Category: Business

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SM Investments Earns Great Place to Work Certification for Second Consecutive Year

SM Investments Corporation (SM Investments), the parent company of the SM Group, has earned its Great Place to Work® certification for 2026, marking its second consecutive year of recognition.

Based on the Great Place to Work Trust Index Survey, 92% of SM Investments employees affirmed that management is competent in running the business, reflecting their confidence in the company’s leadership and direction.

“We are grateful to receive this recognition from our people for the second consecutive year. Their trust is something we value and work to earn every day. We believe that when people feel supported, included, and confident in the direction of the company, they are better able to contribute to its long-term growth,” said Frederic DyBuncio, President and Chief Executive Officer of SM Investments.

Guided by its core values of Drive and Enthusiasm, Leadership, Integrity, Teamwork, and Entrepreneurship (DELITE), SM Investments seeks to foster a workplace where people have clear direction, work towards shared goals, and are encouraged to contribute and grow.

The company also upholds high standards of corporate governance, anchored on fairness, accountability, and transparency. These principles guide how it creates and sustains value for its stakeholders, including its employees.

Great Place to Work® is a global authority on workplace culture and the data scientist behind the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For™ list. Its benchmarks draw on insights from more than 100 million employees across 150 countries.

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Unilab Earns Distinction as ASEAN’s No. 1 Employer in TIME’s Asia-Pacific Ranking

Filipino pharmaceutical company Unilab, Inc. has emerged as the highest-ranked ASEAN-origin company in TIME magazine and Statista’s Asia-Pacific Best Employers of 2027, ranking 24th among 500 companies across the region.

With an overall score of 89.15 out of 100, Unilab led companies headquartered in Southeast Asia and topped the Philippine companies included in the inaugural regional ranking.

The Campos-Hess-led company outperformed several major Philippine corporations, including Ayala Corp., which ranked 32nd with a score of 88.07; Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. at 44th; San Miguel Corp. at 55th; and Jollibee Foods Corp. at 89th.

Other Philippine companies recognized in the list were Del Monte Philippines at 105th, BDO Unibank at 164th, Philippine Airlines at 186th, Aboitiz Power at 196th, and SM Investments Corp. at 206th.

Employee Recommendations Drive Regional Ranking

Announced globally on November 3, the TIME-Statista ranking recognizes companies based on employee feedback, workplace reputation, and willingness among workers to recommend their employers.

The study drew on an independent survey of more than 80,000 full-time and part-time employees across Asia-Pacific, with data gathered from 2024 to 2026. From an initial pool of more than 7,000 companies, TIME and Statista selected the 500 highest-scoring employers.

To qualify, companies must employ at least 1,000 people across the Asia-Pacific region and operate in at least two markets.

Participants rated their willingness to recommend their current or former employers to family and friends on a scale of zero to 10. They also evaluated other companies within their respective industries, indicating whether they would recommend them, would not recommend them, or had no opinion.

Statista combined these direct employee assessments with recommendations and evaluations of other employers, giving greater weight to respondents’ experiences with their own workplaces.

Unlike conventional corporate rankings that focus on financial performance, revenue, or market capitalization, the TIME-Statista list places emphasis on employee perspectives and workplace reputation.

Eight Decades of Pharmaceutical Leadership

Founded in 1945 by Jose Y. Campos and Mariano K. Tan as United Drug, Unilab began as a small neighborhood drugstore in Binondo, Manila. Over the decades, the company expanded from pharmaceutical distribution into manufacturing, growing into one of Southeast Asia’s major pharmaceutical enterprises.

In 2025, Unilab marked its 80th anniversary, celebrating eight decades of operations in the Philippine pharmaceutical industry.

Its 24th-place finish in the Asia-Pacific ranking and distinction as ASEAN’s highest-ranked company of origin underscore its strong standing among regional employers in a study that puts employee recommendations and workplace reputation at the forefront.

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SM Investments earns third consecutive Five Golden Arrow Award

SM Investments Corporation, the parent company of the SM Group, received the Five Golden Arrow Award from the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) for the third consecutive year, achieving the highest rating under the corporate governance awards program.

SM Prime Holdings, Inc. and China Banking Corporation (Chinabank) received Five Golden Arrows, while BDO Unibank, Inc. and Belle Corporation received the 4 Golden Arrows.

The awards assess how companies protect shareholder rights, disclose material information, and provide effective board oversight. The 2026 recognition is based on the 2025 ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard assessment.

“We aim to continuously create long-term value for our stakeholders, and strong governance is central to that,” said Amando M. Tetangco Jr., Chairman of the Board, SM Investments.

SM Investments’ Board is led by an independent Chairman. Tetangco is the first independent chairman of the company, and a former two-term governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The Board oversees the parent company’s strategy, risk management, and major investment decisions across its interests in retail, banking, property, and portfolio businesses. This oversight supports decisions on where to invest, how to manage financial obligations, and how much cash to return to shareholders. The operating companies retain their own boards and management teams, accountable for their respective businesses.

“The achievement reflects SM Investments’ continuing commitment to integrity, transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship, with sound corporate governance serving as a foundation for sustainable growth and long-term stakeholder value,” said SM Investments President and CEO Frederic C. DyBuncio.

The ACGS assessment covers shareholder rights and equitable treatment, sustainability and resilience, stakeholder relations, transparency and accountability through timely disclosure, and the Board’s strategic guidance and accountability. It provides investors with a basis for comparing corporate governance practices.

The recognition comes as SM marks 68 years since the opening of its first Shoemart store. As the business has grown, the founder’s values of trust and integrity have remained a foundation for how the group is governed.