have slowly reopened, and the Philippine economy is starting to recover, how do we approach this new meaning of “Business as Usual”? Are businesses ready to market their brands beyond profit and embrace the concept of sustainability? Are we ready for “business with compassion”? If these points are left unaddressed, the Covid health crisis, alongside other concerns, will only intensify and leave behind a world that is even less sustainable, less inclusive, and more fragile.
Cognizant of the need to achieve more equitable outcomes, Globe Business, the enterprise arm of Globe Telecom, once again gathered CEOs, country and business heads, environment advocates, and thought leaders to its annual Leadership Innovation Forum (Lead-In) 2021, the flagship event that has won several Stevie awards and Anvil awards for all its go-to-market & multimedia marketing pillars. Topics of the event revolved around thought leadership pieces that aim to create a positive impact on businesses, society, and the country in general. This year’s #LeadIn2021 hinged on the theme “Bigger Picture, Greater Future: Redefining Success Beyond Business”
Globe’s Lead-In 2021 advanced the discourse on the power that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration has on the future of enterprises. The event’s thought-provoking speakers including Microsoft Corporation’s Lucas Joppa, Ph.D., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation’s Cesar Romero, and iPeople, Inc.’s Alfred Ayala, inspired leaders to be courageously compassionate during the great reset and fully convey the core message of building a better business for Glob stakeholder involved. These great minds also challenged all participants and their organizations to make a commitment to, together and immediately, build the foundations of all economic and social ecosystems to be fairer, sustainable, and more resilient during the post-COVID future.
Rethinking “Business as Usual”
Ernest Cu, President and CEO of Globe Telecom, officially opened #LeadIn2021 by emphasizing the value of humans as catalysts for the better future of businesses, society, and even of our country. “Even with the ongoing events around the world, we can fearlessly forecast a better future and this forecast is rooted in economic and organizational principles, in existing technology, and ongoing innovations. It’s as real as it gets. This is the reality: our shift to the post-pandemic world also comes with a great paradigm shift we call The Great Filipino Reset,” he told everyone.
The impact of Covid 19 has certainly put things into perspective and now that the effects are slowly receding and the economy is reopening, businesses are encouraged that in order to move forward, they must take a step back to see the “bigger picture”—that making a profit for the sake of profit no longer holds true today. As we emerge from the pandemic crisis, businesses looking beyond the bottom line will prove to be critical. In this vein, companies that thrive will be the ones that get the new work equation—of integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives into their operations.
According to Yoly Crisanto, Globe’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications, companies that are more mature in the digital space are winning the future because digital transformation with compassion for humanity will create more value moving forward. Globe Business challenges every philosophy of businesses to realize that profit is not the only bottom line. Environmental sustainability, social equality, inclusivity, and diversity, corporate integrity, and responsible governance are the newly added metrics for success.
ESG Towards a Purpose-driven Culture
For Lucas Joppa, Ph.D Microsoft Corporation’s Chief Environmental Officer, the purpose of corporations is not just to pursue profits but to pursue profits to solve the problems of people. We can utilize digitally empowered innovations that can help address underserved needs post-pandemic and how it’s good for both profit and the planet. Environmental, Social, and Governance, or ESG is the new measure of success for all organizations. He notes that it is every business’ corporate responsibility to take care of the planet and humanity.
This might be a planet-sized problem but like Globe Business, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, considered to practice the golden standard of ESG in the country’s oil industry. Its President & CEO Cesar Romero has championed environmental protection by moving towards the lowering of its carbon operations, products, and solutions into becoming a net zero-carbon company by 2050. It has taken big steps towards mindful profitability by taking care of its stakeholders and consumers.
Globe Business as a Reliable Partner in the ESG journey
Alfred Ayala, Managing Director, Member of Management Committee of Ayala Corporation and Chief Operating Officer of iPeople, Inc., cited The Global Impact concept of “who cares, wins”. Given the full-blown learning crisis due to the pandemic, Ayala underscored the value of redefining products, reconceiving markets, and giving importance to how one organization pivots to automation. He cited that with Globe Business connectivity solutions and promos, online learning was made accessible and working-from-home more efficient. iPeople has also upscaled its faculty through digital re-skilling via various Globe webinars. Moreover, Globe’s GCash allows iPeople’s students to make cashless payments for their school fees from wherever they are. Student assistants, Ayala said, also receive their stipend via GCash. Through its collaboration with Globe, iPeople was able to create a tightly integrated academic ecosystem including Accenture’s TechPEP. To drive digital transformation and ESG in the education sector, integrity, inclusivity, and impact should be considered. By using Globe Business’ digital solutions, iPeople was able to multiply the impact of their ESG approach nationwide.
Globe Business’ Sustainability Revolution
Globe, as the ideal partner in sustainable innovation, pushes the compassionate use of digital technology with its customer-centric innovations, built on a reliable network. With programs that support environment-friendly programs, Globe Telecom collaborates with private corporations on the adoption of the Project 1 Phone (P1P) mobile recycling program, urging contributions of e-wastes such as non-working or damaged gadgets.
Globe has partnered with The Mead Foundation in implementing a sustainable reforestation program in Iba, Zambales in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) like Reforestation, Food Security, and Sustainable Livelihood Development. In lieu of tokens to the Lead-In attendees, Globe recently donated P500,000 to the Foundation’s social initiatives specifically with the indigenous Aetas of Zambales. “This donation will be used to support the ongoing reforestation program which has been supported by Globe since 2018. It will also fund the upcoming Pawikan Project, a conservation project to combat sea turtle egg poaching in Zambales. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Globe for many years to come,” Founder Ben Mead said.
Globe’s three-pronged ESG metrics for redefining success urges for the compassionate use of digital technology includes Environmental sustainability (prioritizing Climate Change strategy, biodiversity, water and energy efficiency, carbon intensity, and environmental management system), Social responsibility (advocating for equal opportunities, freedom of association, health and safety, human rights, child labor, among others), and Good Governance (promoting business ethics, compliance, board independence, executive compensation, and shareholder democracy). By desire and by design, Globe Business helps turn enterprises’ passion and purpose into reality through the right technology, infrastructure, and sustainability solutions that will transform people’s lives. Indeed, doing good is good for business. “When we say we’re building greater businesses, we define greatness in a holistic sense. Greater for us humans. Greater for our stakeholders. Greater for everyone,” Cu pointed out.
“We’re all shifting our paradigms as we transition into the new, post-pandemic world. While some say that we were born too late to explore the moon, yet too early to roam the stars, I believe that we are living in an equally important age in this Great Filipino Reset,” Peter Maquera, Senior Vice President for Globe Business, Enterprise Group, said
In pursuit of remaining innovative with a purpose, Globe Business assures that the future is filled with opportunities. With this change comes everyone’s chance to make a meaningful shift for the good of all. To be part of the Great Filipino Reset, we should aim for the greater good, uplift lives, protect the environment, and make a lasting and positive impact on society and sustainability in order to rebuild a stronger nation. Globe Business will relentlessly push the boundaries of technology and digitalization by providing expert solutions beyond its stronghold offerings. Rediscovering our impact on humanity starts within ourselves and in our organizations. This behooves us to rethink our individual goals and encourage a reset behind every corporate profit. That direction, as discussed today, must be compassion. What is more radical than compassion?
“Courage is individual, while compassion transcends. Let us discover our roles in the bigger picture. The greater future starts now,” Cu concluded. Without looking at the bigger picture, we risk a meaningless recovery. In order to move forward, we should take a step back—to reset and review the bigger picture—then reshape the kind of future we want. This time, we are not just going to make it. We are going to make it right.
Explore the many courageous initiatives you can achieve with a partner you can rely on. Contact your Globe Business Enterprise Account Manager or visit our website to learn more about how we can help you digitally transform your company’s sustainability and ESG initiatives for a greater tomorrow.
