Outstanding BPO Companies Recognized at the International ICT Awards
by Paul Catiang

March 1, 2007—At the Renaissance Hotel in Makati City, the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry’s innovators and trailblazers gathered for the International ICT Awards, an award-giving body meant to provide a medium to promote the work and achievements of companies, individuals, and the overall industry to the Philippine and international business communities.

The panel of judges for this year was comprised of Bonifacio Belen, the Managing Director of the Cebu Educational Development Foundation for Information Technology (CeDF-IT); Celeste Ilagan, the Executive Director of the Investment Promotion Group of the Board of Investments (BoI); Mitch Locsin, the Executive Director of the Business Processing Association of the Philippines (BPA/P); Don Felbaum, the Head of the ICT Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the Managing Director of OPTEL Ltd.; Henry Schumacher, the Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP); Sean Georget, the Executive Director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines; and Richard Mills, the President of the International ICT Awards Committee for 2007 and the Chairman of Chalré Associates.

Several common criteria were used to judge the nominees and determine the winners. These were: growth in terms of size and growth in revenue and employees and the size, quality, and diversity of the nominees’ international clients, as well as the depth and breadth of the company’s competencies, which are demonstrated through industry recognition, relevant certifications, and investment in the development of people, processes, and technologies. The company’s management is likewise judged in terms of the experience and accomplishment of its top leaders and their investments in management systems that ensure outsourcing success. Lastly, the winning company has to strongly and actively support the international ICT industry in the Philippines.

Other awards have more specific criteria. The Best Mid-sized BPO Company of the Year must have 500 or fewer employees at the end of 2006 providing any BPO services to offshore client organizations. The BPO Employer of the Year is also judged according to the percentage of employee income spent on training and development, as well as the percentage of new hires in the previous year. The Fastest-Growing BPO Award is given to the company that has the most number of employees hired in the previous year, provides sustainable employment and a quality work environment. The Most Innovative BPO Company of the Year is the company that provides services that are unique to the Philippines, and that these services should be of a sophisticated nature that requires special and in-depth training, processes and technology.

The ICT Contributor of the Year has two categories: Public and Private. Both awards are given to individuals or organizations involved in leading, promoting, facilitating or assisting companies in the BPO sector in the Philippines during 2006.

The winners of the International ICT Awards are as follows: