SM remains committed to ensuring and maintaining in-depth data privacy standards as a core component of corporate governance.
SM Retail, the retail arm of the SM Group, was recently awarded the NPC Seal of Registration Compliance Excellence Award for the Private Sector by the National Privacy Commission (NPC) during the National Data Privacy Conference.
The NPC Seal of Registration Compliance Excellence Award recognises private-sector organisations that uphold transparency and accountability by visibly displaying their NPC Seal of Registration across their operations and digital touchpoints.
“We are grateful for this recognition from NPC. We understand how critical data governance is in maintaining customer trust and loyalty. This award reflects the collective effort of the different business units across SM Retail to strengthen data privacy compliance and awareness,” shared Jonathan Ng, President of SM Retail
SM Retail was also recognised as a finalist for Privacy Initiative of the Year, in recognition of the company’s significant efforts to further educate its employees through data privacy learning channels, modules, and learning sessions. These are key initiatives aimed at strengthening privacy awareness across the organization.
“These programs promote the responsible handling of personal data as part of everyday work using practical, retail-specific scenarios to make privacy more relevant and actionable for employees,” Ng further shared.
SM Retail’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) Leyson San Juan was also named a finalist for Data Protection Officer of the Year for the second consecutive year. These recognitions follow SM Retail’s Privacy Management Program Award win last year.
The awarding ceremony in Parañaque was held during the Privacy Awareness Week (PAW). PAW is an annual celebration dedicated to strengthening data privacy awareness and promoting responsible personal data processing in the Philippines.
SM Retail, the retail arm of the SM group, won the Privacy Management Program Award during the recently concluded National Data Privacy Conference in Paranaque City. In photo are (from left to right) Atty. Reinier Jeffrey Abdon, SM Retail DPA Compliance; Atty. Rafael Kieran Monday, SM Retail DPA Compliance; Atty. Nerissa De Jesus, Deputy Privacy Commissioner, National Privacy Commission; Atty. John Henry Naga, Privacy Commissioner and Chairman, National Privacy Commission; Ms. Honeylin Castolo, Vice President, SM Retail; Mr. Leyson San Juan, Assistant Vice President and Data Protection Officer, SM Retail DPA Compliance; Atty. Jose Amelito S. Belarmino II, Deputy Privacy Commissioner, National Privacy Commission; Atty. Ivin Ronald D.M. Alzona, Executive Director, National Privacy Commission.
The National Privacy Commission (NPC) awarded SM Retail, the retail subsidiary of SM Investments Corporation, with the Privacy Management Program Award during the recently concluded National Data Privacy Conference in Parañaque City, recognizing the company’s consistent and structured efforts in upholding data privacy standards across its operations.
The Privacy Management Program Award is presented to organisations that demonstrate the effective implementation of privacy policies, proactive risk management, and clear accountability structures following the Data Privacy Act of 2012.
SM Retail was cited for its internal training initiatives, integration of privacy practices into day-to-day operations, and for embedding Data Protection Officers within its business units. These measures have contributed to establishing a robust data protection culture among employees and enhancing safeguards for customer information.
“We’re grateful for this recognition from the NPC, and we share this accolade with everyone at the SM Group. An effective data privacy management program hinges on strong leadership, active stakeholder engagement, dedicated privacy champions in critical DPA areas, embedded DPOs within the business, and practical, layman-friendly training rooted in real-world scenarios,” said Honeylin Castolo, Vice President of SM Retail.
The Privacy Management Program of SM Retail conducts training on data privacy awareness in addition to ongoing cybersecurity education for its employees. As the program empowers SM employees to evaluate and assess security risks, this translates to a more secure shopping experience for SM customers.
“This was made possible by the efforts of our Data Privacy Compliance Team, led by Leyson N. San Juan, the Data Protection Officer of SM Retail, Inc., and the full support from our different business units,” Castolo shared.
The Data Privacy program of SM Retail is closely monitored by rating agencies as part of SM’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. This underscores how data privacy is not only important to our customers. It is also a strategic driver that impacts SM Retail’s long-term value and reputation.
“SM Retail effectively implements its data privacy program, reflecting not only our compliance with the Data Privacy Act (DPA) but also our proactive efforts to lead by example across the retail industry. By making data privacy a fundamental part of how we operate, we hope to reinforce our reputation as a brand that our customers can continue to trust.” Castolo said.
SM Retail not only won the Privacy Management Program Award, but also made it to the finals of the NPC Seal of Registration Award. SM Retail’s DPO, Mr Leyson N. San Juan, likewise, was recognized as a finalist for Data Protection Officer (DPO) of the Year.
The awarding ceremony in Paranaque was held during the Privacy Awareness Week (PAW). Led by the National Privacy Commission, PAW is an annual celebration dedicated to strengthening data privacy awareness and promoting responsible personal data processing in the Philippines.
