Manila Water regards each employee as an important resource and partner in creating lasting value. Developing and investing in its workforce, the Company’s primary stakeholders, is at the very heart of sustainability in the Company. Without a critical mass of empowered employees, it is not possible to sustain the high quality of service and ensure continuous corporate growth. A strong pool of competent talents must possess the necessary knowledge, skills, and attributes unique to a water utility. The Company has instituted programs to continuously upskill its leaders and individual contributors to be the best in their respective disciplines, through training and actual practice, employing coaching and mentorship as a vital approach in propagating institutional expertise and memory.

Considering the disruptions in people’s lives brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to the health and safety protocols developed to prevent the spread of the virus, particular attention was also given by the Company to its employees' well-being, especially on mental health. This Integrated Report has a Special Report on the Company’s COVID-19 response.

WORKFORCE DATA

GRI: 405-1

EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES THROUGH TRAINING AND EDUCATION

GRI: 404-1, 404-2

In the aftermath of the 2019 water crisis and despite the ongoing pandemic, Manila Water continues to implement its roadmap for core, leadership, and technical capability development. It is now a topmost priority to empower employees with knowledge and skills needed to adapt to the 'new normal.' The Company also believes that effective leadership is critical for employees to excellently perform their roles with the highest degree of integrity and competence, aligned with its aspiration to regain and sustain stakeholder trust.

Manila Water provides its talents access to various learning and development opportunities consisting of in-house and external trainings and accelerated development programs under the Manila Water University. In 2020, 77 percent of the total number of employees were trained, clocking at 37,049 training hours across the enterprise.

Manila Water University, the Company's corporate learning institution, provides a wide range of training and development courses that can be self-directed or conducted by a live instructor. The university programs are all competencybased, aimed at developing talents by enhancing their leadership, technical, and functional skills, in preparation for future critical roles. Furthermore, technical and leadership skills are learned within the virtual four walls of a classroom (or an online learning platform) and through close mentoring of leaders who oversee the implementation of stretched assignments.

The new work arrangements prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the push for online learning. Percipio, an online learning platform that allowed Manila Water talents to access around 3,023 courses via their laptops or mobile devices at any time convenient to them, has provided a wealth of learning opportunities even beyond their current set of required competencies. The ease of access to learning modules and courses against the pandemic's backdrop resulted in many employees trained and engaged. In 2020, 948 employees took advantage of online learning modules, compared to only an average of 200 employees in prior years.

 

TRAINING AND EDUCATION DATA:

GRI: 404-1, 404-2, 405-1

 

 

EMPLOYEE WELL-BEING AND SAFETY

In 2020, Manila Water faced an unprecedented challenge that threatened employees' well-being and continued productivity. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the normal course of things and challenged the plans set for the year and forced the Company to re-think and re-strategize execution without sacrificing employee safety and well-being.

Employee health and safety was identified as a top priority when the Enhanced Community Quarantine was announced in March 2020. To help mitigate the coronavirus’ spread among the workforce, Manila Water came up with programs, policies, guidelines and activities under four focus areas: employee safety, workplace safety, total wellness, and communications and employee engagement activities.

 

 

In a mid-year survey answered by employees related to Manila Water’s efforts during Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), the Company received a High Satisfactory rate of 3.58 out of 4 (94.5%) on their overall experience. The employees responded with the Company’s re-entry efforts positively, resulting to a High Satisfactory rate of 3.54 out 4 (93.5%) An overwhelming number of employees also shared in the survey that they appreciated the Company’s response during the pandemic on the following:

• Employee communication
• Work arrangements
• Employee guidelines and toolkits
• Workplace protocols

Apart from safety-related initiatives, programs to ensure overall employee well-being were also undertaken. Mental health was one of the focus areas as it was an emerging concern of the employees who had to adapt to a new work set-up. To this end, the Company implemented two major initiatives – Employee Care Calls and Mental Wellness Counselling to ensure employees' well-being. Employees reached out to fellow employees to check on their well-being and assess if internal or external support related to health or work was needed and resulted in an open line of communication between HR and employees.

 

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT

GRI: 407-1

Manila Water values its employees' rights to participate in the formulation and review of policies concerning the rights and welfare of the workforce. The Company supports the employees' freedom of association and complies with the existing laws in this regard. In 2020, 12.60 percent of the East Zone Concession employees were covered by the latest collective bargaining agreement signed on 23 November 2018.