Our Stakeholders

PLDT recognizes that fulfilling its obligations to its various stakeholders is an important aspect of good corporate governance. The Company’s philosophy regarding its various stakeholders is embodied in the PLDT Group Corporate Social Responsibility Statement which considers as an integral part of the Company’s business the imperative to help improve the overall well-being of the Filipino people. As we seek to enhance value for our shareholders, we recognize our responsibility to provide quality products and services for our customers, develop the talents and skills of our employees, work with our suppliers and business partners in an ethical and mutually beneficial manner, care for the environment and support our communities. 
 

PLDT Group CSR Statement

At the PLDT Group of Companies, Corporate Social Responsibility is grounded in our belief that an integral part of our business is the imperative to help improve the overall well-being of the Filipino people. To achieve this goal, we will proactively address the interests of our various stakeholders. We believe that as we seek to enhance value for our shareholders, we have a responsibility to: 

• Provide quality products and services for our customers 
• Develop the talents and skills of our employees 
• Work with our suppliers and business partners in an ethical and mutually beneficial manner 
• Care for the environment
• Support our communities

We are conscious about the proper management of our finite and fragile environment and are taking tangible measures to lessen our carbon footprint. We will continue to invest in technical business solutions that both cut our costs and help save the environment. By succeeding as a corporation, we create wider opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and the greater well-being of all Filipinos. We believe that as we help raise the economic welfare of the Filipino, we expand the market for our products and services. The creed of our business strategy is the desire to change lives for the better. 

General Practice on Stakeholder Engagement   Updated in 2021
Occupational Safety and Health & Environmental Commitments

Shareholders

Pursuant to our CG Manual, it is the duty of the Board to promote and uphold stockholders’ rights. These rights include: 

• Right to vote
• Pre-emptive right  
• Right to inspect corporate books and records  
• Right to timely receive relevant information  
• Right to dividends  
• Appraisal right

Stockholders are encouraged to attend annual and special meetings and are apprised ahead of time of their right to appoint a proxy in case they could not personally attend and exercise their voting rights in such meetings. Stockholders are also given an opportunity to ask questions or raise their concerns in such meetings. In compliance with the Revised Corporation Code and related SEC issuances, the Company provides stockholders the option to use a secure remote voting facility at the stockholders' meetings.
Voting Instruction Form 2020
Voting Instruction Form 2019

Shareholders who wish to raise matters or concerns relating to the business of the Company may elevate such matters to the corporate secretary, the investor relations officer, concerned units of PLDT’s management or the Board of Directors.

It is the Board’s function to explore and implement steps to reduce excessive or unnecessary costs that impede stockholders’ participation and to act with transparency and fairness at the annual and special stockholders’ meetings. The Board shall likewise ensure that the Company remains faithful to its undertaking to make timely disclosures of material information and transactions that could potentially affect the market price of the Company’s shares and such other information which are required to be disclosed pursuant to the Securities Regulation Code (SRC) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations including, without limitation, earnings results, acquisition or disposal of significant assets, off balance-sheet transactions, related party transactions, Board membership changes, shareholdings of Directors and Officers and any changes thereto, and remuneration of Directors and Officers.

The Company files with the Philippine SEC and the PSE all written disclosures or reports on material information and transactions in accordance with the SRC and its Implementing Rules and Regulations and the established procedures of the Philippine SEC and the PSE regarding such matters.

PLDT’s Code of Ethics prohibits directors, officers and employees from dealing in the Company’s shares when in possession of material non-public information about and involving the Company. Directors, officers and employees are enjoined to report to the Company their dealings in the Company’s shares, regardless of whether such dealings were effected during or outside the blackout period, within three trading days from the date of the transaction, to enable the filing of the required disclosures to the Philippine SEC and the PSE. During blackout periods, dealing in Company shares by directors, officers or employees is not allowed and in any exceptional case, prior notice to the Company should be made of any such dealing in Company shares, in accordance with the Company’s policy on Blackout Period/Restriction on Trading of Shares.

In addition, the Company’s Material Related Party Transactions Policy and Guidelines on the Proper Handling of Related Party Transactions provide the procedures for the review, approval and disclosure of related party transactions in order to ensure that they are fair, on arm’s length terms, and in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders, as a whole. Material related party transactions are reviewed by the Audit Committee, which is composed of the Chairman and two (2) members, all of whom are independent directors, and subject to approval by the Board.

PLDT takes pride in its multi-awarded investor relations office. PLDT has also been recognized several times as the company most committed to a strong dividend policy. It is encouraging proof that sound corporate governance, concern for investors/shareholders, and profitability go hand in hand.   

Minority Shareholders

Minority stockholders have the right to nominate candidates for directors, including independent directors, and the right to cumulative voting which enables minority shareholder representation on the Board.

Rights of minority stockholders are protected through the Company’s compliance with applicable rules and observance of best practices which increase the quality of Board oversight and lessen the risks arising from conflicts of interest, including the following: (a) election of independent directors in the Board; (b) Audit Committee composed entirely of independent directors; (c) majority voting membership of independent directors in the Governance, Nomination and Sustainability Committee and Executive Compensation Committee; and (d) Company policies on the handling of conflicts of interest and related party transactions which provide for the proper review, approval and disclosures of such relationships and transactions.

Customers

It is PLDT’s privilege to serve a broad range of customers from residential customers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), corporate customers covering large local and international companies, organizations and government. PLDT continually strives to satisfy its customers’ expectations and concerns regarding quality of service, pricing, application process, service provisioning process, repair and restoration service and the billing process. We continuously engage with our customers through various touchpoints with the end in view of knowing and understanding our customers’ communication products and service needs, promptly addressing their concerns and identifying areas where we could further enhance customer experience. 

Employees

PLDT recognizes the myriad concerns of its employees. PLDT respects the rights of its employees, chief among these are the right to self-organization, safe working conditions, rest and leisure, and work-life balance. It also provides opportunities for skills, leadership and competency training as well as career development. PLDT provides adequate opportunity for career advancement on a merit-based system. Compensation and incentives are likewise determined on the basis of performance and accomplishment. Dedicated staff and facilities are made available for the training and development programs of the Company. The Company organizes programs that support the well-being of employees, allows them to participate in PLDT’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities and obtains their feedback on company concerns. Organization and Employee Opinion Survey is conducted at regular intervals to gauge employee engagement as well as feel the pulse of PLDT employees across the organization at different levels and positions concerning topics and issues which are prioritized and addressed in the various people programs of the company.  In accordance with the Company’s Human Resources Manual, the Company provides medical and dental benefits for our employees, which include hospitalization, doctor consultation, medicines and laboratory tests. The Company monitors and submits reports on employee health and safety in accordance with applicable regulations. 

Health, Safety and Welfare   Updated in 2020
Training and Development   Updated in 2020

Suppliers

PLDT aspires to maintain mutually beneficial relationships only with like-principled suppliers that uphold PLDT’s core values of fairness, accountability, integrity, and transparency in their own businesses. PLDT has over 1,000 active suppliers which serve the requirements of the PLDT Group, ranging from capital expenditures to operating expenditure items, as well as services. The Company’s Supplier/Contractor Relations Policy provides for the general principles to be followed in vendor selection. Suppliers are required to undergo an accreditation process before they engage in business with PLDT. Among the criteria for accreditation are financial capability, technical capability, compliance with applicable laws, including those pertaining to industrial relations, environment, health and safety and intellectual property rights. The Company’s purchases, as a general rule, are made on the basis of competitive bidding of accredited and qualified suppliers, in accordance with the aforementioned policy.

Environment

PLDT is committed to do its part in addressing the pressing need to preserve and protect our environment. As such, PLDT ensures compliance with rules and regulations from local government regulatory offices such as the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Environmental Management Bureau, the Laguna Lake Development Authority and other similar agencies and offices. Furthermore, projects to reduce waste and the Company’s carbon footprint are also being implemented. The Company regularly monitors relevant Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators such as direct energy consumption, energy saved, initiatives to reduce energy consumption, total water withdrawn by source, direct and indirect greenhouse gasses emission by weight, total weight of waste by type and disposal method, and total environmental expenditures and investment.

Creditors

In accordance with our Code of Ethics, we protect the rights of our creditors by publicly disclosing all material information, such as earnings results and risk exposures relating to loan covenants. Our disclosure controls and procedures also include periodic reports to our creditors such as our latest certified Financial Statements, No Default Certification, and Certification on compliance with financial ratio limits.

Communities

The Company operates in communities all over the Philippines and we care about how our operations affect them and how our products and services can improve the lives of their residents. As a telecommunication service provider, PLDT serves communities and the people that live in our partner communities by providing products and services that offer various options for people to connect with each other. As a corporation, PLDT creates wider opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and greater well-being. As a corporate citizen, PLDT actively engages with the communities, including the sectors directly affected by its operations, through CSR projects in education, livelihood, health, arts, disaster preparedness and response, environment, agriculture, internet safety and digital wellness.

Corporate Citizenship                               
Networking

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