Home Credit Philippines, a consumer finance company, celebrated LGBTQ+ Pride Month this year with a series of activities aimed at strengthening its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

With DEI embedded in its culture and DNA, HCPH hosted #PrideAtHome: A Pride Month Forum and joined the Pride PH Festival last 23 and 25 June respectively.

"At Home Credit, we believe in diversity — different individuals valuing each other regardless of race, skills, intellect, talent, and years. There are no small roles at Home Credit, and everyone is important," said Alpha Omega Aquino, HCPH's Chief People Officer.

DEI is an integral focus of Home Credit's environmental, social, and governance programs — being a global company — a non-financial framework used to measure how a company is run and operated. HCPH's ESG-linked loans are geared to promote financial inclusion to help all Filipinos, particularly women from underserved communities in the country.

Pride starts at Home

On 23 June, HCPH partnered with the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce for #PrideAtHome: A Hybrid Pride Month Forum aimed at becoming a platform for employees to learn more about SOGIESC and gender allyship.

Lawyer Quino Reyes, director of PLCC, talked about SOGIESC to HCPH employees, saying that all SOGIESC should be respected and treated equally, emphasizing how we are all equal and worthy of respect.

Meanwhile, PLCC chairperson Ronn Astillas talked about gender allyship explaining that diversity and inclusion should be institutionalized as policies and that the key is to work together with partners.

CPH also sent more than 100 persons as contingent to march for the Alab for Love: Pride PH Festival 2022 at the Quezon City Memorial Circle last 25 June, alongside NGOs, LGBTQ+ organizations, and companies.

HCPH's Pride contingent featured a marching band and included employees from its Ore, Spark, and Vertis sites.

HCPH Public Relations head, Ken Lerona, gave a solidarity speech at the event.

Making a commitment

In April 2011, HCPH joined the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (PBCWE) and the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce to further cement its commitment to achieving gender equality and inclusion in the workplace.

In partnership with PBCWE, the company is currently undergoing Gender Equality Assessment, Results, and Strategies (GEARS), an assessment tool that will analyze and understand the current state of workplace gender equality (WGE) within the company. This will provide Philippine-specific data to form a baseline of information used to create policies, guidelines, and projects to help improve Home Credit's DEI programs.