Our Sustainability Approach
Building a Culture of Trust and Care
Our Approach
GRI 2021:3-3
Manila Water cultivates a culture of care and trust by prioritizing its employees’ well-being and upholding strong ethical principles. We invest in their development and ensure a safe, healthy work environment, while maintaining transparent and accountable practices.
We extend this care and trust through active community partnerships and industry leadership. By engaging in collaborative initiatives and sharing best practices, we create a positive impact and foster sustainable growth for all stakeholders.
Human Capital
Employee distribution
GRI 2021:2-7
As of December 31, 2024, we employ 2,495 employees across our business operations, 95% of whom are permanent employees. This figure reflects our current headcount following a reorganization that involved the transfer of ownership of two subsidiaries. This reorganization ensured continued employment for all affected employees. We are also committed to increasing female representation at all levels of the organization. Currently, 57% of executive officer positions are held by women, and female representation on our Board of Directors has increased to 22%.
Our commitment to building a strong workforce extends to nurturing future talent. We embrace students eager to explore the water industry through our internship program. This initiative enriches our talent pipeline while fostering diversity within our teams. In 2024, we had the privilege of hosting 69 interns from universities and colleges across the Philippines.
Beyond internships, our Cadetship Program offers recent college graduates a unique opportunity. This intensive program provides business training, exploring critical areas such as water systems management, field safety protocols, and community engagement strategies. The success of our previous cadet batches is evident in their progression to leadership roles within our organization, where they now lead various teams. In 2024, 9 cadets completed the 32nd batch of the program.
New hires and turnover
GRI 2016:201-3, 401-1, 401-2
In 2024, Manila Water welcomed 271 new employees, strengthening our workforce. Our recruitment process focuses on identifying and attracting individuals with the necessary competencies and skill sets, ensuring alignment with our core values. We believe in fostering growth and development not only through external hires but also through internal talent mobility.
Our total employee turnover rate is 17%, comprising of 11% voluntary and 6% involuntary separations. This is notably lower than the industry average of 20%. We regularly review exit survey data to gain insights into employee departures and identify opportunities for improvement.
Approximately 30% of our turnover is due to retirements, reflecting the dedication of our employees, many of whom have contributed an average of 20 years of service to Manila Water. We deeply value their contributions and offer a comprehensive retirement plan. This includes one month’s salary for every year of service for employees aged 60 with at least five years of tenure, and early retirement options are available at age 50 with at least ten years of service.
Employee welfare
GRI 2016:202-1, 401-2
Manila Water is committed to employee welfare and strives to be an employer of choice by offering competitive and equitable benefits. We ensure fair treatment based on performance, and our rank-and-file wages exceed the minimum wage. Our full-time employees receive benefits exceeding those mandated by Philippine law. These include, but are not limited to, insurance coverage, medical and dental benefits, guaranteed bonuses, merit increases, corporate incentives, and paid leave. To further support employee well-being, we offer flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to work from alternate locations at least once a week.
Our employee retention strategy includes recognizing and rewarding exemplary performance. The new recognition program celebrates outstanding contributions to company goals through three awards: Rajah (Chief or Leader) Award for individual excellence in performance or leadership; Sinagtala (Ray of light) Award for project teams whose initiatives exceed defined roles; and Likha (Create or Innovate) Award for innovations resulting in increased efficiency, improvements, and better customer experience.
Human Rights and Labor Relations
GRI 2016:407-1, 408-1
In 2024, Manila Water formalized its commitment to global sustainability and responsible business practices by joining the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC). As the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative, the UNGC connects over 20,000 companies across the globe, promoting the adoption of sustainable and socially responsible policies. In aligning our operations and strategies with the UNGC’s ten principles— covering human rights, labor, environmental protection, and anti-corruption – we are reinforcing our dedication to ethical and responsible conduct.
Specifically, our UNGC membership strengthens our labor relations by providing a framework for continuous improvement and accountability. The ten principles, particularly those related to labor rights, are embedded in our core human rights-related policies, including the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Policy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy, Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy, and Freedom of Association Policy. These and other corporate governance policies are accessible in our corporate website.
Learning and Development
GRI 2016:404-1, 404-2, 404-3
Manila Water is committed to employee welfare and strives to be an employer of choice by offering competitive and equitable benefits. We ensure fair treatment based on performance, and our rank-and-file wages exceed the minimum wage.
Our full-time employees receive benefits exceeding those mandated by Philippine law. These include, but are not limited to, insurance coverage, medical and dental benefits, guaranteed bonuses, merit increases, corporate incentives, and paid leave. To further support employee well-being, we offer flexible work arrangements, allowing employees to work from alternate locations at least once a week.
| Training data by gender | Count of trained employees | Training hours | Ave. training hours/ employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 1,849 | 46,784 | 30 |
| Female | 970 | 25,771 | 32 |
| Training data by rank | Count of trained employees | Training hours | Ave. training hours/ employee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Management | 244 | 8,389 | 39 |
| Middle Management | 1,955 | 56,613 | 36 |
| Rank-and-file | 620 | 7,553 | 13 |
In 2024, Manila Water’s total training data reached 72,555 training hours, accumulated by 2,819 trained employees, averaging 30 training hours per employee.
Manila Water’s learning and development programs are integral to our recruitment and retention strategy, ensuring a skilled and engaged workforce. Each employee’s training is guided by their Individual Development Plan (IDP), where they define personal goals and aspirations. IDP accomplishment constitutes 10% of the total annual performance assessment. In 2024, 100% of employees, including regular and probationary hired as of September 30, 2024, received a regular performance and career development review.
Core and Leadership Development
Foundational courses on core values, including new hire onboarding, "Living the Values" workshop, Leadership Academy Yielding Accelerated Growth Program (LAYAG), and online learning platform, MW Stream.
Technical Capability Development
Developing operational expertise for technical teams through the Manila Water Institute of Technology (MIT), compliance training, and professional certification opportunities.
Manila Water School
Initiatives addressing current and future leadership needs with specialized management training programs, including Cadetship Training Program, Territory Management Schooling, and Business Zone Leadership Schooling.
Group-Initiated Training
Targeted programs and upskilling opportunities designed to meet the specific needs of individual teams.
The Gabay (Guide) Business and Technical Mentoring program pairs emerging next-generation leaders with our Senior Leadership Team, providing valuable mentorship and support. For the second year, 17 emerging leaders participated in this program.
Employee engagement
Employee Volunterism
Engagement is key to a strong and responsible organization. Pasibol: Puno ng Pag-asa ("Tree of Hope" and "Full of Hope") is an employee volunteer-driven program that focuses on watershed and tree nurturing. In 2024, Pasibol saw strong participation, with 14 tree planting activities, 427 employee volunteers contributing 1,692 hours, 22 external partners, 8,500 seedlings planted, and 16 hectares covered.
Through Pasibol, we are on track to meet our biodiversity and water quality targets by 2025. Progress includes reforesting approximately 975 hectares of watershed area and planting and nurturing 442,008 trees since 2022 and maintaining 100% compliance with national drinking water standards.
Total Wellness
#MahalagaKa (You Matter) is our total wellness program that aims to nurture our team – mind, body, and spirit – fostering belonging, purpose, and shared values. This initiative involves educational talks and workshops on emotional, financial, physical, and mental wellness, as well as safety initiatives to ensure a secure environment. Beyond individual well-being, #MahalagaKa cultivates a strong company culture through donation drives to support colleagues and communities affected by calamities.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Manila Water’s commitment to holistic well-being extends to a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), driven by our #ToDEI Counts initiative. Since 2003, we’ve actively utilized our communication platforms to promote education and awareness about disability rights, and we continue to champion mental well-being through our Professional Friend Program. Gender-sensitivity training is part of our annual mandatory training, ensuring our employees are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to create an inclusive workplace.
Women empowerment
With women representing 34% of our workforce, our #WomenMakingWaves celebration showcased the diverse and inspiring stories of Katubig women excelling as leaders, workers, mothers, and athletes, demonstrating the multifaceted nature of female empowerment. This commitment to gender equality is extended in our community efforts through
Integrated WASH Program. This program delivers tailored, women-led solutions to enhance water access and sanitation infrastructure, strengthen water and sanitation management knowledge, and forge partnerships that advance UN SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Employee Communication Channels
To maintain strong engagement, we leverage a variety of communication platforms to keep everyone informed and connected. These include Balita on Wednesdays, sharing company news and updates; Kwentong Katubig: Stories of Sustainability, Tips and Innovation; and My HR Pahayag, focusing on HR-related announcements and information. All content and developments for these platforms are prepared by Katubig members for their fellow Katubig colleagues, fostering a sense of community and shared ownership.
Occupational Health and Safety
Health, safety, and environment programs
GRI 2018:403-1
We maintain a global approach to employee safety and well-being through our Health and Safety Policy, applicable to all business units of Manila Water. This policy adheres to standards prescribed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or the regulatory requirement of every country where we do business. This commitment is driven by our Occupational Health and Safety Departments (OSHD), which report directly to respective Chief Operating Officers, ensuring executive-level accountability.
Our health, safety, and environment (HSE) program is implemented through collaborative health and safety committees at every organizational level, encompassing employees and contracted workers. These committees, overseen by executives, ensure consistent application of HSE procedures. Recognizing the importance of continuous training, OSHD works together with Human Resources to identify and address training needs. In 2024, we delivered approximately 14,566 safety training hours, covering essential programs such as Basic Occupational Safety and Health (BOSH), Construction Occupational Safety and Health (COSH), Chemical Safety, First Aid, CPR, and our iJoin onboarding program.
Hazard identification
GRI 2018:403-2
100% of our managed buildings, construction sites, and corporate office undergo regular Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment, and Risk Control (HIRAC) exercises. To streamline this process and ensure accessibility of crucial safety information, we have established an online HIRAC Registry, available to all business units.
Open communication with employees is paramount, and we encourage both formal and informal reporting of near- misses or incidents. Formal channels include committee meetings, toolbox meetings, and a dedicated departmental email address. Informal reporting is also encouraged, such as directly messaging OSHD members. Following any reported incident, an incident report is prepared which is shared with the employee and their immediate superior. Furthermore, corrective actions or adaptations are communicated to ensure prompt remediation and continuous improvement.
Health and safety performance
GRI 2018:403-9
| Health and safety | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fatality as a result of a work-related injury, count | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| High-consequence work-related injury except fatality, count | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Recordable work-related injury, count | 3 | 6 | 27 |
| Lost Time Injury Rate | 0.38 | 0.46 | 0 |
We actively track and take accountability for reportable incidents to foster a safe and healthy workplace. In 2024, we maintained a strong safety record with no fatalities, high-consequence injuries or cases of occupational disease involving our employees. The majority of recordable work- related injuries stemmed from a rise in reporting of incidents such as slips and falls, trips, vehicular accidents, and chemical spills. For each reported incident, root causes were thoroughly identified, and corrective actions were promptly implemented to prevent recurrence and further enhance our safety protocols.
Governance and compliance
GRI 2016:418-2; 2021:2-25,2-26
Manila Water’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics guides all our actions and decisions, reflecting our unwavering commitment to ethical conduct. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for fraud and corruption, prioritizing responsible and transparent disclosures to keep our stakeholders fully informed. This commitment to integrity
Our Whistleblower Policy empowers directors, officers, employees, and third parties to report concerns about illegal or unethical practices without fear of retaliation. The Whistleblower Committee ensures independent investigation and appropriate follow-up actions, accessible primarily through the Whistleblower hotline. As of December 31, 2024, we addressed nine whistleblower reports received through our channels, none of which involved customer data breaches.
Building on this foundation, we recognize that protecting sensitive data and ensuring the integrity of our systems is crucial for maintaining stakeholder trust.
This focus on security is vital as we advance our digital transformation. To further optimize operations and enhance efficiency, we are implementing several systems improvements and automation, including transitioning to a new generation tool for data automation of planning, analysis, and reporting.
Compliance is integral to our operations and a key component of building stakeholder trust. We adhere to all applicable regulations, including those governing environmental permits, water quality standards, safety regulations, and employee rights. Our 2024 performance, marked by zero incidents of significant non-compliance with socio-economic and environmental regulations, exemplifies this commitment.
Our responsible practices extend throughout our supply chain. The Corporate Procurement Group rigorously oversees vendor accreditation and reaccreditation, including environmental and social assessments. We require vendors to submit all necessary permits and documentation before engagement, utilizing Ariba to automate and streamline the accreditation process.
A, Leadership for Water
B, Management for Climate Change
22.6 , Medium Risk Rating
BB, Average ESG Rating
Our dedication to responsible operations is further validated by our performance across various ESG indicators and rating agencies. By consistently upholding the highest standards of governance and compliance, Manila Water reinforces its commitment to sustainable and ethical business practices.
Partnerships
GRI:2016 201-1, 203-2
At Manila Water, we believe that building a culture of trust and care extends beyond our internal operations. It thrives through strong partnerships that foster shared responsibility and collective progress. We actively cultivate these relationships across various fronts, ensuring a sustainable and impactful presence in the communities we serve.
Toka Toka
Our flagship environmental advocacy, Toka Toka, exemplifies this principle. Rooted in the Filipino concept of "share" or "stake," Toka Toka establishes vital partnerships with institutions and individuals, promoting personal accountability and environmental stewardship. From simple acts like waste segregation to complex undertakings like supporting used water projects, Toka Toka empowers communities to actively participate in environmental protection. Its success is evident in initiatives like "Amot Amot Para Sa Malimpyong Boracay" in Boracay Water, which tailors the Toka Toka concept to local dialects and tourism-focused environmental concerns. The 2024 "ToKasangga" event further strengthens these partnerships, recognizing the invaluable contributions of our "Kasanggas" (partners) and barangay achievers in achieving water access and sanitation for all.
Supply chain
Our flagship environmental advocacy, Toka Toka, exemplifies this principle. Rooted in the Filipino concept of "share" or "stake," Toka Toka establishes vital partnerships with institutions and individuals, promoting personal accountability and environmental stewardship. From simple acts like waste segregation to complex undertakings like supporting used water projects, Toka Toka empowers communities to actively participate in environmental protection. Its success is evident in initiatives like "Amot Amot Para Sa Malimpyong Boracay" in Boracay Water, which tailors the Toka Toka concept to local dialects and tourism-focused environmental concerns. The 2024 "ToKasangga" event further strengthens these partnerships, recognizing the invaluable contributions of our "Kasanggas" (partners) and barangay achievers in achieving water access and sanitation for all.
Thought leadership
We believe that true leadership extends beyond operational excellence. We foster a culture of trust and care by sharing knowledge, driving industry best practices, and contributing to the broader conversation around water sustainability. By actively engaging in thought leadership initiatives, we aim to inspire and empower others to join us in safeguarding our precious water resources.
30th edition of the Philippine Water Works Association (PWWA) International Conference and Exhibition
October 23-25, 2024
Manila Water and Manila Water Infratech Solutions showcased their expertise at the PWWA International Conference, with Non-East Zone Chief Operating Officer sharing best practices and innovations in the water sector.
3BIWWEC 2024: Industry leaders gather to tackle critical water challenges
October 23, 2024
Manila Water, represented by its Regulatory Affairs Director, participated in the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2024, joining global experts to tackle key challenges in water and wastewater management.
Manila Water Foundation provides technical and water supply support for Naga City
September 18, 2024
Manila Water Foundation (MWF) and Angat Buhay on the ground in Naga City, providing technical support and water resources to address local water supply needs.
MWF’s Expertise to Guide La Mesa Ecopark’s Future
June 29, 2024
MWF, in partnership with MWSS and the Quezon City government, is now managing the La Mesa Ecopark. Its foresters are dedicated to using their knowledge and expertise to ensure the park’s sustainable future.
Manila Water, CANVAS, One Ayala immortalize value of water through Waterscapes art exhibit
April 2, 2024
Waterscapes, a World Water Day art exhibit by over 100 local artists, aims to raise awareness and appreciation for water and its role in the environment, economy and ultimately, preserving life on Earth.