Since 2008 building solutions provider Holcim Philippines, Inc. has been recognizing employees who significantly contribute to business performance aligned with its core values. In over a decade that the company has implemented its Saludo employee recognition program, four women have won the top prize—the Mahusay Employee of the Year award.
The latest female Holcim Philippines employee to win this top award is Luningning Donato, an engineer heading the quality assurance team of the company’s plant in Norzagaray Bulacan. Donato was recognized last January for leading 2020 initiatives that improved the quality of products, raised efficiency of operations, and generated substantial savings.
Conferring its highest employee award to a female employee is important in Holcim Philippines’ efforts to attract and retain more women. It shows that in a company with over a thousand employees who are mostly men, women are provided the same opportunities to excel and be recognized for their contributions.
Holcim Philippines is keen on diversifying its talent pool of, which only 21 percent are women in 2020. The company believes that improving gender diversity can enrich the company with new perspectives that trigger innovative ideas and approaches that boost performance.
The company’s top management is leading this drive. In a message to the company for National Women’s Month this March, Holcim Philippines President and CEO Horia Adrian reiterated that the organization will to push for more female talents to enter and thrive in the company.
“I would like to see more women empowered in our company. I would like to see more women in leadership positions, operations and the market. I am convinced they will help us build a better company,” he said.
This mindset from the top management reflects on the initiatives implemented to make the company more welcoming to women such as building more female lavatories and breast feeding stations in all its sites. The company also requires a female candidate to be included in all of its recruitment for vacant positions. Furthermore, Holcim Philippines regularly holds National Women’s Month celebration at all sites to show appreciation for female employees’ contributions.
The company already has some notable achievements since it focused on improving diversity and inclusion. For instance, a woman heads its plant in Mabini, Batangas. And the company’s Senior Vice President for Finance and Vice Presidents for Strategy, Legal and Compliance, and Communications are women.
Another woman holding a top leadership post is Det Tansingco, a Senior Vice President for Organization and Human Resources. She believes that it is important to show women that they can have a successful career in an industrial company like Holcim Philippines.
“Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics or (STEM) are fields that are the building materials industry heavily gets its talent from. These are dominated by men not just in the Philippines, but all over the world. To get more women into these disciplines, we need to show female talents that they can succeed in these as well,” she said.
Tansingco said that for the past four years, the company has been sharing the stories of its excellent female talents on Holcim Philippines’ social media account during National Women’s Month. This year, Holcim Philippines featured Donato and other female leaders responsible for initiatives to improve the company’s environmental performance, create new digital platforms to engage customers, work with communities, and maximize the efficiency of operations to serve the market.
Tansingco is hopeful the positive reception to these campaigns will help the company attract more female talents, make current ones stay, and encourage the men in the organization to help develop the next generation of lady leaders.
“Sustainability and innovation are two of our focus areas in growing the company. We need people who have the curiosity and passion to drive these. Expanding our talent pool improves our ability to get people with these values. Through our campaigns, we’d like inspire female employees that they have a place in STEM and show that our company welcomes them,” she added.
Tansingco is confident that the company’s consistent efforts to highlight the importance of diversity and inclusion will help it sustain gains in this area and develop more female leaders.
“We look forward to having more women join Holcim Philippines and add their perspective in transforming the company for the better,” she said.
