Globe is 1st Philippine telco to meet international standards for Sustainability Reporting

GLOBE Telecom becomes the first local telecommunications firm to meet international standards for its 2011 Annual Sustainability Report (ASR), giving assurance to stakeholders that all information disclosed are accurate and reliable, using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards.

With the theme “Revolutionize total customer satisfaction through transformation brought by network modernization and cultural reformation,” Globe 2011 ASR puts the customer at heart with the mission to change and enrich their lives through communications.

The Globe ASR contains and discusses available data and performance measurement as tracked by different business units of the company since it is important for Globe to research and study the impact of its business processes and programs to the environment, society, and economy.

By considering all possible effects its actions may have to the country, Globe can determine possible ways of disclosing measures for its overall growth and development.

“This is the fourth Sustainability Report of Globe covering the company’s operations and that of its subsidiaries in the Philippines. The report is intended to communicate ongoing commitments of Globe to transparency and accountability on economic, environment, and social impacts as a responsibility towards its stakeholders,” said Ernest L. Cu, president and CEO of Globe.

Globe is the only telecom company in the Philippines to come out with a sustainability report adhering to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3.1 framework, the most accepted international reporting framework applicable to corporations of any size, type or location. It sets the standard on which organizations shall measure their economic, environmental, and social performance.

Since credibility is a prerequisite for effective sustainability reporting and is considerably enhanced through independent external assurance, Globe has tapped TUV Rheinland, one of the leading certification body and assurance providers globally for external assurance.

External assurance is synonymous to external audit in case of company certifications and external testing in case of product certifications. It helps protect the interest of stakeholders and provides a level of comfort to key decision makers, allowing them to know that the information they are using for their business decisions are not only reliable but also complies in all material aspects with the relevant reporting frameworks.

Aside from Globe, no other company in the Philippines has used accredited AA assurance providers to perform an external assurance.

The assurance process takes into account the significance of the report and the inclusiveness of the information that all key stakeholders of the organization require in order to best understand the company’s performance and the organization’s responsiveness in line with AA 1000 Assurance Standard.

Key activities that formed part of the external assurance include interviews with key management of Globe; review of processes for identification and collation of relevant information, report content and performance data from the central coordination team; verification of performance data and factual information within the report; and visits to sites in the Philippines to verify management systems implementation data accuracy and comparability.

Based on these assurance efforts, the report has been assured at B+, Type 2 and moderate level.

Globe chose ECC International (ECCI) in creating the 2011 ASR in compliance with GRI guidelines and AA assurance requirements. ECCI is the leading process improvement training and consulting company in Southeast Asia when it comes to implementing international standards, best practices and management systems. They are currently the market leader in Corporate Sustainability and Governance, consulting, and training space.

To make the 2011 ASR more engaging, Globe incorporated a Quick Response (QR) game at the end of the report for a delightful user experience.

QR uses computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, or graphics that involves layering of computer-generated imagery on top of a view of the real world as seen through the camera of a smartphone or tablet computer.

QR helps transform the way information and consumers are engaged toward a specific product or service, as well as brings brand experiences to life. (PR)