First Balfour earns highest global recognition as employer

MANILA, Philippines — First Balfour Inc., a Lopez Group company engaged in the engineering and construction business, has received the highest level of recognition as an employer from Investors in People (IIP), a London-based international body that sets global standards in people management.

First Balfour has earned the IIP’s Platinum Award accreditation after it hurdled the standardization body’s rigorous audit and assessment benchmarks for managing employees. In earning the prestigious award, First Balfour has become the first and the only engineering and construction company in the Philippines to earn this highest level of accreditation from IIP.

“The IIP recognition, which is contained in a 46-page report, reaffirms our commitment to the development of our people – the driving force behind our success,” said Carlos Pedro Salonga, First Balfour head of human resources. “This further supports our company’s brand as a great employer and an outperforming place to work with.”

IIP rarely bestows the Platinum accreditation to organizations, and no more than two percent of all IIP-accredited organizations have met standards worthy of this level of accolade. IIP bestowed the award to First Balfour during a virtual ceremony last June 14.

First Balfour has shown consistent improvement in satisfying IIP’s standards since it received its first IIP recognition back in 2010. It earned from IIP a Bronze Award in 2013; a Silver Award in 2017; and a Gold Award in 2020 before it snagged the Platinum this year.