Joselito D Campos Jr, Del Monte Pacific Chief Executive Officer, visiting line workers in the Bugo cannery
Del Monte Pacific Limited (DMPL) is an organization committed to health and wellness, reinforcing employee safety and well-being especially during the pandemic. About 6,300 full-time regular employees and 4,700 seasonal employees of the Group work at our plantation, manufacturing facilities, administrative and marketing offices across locations. Close to 4,200 are based in Asia, mostly in the Philippines, while about 2,100 work full time in the United States and Mexico plus 4,700 seasonal employees that work during the packing season mostly in the U.S.
DMPI was inducted by the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) in the PMAP Hall of Fame for being named “Employer of the Year” three times, the maximum number a company is recognized. The Company has nurtured generations of employees, some from the same family, a testimony of its care for its people.
DMPI Leadership Team led by Luis F Alejandro, President and Chief Operating Officer
Line workers in the U.S. wearing PPEs
The Group values the safety of every person who works in its facilities and offices. Work committees identify and mitigate potential safety risks through safety programs, process improvements and other action plans.
Trained safety officers ensure workers follow the Group’s safety management standards, identify risks, unsafe acts and conditions, provide guidance on improving the overall occupational health and safety performance and work conditions. These standards cover all our operations in the field, offices and manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and the Philippines.
1. DMPL’s U.S. and Philippine facilities have emergency response teams that plan for crises. They conduct regular Emergency Preparedness Drills to prepare employees against emergencies and natural disasters.
2. Del Monte Foods, Inc. (DMFI) Total Incidence Rate (TIR) is lower by 4% compared to prior year. This is lower than the standard of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015) 5.2 TIR for the fruit and vegetable canning industry. The company achieved this by focusing on increased training for our employees and standardizing our Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
3. DMPI Manufacturing TIR is also below that of the Philippine Statistics Authority (2015) TIR of 4.25 for the manufacturing sector, and complies with Article 168 of the Philippine Labor Code, further reinforced by Republic Act No. 11058 to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for employees.
4. Managers and supervisors ensure compliance with relevant workplace safety laws and regulations. This includes the mandatory eight-hour training on occupational safety and health as prescribed by law. The safety training includes risk identification and mitigation, identifying unsafe acts, and work-related hazardous conditions, activities and situations.
5. In the Philippines, the Company’s Phillips Memorial Hospital attends to the health care needs of employees, their qualified dependents, and third party workers.
6. Del Monte provides medical staff in the manufacturing facilities and offices of the company to attend to medical emergencies as required by law.
7. DMPI regularly audits its toll manufacturers for compliance with all laws and regulations governing the workplace, including Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, Wages and Benefits, and Human Rights practices.
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CBA signing with Luis F. Alejandro, Chief Operating Officer, Frank T Molas, Mindanao Operations Head, and the cannery and plantation labour union
The Group maintains a Code of Conduct for employees and suppliers. Both Del Monte Foods, Inc. and Del Monte Philippines, Inc. are members of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange.
1. Del Monte's Human Rights policy is in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labor Organization Core Convention on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Refer to the following link for more details.
https://www.delmontepacific.com/corporate-governance/ch-manual-1
2. One provision of the Company’s Human Rights Policy is to engage in meaningful consultation with potentially affected stakeholders, to respect the right of indigenous peoples to self-determination and the right to participation of communities where we operate.
3. The Group respects the right of employees to Freedom of Association, and has collective bargaining agreements with labor unions, which stipulate wage increases and enhancements in benefits. About 73% of Del Monte employees in the U.S. and 79% in the Philippines are part of labor unions and covered by collective bargaining agreements.
DMPI established an Employee Council in Cabuyao Bottling Plant for labor management concerns and a healthy work environment.
4. All labor must be voluntary. The Group prohibits the practice of forced labor, child labor (under 18 years of age) and other forms of exploitation of workers as stated in the DMPL Code of Business Ethics and the Philippine Labor Code.
The Group’s suppliers have to adhere to the Company’s Supplier Code of Conduct which includes respect for human rights and compliance with labor practices. Suppliers are forbidden from using forced, bonded, prison, or indentured labor of any kind. The use of child labor as defined by local laws is strictly prohibited.
5. The Group’s Code of Business Ethics denounces discrimination on any grounds. The Group has a Standard Against Discrimination which commits to promote a culture of equality in the workplace.
DMPL and its subsidiaries give equal opportunity to all applicants, treat them fairly and with respect, free from unlawful discrimination related to age, race, ethnic origin, color, nationality, gender, disability, health status, marital status, pregnancy, migrant worker status, political opinion, religion, and union affiliation.
6. Six Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) were established to support minority workers. These include affinity groups for women employees, LGBTQ+ employees, Black employees, Hispanic employees, and Asian American and Pacific Islander employees.
7. DMFI received a score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2022 Corporate Equality Index (CEI). The CEI is the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey for measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. Del Monte’s efforts in satisfying all the CEI’s criteria earned DMFI a top score and designation as one of the “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality.”
8. Labor Management Councils (LMCs) prepare the groundwork for negotiations between union and Management. DMPI has not experienced a labor strike in the past 50 years, a testimony of the Company’s good relations with its workforce.
9. Highly engaged LMCs in the cannery and plantation sustain a safe work environment, employee development, positive workplace, work life balance and conflict management programs.
10. Suppliers must comply with all applicable local labor laws, including those related to hiring, wages, hours worked, overtime and working conditions and implement hiring practices that accurately verify workers’ legal right to work in the country and age prior to employment, as stated in the Group’s Supplier Code of Conduct.
11. In FY23, 40% of women are in senior management roles. One of seven members of the Board of Directors is a woman.
12. DMFI established a Diversity Leadership Council, the Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DI&B) employee group to influence and provide thought leadership in building a more diverse and inclusive company, where every person is respected, valued, and can work at their best.
13. The Company partners with local third-party service providers who go through DOLE’s accreditation and audit procedures to ensure that they provide the mandatory regional minimum wage and mandated government contributions. Some independent and unannounced audits are used to address compliance issues.
Bugo cannery workers in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao
We commit to providing employees fair wages and benefits. Del Monte complements government-mandated privileges for all full-time employees and qualified dependents with a broad range of benefits such as a comprehensive retirement package, vacation and sick leaves, and insurance benefits.
1. DMFI designs employee benefits that allow employees to select a package of coverage that meets their and their dependents’ unique needs.2. Del Monte in the U.S. offers Paid Parental Leave Benefits to eligible employees for bonding purposes under the Company’s Family Medical and Leave Act (or state law equivalent) policy and offers six weeks of Paid Parental Leave following the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.
3. The Company offers additional benefits that help employees improve their quality of life, including an adoption assistance program, community service day allocation (one volunteer day time-off per year), product donations, and floating holidays (at designated locations).
4. In the Philippines, the Company pays workers above minimum wage and average industry rates and informs them about employment terms and conditions prior to their appointment. Memorandums of agreement with labor unions in the Philippines stipulate annual wage increases and enhancements in benefits for farm and factory workers.
5. DMPI provides benefits better than the minimum prescribed by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This includes health care benefits, leave benefits, life insurance coverage and retirement plan.
6. Our farm and production facilities employ people from surrounding communities, who undergo annual physical examination.
7. Plantation employees live with their families in about 1,400 Company-owned houses and 50 dormitories for unmarried employees.
8. Children of cannery and plantation employees enjoy free year-round weekend tutorials in sports such as basketball, tennis, swimming, martial arts, and creative skills like photography and theater arts.
9. Employee-organized cooperatives provide our workers with services that enhance economic benefits for their families such as annual dividends.
DMPI provides buses to plantation field workers
California coastal clean-up participated by DMFI employees
We strive to build a culture of engagement across the organization.
1. Our U.S. facilities and corporate employees are actively involved in contributing time and money to organizations focused on farm advocacy, feeding programs, environmental stewardship, disaster relief, education and youth activities.
2. DMPI cascaded its Del Monte CHOICE Values to employees across all levels, locations and divisions. These guide their interaction with colleagues, customers, and other stakeholders.
3. In the Philippines, Del Monte launched its Employee Recognition Program through “SNAPasalamat”, CHOICE Ambassadors and CHOICE Champions Awards.
4. The Human Resources Department conducts employee engagement activities such as social gatherings, Teambuilding, Fun Day, Sports Fest, and Christmas parties.
5. Other employee engagement initiatives include the cooperative stores in the plantation where employees can purchase company products at a discount.
The Group promotes work-life integration to ensure the employees’ well-being, mental health, and productivity.
We nurture our employees through training by building on their individual capabilities through our core value – Championing Together. DMPI developed a competency framework for guiding key leaders’ teams towards achieving the Company’s strategic roadmap.
7. Fully supported by an OPCOM Corporate Faculty, our in-house Basic Management Program enables managers to adapt to dynamic business situations and changes to people, process, culture and mindset.