The Manila Electric Company (Meralco) won three (3) golds, three (3) silvers, and three (3) bronzes at the 2021 Stevie International Business Awards (IBA). The company was recognized for its initiatives centered on communication and customer service excellence and transparency. Meralco’s trophy haul makes it the winningest Philippine utility at the world’s premier business awards program, besting 3,700 nominations submitted by organizations from 65 nations.
According to Meralco President and CEO Atty. Ray C. Espinosa, “Excellent customer service and communication are at the core of what we do in Meralco, and transparency is a value we’ve long adhered to. To be recognized internationally for campaigns focused on these is definitely an honor, and a feat for the many men and women of Meralco who have been toiling relentlessly towards the fulfillment of these programs, despite adversities brought by the pandemic.”
Awarded as gold for the best annual report among utilities in 2021 was the Meralco Annual Report, with the Meralco Sustainability Report landing a silver. Judges cited both reports for being transparent, providing text and illustrations for “a clean, concise presentation, with a human touch and lightness”.
One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the company’s social development arm, also scored a gold for its program “One for Trees: Helping Farmers Survive the Pandemic through Sustainable Reforestation”. OMF’s electrification campaigns “Powering-up Communities Amidst Pandemic” and “Energizing off-grid schools in the Philippines” both won silvers, while its “Back to School Program to support Teacher-Frontliners during the Pandemic” secured a bronze. All these programs are outreach efforts of Meralco from within and beyond its franchise area.
Also landing bronzes were two proactive Meralco customer communication programs that keep customers informed: Meralco Advisory, which was cited in the category “brand renovation” after it was reinvented in 2021 with a more digital feel, and the Meralco Facebook page, which was the company’s 24×7 source of news and information especially during the pandemic. “Clear and forceful in its messaging; excellent pivot to digital; clever and awesome work!” were among judges’ comments.
Winning another gold was “MVP The Man and His Art,” a book that showcases Filipino artistry that graces the halls of Meralco, PLDT, First Pacific, and MVP’s own residence. It was cited by judges for documenting and preserving Filipino art and culture in a book that was “exceptional in writing, design, and photography, and sophisticated and elegant in execution.”
The prestigious Stevie International Business Awards is an annual awards program that started in 2002, where top utilities and corporations join to compete on professional achievements. It honors and generates public recognition of the achievements and positive contributions of organizations and working professionals worldwide, and is one of the world’s most coveted prizes.
“What we’ve seen in this year’s IBA nominations is that organizations around the world, in every sector, have continued to innovate and succeed, despite the setbacks, obstacles and tragedies of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Gallagher. “All of this year’s Stevie Award winners are to be applauded for their persistence and their resilience. We look forward to celebrating their achievements with them during our December 8 virtual awards ceremony.”
Meralco Customer Retail Services head and Chief Commercial Officer Ferdinand O. Geluz said, “We are heartened by these awards as they respond to the call of our CEO Ray Espinosa for customer-centricity. The wins are meaningful to us, as top professionals and our peers judge our programs and projects as world-class. Our focus will continue to be our customers, the reason for our being.”
