Sustainability Report 2020 Sustainably Life-ready Sustainability Report 2020 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS About this Report 5 Message from the Chairman and President 6 Our Organization 8 STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc. 10 STI Education Services Group, Inc. 11 STI West Negros University, Inc. 14 Information and Communications Technology Academy, Inc. 15 Educational Philosophy 16 Stakeholder Engagement 16 Materiality 18 Materiality Themes and Matrix 19 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 20 System-wide Development 22 Quality and Affordable Education 24 Curriculum Development and Implementation 24 Student Affairs and Services 28 Student Achievements and Recognitions 32 Academic Research 35 Inclusive Education 39 Education Facility Safety 39 Sustainability Agenda 40 Economic Value and Governance 42 Economic Performance 44 Supply Chain 45 Governance 45 Environmental Initiatives 48 Climate Change 50 Energy and Emissions 52 Waste Management 53 Social Commitment 54 Employment 56 Learning and Development 58 Safety and Well-being 59 Community Relations and Strategic Partnerships 61 Membership of Associations 62 Customer Data and Privacy 63 GRI Content Index 64 Sustainability Report 2020 5 GRI 102-50, 102-52, 102-53, 102-54 ABOUT THIS REPORT Through the years, STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc. This year, we are pleased to present our inaugural (STI Holdings), through its subsidiaries STI Education Sustainability Report to our stakeholders, which Services Group, Inc. (STI ESG), STI West Negros University, communicates the goals of our sustainability journey. Inc. (STI WNU), and Information and Communications Technology Academy, Inc. (iACADEMY), collectively This report has been prepared in accordance with the referred to as “Group,” has established its place as one of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards: Core Option, the leading institutions in innovative and relevant education covering the period of April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, that nurtures individuals to become competent and and will be produced annually moving forward. The responsible members of society. The Group is committed disclosures in this report do not cover franchise schools to continuously improve the delivery of education to its and include only the STI ESG branches and subsidiaries, students in pursuit of sustainable development. STI WNU, and iACADEMY, unless otherwise stated. To better understand our sustainability plans, we encourage all stakeholders to read this publication in conjunction with STI Holdings’ annual report as of and for the year ended March 31, 2020, which is available on our website www.stiholdings.com. For feedback on and queries about this report, you may email [email protected] 6 STI Education Systems Holdings Sustainability Report 2020 7 GRI 102-14 In this first issue of the Group’s Sustainability Report, we are pleased to share that the educational entities’ different initiatives supported the attainment of priority UN SDGs based on the materiality assessment undertaken by the Group. MESSAGE FROM THE Among these initiatives was the strengthening of school policies that will safeguard Good Health and Well-being of students and employees alike. To ensure access to Quality Education, program offerings and student projects were CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT continually reviewed with the aim of enriching and elevating student experience. Financial assistance programs and scholarships were also made available to deserving students. To safeguard brand equity, thus supporting Decent Work and Economic Growth, each entity determined appropriate revenue strategies given its business landscape. Dear Fellow Stakeholders, With the COVID-19 pandemic looming above all industries around the world, however, we anticipate a challenging year Over the years, STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc. (STI Holdings) has championed the cause of nation-building ahead. In particular, health protocols have dictated that the schools shift to an online mode of delivering education by making quality and relevant education available to the Filipino youth and producing graduates who are life-ready, while keeping the facilities safe for faculty, employees, and visiting parents/guardians as well as students as soon as conscientious, and innovative members of society. It is in this spirit that its subsidiaries ― STI Education Services Group conditions permit their onsite presence. Guided by its mission to nurture the students to become life-ready individuals, (STI ESG), STI West Negros University (STI WNU) and Information and Communications Technology Academy, Inc. the Group has been quick to beef up its already outstanding learning management systems and forge partnerships (iACADEMY) ― have endeavored to establish long-lasting and sustainable educational facilities, robust learning delivery with key telecommunications players to provide the students with internet connectivity assistance. Our faculty, through systems, industry-aligned curricula, and strong relationships with students, parents, employees, partner companies, continuous and rigorous trainings, are well-equipped to deliver lessons and conduct consultations online. The schools regulatory government institutions, and the communities that the schools serve. have set up online enrollment systems – from enlistment to settlement – for ease of registration. They have likewise continued to be accessible through various online platforms and maintained contact with the parents, students, and the School Year 2019-2020 saw STI Holdings record a 41% general public. The Group also worked with government institutions to be able to extend additional financial assistance increase in new tertiary student enrollment, bringing options such as zero-interest student loans and 20% scholarship grants. It is our hope that these efforts will aid our about a 6% increase in total tertiary enrollment amid the students in their pursuit of education. backdrop of having mainly only two years in college as a continuing effect of the full implementation of the K to 12 As we look towards the future, we hold fast to our program and the enactment of Republic Act 10931, which vision of becoming the premier provider of relevant EUSEBIO H. TANCO is the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or and affordable education to the different markets that Chairman, STI Holdings the act more commonly known as the Free Tuition Law. we serve by making sure that our business itself is sustainably life-ready. We are committed to building STI Holdings and its subsidiaries (the “Group”) focused on on our sustainability performance and furthering our their strengths to be able to deliver world-class education contribution to the achievement of the UN SDGs. to their students and value to their shareholders. This year, We will continue to seek opportunities that will bring mindful of its corporate and social responsibility and being us closer to our mission of molding the youth to be home to more than 80,000 students and 2,000 employees competent and responsible citizens of our nation. network-wide, the Group identified sustainability topics that are material to its stakeholders in order to craft and drive its sustainability framework. Further, the Group measured its contribution to the country’s achievement of relevant United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (“SDGs”) to establish reference baselines for its sustainability goals. MONICO V. JACOB President and CEO, STI Holdings GRI 102-1, 102-2, 102-3, 102-4, 102-5, 102-6 OUR ORGANIZATION 10 STI Education Systems Holdings Sustainability Report 2020 11 STI EDUCATION SYSTEMS HOLDINGS, INC. STI EDUCATION SERVICES GROUP, INC. (STI HOLDINGS) (STI ESG) STI Holdings (the Parent Company) was originally STI ESG is the largest subsidiary of STI Holdings. and Vocational Courses in the fields of Information established in 1928 as a Philippine branch office Established on August 21, 1983, STI ESG began with and Communications Technology (ICT), Business of Theo H. Davies and Co., a Hawaiian corporation. the goal of training as many Filipinos as possible in and Management, Hospitality Management, Tourism It was reincorporated as a Philippine company in computer programming and addressing the information Management, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and 1946 as part of the Jardine-Matheson group and technology (IT) education needs of the Philippines. Education. These programs are accredited by the was listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange on STI ESG is involved in establishing, maintaining, and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and/or the October 12, 1976. STI Holdings was then sold to operating educational institutions to provide pre- Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Filipino investors in 2006. In March 2010, it became elementary, elementary, secondary, and tertiary as well (TESDA). Also accredited by TESDA, the education part of the Tanco Group of Companies. The Parent as post-graduate courses, post-secondary and lower centers of STI ESG offer technical/vocational courses for Company completed its follow-on offering of tertiary non-degree programs. computer programming, computer technology, multimedia 2.9 billion shares in November 2012 comprising arts, and office administration, among others. In addition, of primary and secondary issues. Today, it is a At present, STI ESG offers secondary and tertiary all schools in the STI ESG network have been granted holding company with investments in three large programs as well as post-graduate, and associate permit by the Department of