Mondelez Philippines on pioneering open and inclusive programs

Mondelez Philippines is the local unit of the global snack giant Mondelēz International, which houses Filipino’s all-time snack favorites such as yummy Eden Cheese and Cheez Whiz that make for a merienda creation, Oreo cookies, Cadbury Dairy Milk and Toblerone chocolates, and Tang fruit-flavored beverages.

Apart from this, the company is also known to hold leadership positions and define categories in key countries. In the Philippines alone, the company’s brands are the market leaders for the cheese and powdered beverage categories.

The prospect of working with these brands makes Mondelez Philippines an attractive workplace. But underneath the surface, lies even more reasons why working for Mondelez Philippines could bring a professional fulfillment, personally and professionally.  The company employs about 450 people in the Philippines, with a manufacturing facility in Parañaque City.

The company’s purpose to “Create more moments of Joy” is not only relevant to their consumers. It also describes the career and experience they provide to their people. An employer of some 450 people, Mondelez Philippines has been around for the past 55 years in the country.  It believes that to continue creating more moments of joy, it must put its people’s needs first.

“Among our global goals, growing our people comes first, followed by growing our business and growing our impact. This is because we believe that without growing our people first, we will be unable to effectively create growth anywhere else,” says Shiela Pangilinan, Mondelez Philippines Inc.’s HR Business Lead.

“By building world-class capabilities, empowering courageous leaders and winning teams, and by creating a great place to work for our colleagues, the company aims to grow its people,” she adds.

The Company HR Lead emphasizes that Mondelez Philippines’ people strategy is focused on three things: Capacity, Capability and Culture, which help the company attract talents for their brands and keeps colleagues engaged.

To address personal needs and create a culture of joy, the Company rolled out three new and enhanced people policies in 2017 which the company believes will help grow its people and set them apart as a joyful workplace. These are an updated and improved Maternity Policy, the very timely “Work from Home” policy, and the inclusive Domestic Partner HMO coverage. Pangilinan claims that with these three new policies, Mondelez Philippines will help live up to its corporate value of being open and inclusive.

The company’s new maternity policy grants full-time female employees a 120-day paid maternity leave and comes with a healthcare coverage of pre- and post-natal consultations, discounts for pre-natal milk, loans, and cash assistance. This period is more than what is currently prescribed by law, which is between 60-72 days. Mondelez Philippines also creates a mother-friendly environment by offering many lactation rooms for moms to use as a space to do their important work.

Richelle Tan , from the Sales Department and a mother of two,  is thankful for the new benefits, especially the new lactation rooms. “The new rooms now make it more convenient for us moms to do our wonderful and important duties, even while inside the office,” she says.

On top of this, the company offers Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) benefits for illnesses, check-ups and the like, not only for married couples, but including those with domestic partners of all genders, to be truly open and inclusive.

Mondelez Philippines also offers a “Work from Home” policy that has been quite beneficial for employees, especially with the worsening traffic situation in Metro Manila. Under this policy, employees can work from their homes between one to four  days per month, depending on the scope and nature of their work and subject to their manager’s approval.

“I think being able to work from home promotes wellness,” shares Mondelez Philippines RDQ colleague Angela Pablo. “It helps promote mental wellness because it saves us from the stress that traffic can bring. It also brings hysical wellness because it helps prevents exposure to unnecessary pollution. Financial wellness because it helps save on food cost, transportation costs like toll and fuel. And it also promotes environmental wellness, in a way it helps protect Mother Earth by minimizing our carbon footprint.”

Mondelez Philippines is proud to be one of the first in the Philippines to formalize these three policies. “We believe that regardless of age or experience, these are policies and employee benefits which are sought after by potential employees,” Pangilinan further divulged.

With  opportunities to showcase their talent all over the world and these new policies and benefits, Mondelez Philippines believes that it offers an open and inclusive place to work, where one's career and life are cared for.