In late 2019, FPH, First Gen’s parent company, recrystallized its mission to go beyond sustainability and aim for regeneration beyond its business fence by contributing to the renewal of the business, the planet, and society. FPH’s subsidiaries, including First Gen, adopted this renewed mission and its accompanying purpose. This guidepost served the organization well during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During such challenging times, the whole organization looked to the company leaders for guidance and encouragement.
It was also at this time that the strength of the leadership’s purpose and values stood out. Consistent with the Lopez value of “concern for employee welfare and wellness,” FPH and First Gen Chairman and CEO Federico R. Lopez steered the formulation of the organization’s overall COVID-19 response and strategies. Meanwhile, FPH and First Gen President and COO Francis Giles B. Puno led the efficient execution of the pandemic measures in every business unit.
The Chairman affirmed the employees of their importance in the Company’s survival and rallied the whole organization through the pandemic. His main message was that the organization is nested in complex and dynamic systems and it is the business’ role to protect the environment, which, in turn, also safeguards the future of the Company and its employees, their families, and host communities. This message enabled the stakeholders to recognize the need to align both the organization’s and the individual employee’s purpose towards the FPH Group’s mission. The months-long lockdown period was an opportunity for both First Gen’s leaders and employees to contemplate their respective values and purpose.
On the ground, the Crisis Management Committee, headed by the FPH President and COO, established the necessary preventative measures as soon as news of the first reported COVID-19 case in the country broke out. These measures include: (1) a Pandemic Preparedness and Response Plan, with a focal implementation team in each business unit to take care of the Company’s employees and host communities; (2) a Communication Program, which promoted consistent engagement with the employees and external stakeholders; and (3) a Vaccine Program to initiate the screening and acquisition of vaccines for the Company’s employees and their families.
The Committee tracked field developments to learn how they can assist each subsidiary while being mindful of the differences of each business operation. Complementing these fundamental initiatives are additional COVID-19 policies on employee benefits, workforce and operations guidelines, and extension services to host communities.
The President and COO observed that, during the pandemic, employees exhibited the Lopez values through collaboration and in taking up their new responsibilities. The overall result of the process was the organization’s adaptation amidst challenges– leading to a recovery well underway towards the end of the year. The latter sections of this report will disclose the specific pandemic measures that made this possible.
The organization’s readiness and resolve to address the disruption brought on by the pandemic stems from the values and conviction of the FPH leaders. This brand of fearless leadership does not go unnoticed. Chairman and CEO Federico R. Lopez was hailed Management Man of the Year 2020 by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP).
The prestigious award is bestowed on “individuals in the business community or government for attaining unquestioned distinction in the practice of management and for contributing to the country’s progress.” The criteria for the award include integrity, leadership, and management qualities; contribution to nation-building and values formation; and effective stewardship within the confines of the highest standard of business and management practice, among others. Chairman Emeritus Oscar M. Lopez was also given the same award in 2000, who served as FPH’s leader in its inception years.
In his acceptance speech during the virtual awarding ceremony, the Chairman reiterated the importance of updating FPH Group’s mission statement. “In this kind of world, corporate sustainability that seeks to simply ‘tick the box’ or do less harm is no longer good enough,” he said. “There is an urgency for all of us to go beyond incremental sustainability and transform into regenerative forces that align the Company’s profit engines with the need for a better, more just world and a safer planet.”