Converge women #BreaktheBias in the ICT world

In the information and communications technologies (ICT) field, it’s rare to see a balance between the sexes in terms of representation and authority. But not in Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. The company is setting an example of gender equality and is redefining what “shared leadership” is.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the top management of the Converge. The founding of the fastest growing fiber broadband company in the Philippines is credited not just to CEO Dennis Anthony Uy, but also to his wife, company President and Chief Resource Officer Maria Grace Y. Uy. Apart from managing the finances and operations of Converge, Grace is also a very active and strong voice in the Converge Board of Directors.

“In Converge, we always make sure to give equal opportunity to both men and women. In fact, we announced early last year the appointment of two women leaders—Tintin Blabagno, the head of our finance team, and Atty. Laurice Tuason, head of compliance and data protection team,” shared Grace. “We strongly believe, which many studies also suggest, that having women in the workplace improves an organization’s performance.”

“Raising three independent girls and being president and CRO at Converge, among my goals now is to empower my children and other women to speak for themselves and make sure their voices are heard. Not everyone has the platform to do so, that’s why it’s important to help others,” she adds.

Diversity and inclusion are strategic enablers for Converge as the business is dependent on innovation. Through the diversity of thought and backgrounds, the company is able to bring new ideas to the table, challenge the status quo and create more value for its customers. While an inclusive workplace culture allows the company to attract and retain talent.

Equal representation is seen all around. Major groups are put under women’s leadership and this equality is keenly felt at Converge.

Orange Ramirez, marketing director, shares how this is embedded in the work culture when hiring people. “We continuously aim to increase our female hires as part of our systemic efforts to ensure that we create a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. Our policy is not to discriminate against potential hires based on religion, race or gender, but to put emphasis on their skills and contributions.”

On the operations side, engineers dominate the workforce but even there, women find no trace of gender bias.

“Converge gives equal treatment to men and women. We don’t feel the difference here. Gender is not an issue at Converge. It actually helps to be female because we tend to be detail-oriented and organized,” said Rochelle Calopez, a data engineer in the Converge Reliance Data Center in Pasig.

Converge also takes the extra step to respect and recognize those in the LGBTQ+ group who identify as women.

“Trans women are women. Hindi tayo babae lang, babae tayo,” notes Tyler Olores, an openly trans woman working as a senior manager in Customer Service at Converge.

“When I joined the company, I was welcomed not just by the Customer Experience group, but the leadership team,” Tyler shares. “And they got the pronoun right, which is very important for me. This made me feel that Converge is really the right place for me.”

Converge celebrates its women leaders and employees by leading the way in promoting gender equality in the workplace, proving that ICT is a place for women to thrive and succeed.

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Editor's Note: This article was provided by Converge.