MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Foundever, a global leader in the customer experience (CX) industry, celebrated Pride Month more meaningfully — not only because of its thriving community of LGBTQIA+ associates but also because of its recent triumph at the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, where it received the 2024 Silver Stevie for Innovative Achievement in Diversity & Inclusion.
Foundever is one of the few employers in the Philippines that makes DE&I an integral and vital part of company policy and workplace structure. This is quite an achievement, considering the findings of a 2018 study commissioned by the Philippine LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, titled the “Corporate SOGIE Diversity and Inclusivity Index,” that found only 17% of employers in the Philippines have inclusive policies and structures in place that protect LGBTQIA+ persons against discrimination.
According to Pat Haluag, VP for Global Operations and Chairman of Pride at Foundever, creating a safe space for employees goes beyond a clean and spacious workplace.
“At Foundever, we consistently work on creating a culture and environment that acknowledges, celebrates, and respects the needs and identities of all employees, no matter where they fall in the LGBTQIA+ spectrum. It’s only within such an atmosphere that everyone can feel safe and be able to not only be productive but also inspired and motivated to harness and fulfill their potential. The key is to transform the workplace into a safe space that celebrates love, acceptance, belonging, respect, and yes, pride.”
Pat explained further that Pride at Foundever is an Employee Resource Group (ERG) that acts as a support system for LGBTQIA+ employees and allies. “Among other things, it is an ERG that works to recognize, resolve the injustices, and remove barriers and discrimination against our community,” he said. It’s also notable that membership at Pride at Foundever has grown from single-digit to 3,281 members in December 2023.
Foundever employees have expressed great satisfaction with the level of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplace, as indicated by the Foundever eNPS score. An eNPS score measures employee satisfaction and loyalty within an organization.
From an eNPS of 20.5 in 2021, Foundever achieved an eNPS of 62.6 in 2023. This substantial 42.1 increase shows that Foundever strongly focuses on employee welfare and engagement.
Last June, Foundever launched a series of events to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. According to Haluag, LGBTQIA+ members and their allies are welcome to join the events. “We invite everyone to celebrate, honor, and support diversity and inclusivity through our events. We encourage them to wear their colors proudly and show that it is in our culture of diversity and inclusivity that we can all find the unity and strength to overcome challenges and create a safe space for everyone,” he said.
