TELUS International Philippines Promotes Safe and Open Spaces

TELUS International Philippines continues to lead the way in cultivating safe and open spaces for Filipinos, with the leading provider of digitally-enabled customer experience and business process solutions holding an education series for its team members on the reality of HIV in the country.

Organized by TELUS International Philippines’ Spectrum, a resource group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and ally (LGBTQIA+) team members, hundreds of team members have undergone an HIV awareness seminar and were given a chance to get tested for HIV for free. Thousands more can benefit from the same seminar and free testing sessions as Spectrum continues to roll out the initiative across all five TELUS International offices in the Philippines.

“The increasing HIV rates in the Philippines is an issue that knows no gender, and it can infect and affect anyone. TELUS has always made it a point that, regardless of their gender preference or sexual orientation, the welfare of our team members is always prioritized,” stated Warren Tait, Vice-President for Brand, Marketing, Culture and Facilities, TELUS International Philippines.

With nearly 12,000 new cases in the country last year alone, the number of Philippines’ new HIV infections is at an all-time high and has increased tenfold in 10 years.

“Globally, the number of new HIV cases every year is decreasing. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the Philippines. The steady increase of HIV cases in the country can be attributed to Filipinos’ general lack of knowledge about this issue. One of the main concerns of Spectrum is to diminish, if not totally remove, the social stigma of HIV,” shared Arnon Almonina, a team member for 12 years, and the co-chair of Spectrum Philippines.

Spectrum Philippines has partnered with Love Yourself Foundation, a non-profit organization advocating self-acceptance particularly within the LGBTQA+ community, to further this agenda. Through this partnership, hundreds of team members were able get tested for HIV for free through a quick and painless procedure. In addition, TELUS International Philippines team members also understood HIV better through individual consultations and respectful conversations facilitated by Spectrum members and Love Yourself volunteers.

Recently, Spectrum had successfully led efforts to the addition of gender neutral, as well as self-identified gender, restrooms. Through this initiative, employees from the LGBTQA+ community, who may be uncomfortable going to traditional restrooms, have found a space where they feel safe and at ease.