Moving forward with our reason for being

It has barely been a week since the New Year and already we have seen or experienced changes. Why? Because we are living in an age of transformation.
Every single day, innovations spring forth and industries may morph in character and needs. From digital trends to shifting work cultures, norms are being rewritten in favor of faster processes, cutting-edge technologies, and highly specialized competencies. Given this evolving landscape, how do companies, firms, and employees stay afloat? Should businesses simply rely on adapting new workflows and processes to stay relevant and competitive?
These are the questions that have propelled businesses and entrepreneurs to rethink their strategies and methods of transactions over the past few years. Globalization has moved emerging markets and e-commerce into the forefront of local and regional economies, challenging traditional companies to either integrate digital products into their ecosystem, or risk getting left behind by competitors and consumers alike. Moreover, today’s business environment is able to offer an abundance of opportunities which can sway a young professional’s career goals in unexpected ways.
This is the business landscape that greets us in 2019, and the world will only move faster from here.
Although there may not be a single answer to address these issues, there is one constant that acts as a North Star amid this flurry of uncertainty and change: Purpose. This is not a foreign concept by any stretch, but there is still plenty of merit in revisiting its intrinsic worth here and now, as we prepare for another year of development and growth.
REVISITING PURPOSE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL
In French, “purpose” can translate to raison d’etre or one’s reason for being – its dictionary meaning is “the justification for existence.” On the level of the individual, purpose prescribes the underlying belief that there is a reason for every choice made and every action done. Therefore, to have a strong sense of purpose should ideally lead to productive and tireless action. However, no matter how personal it may be, purpose will usually be aligned with something greater than one’s self. It is in this pursuit of a bigger dream or goal that makes the journey to know one’s purpose important, regardless of background or circumstance.
SGV defines purpose in a similar manner — it is the aspirational reason for being that is grounded in humanity, it inspires, and calls to action. Purpose is what sets SGV’s talent pool apart, and it is what keeps both leadership and staff in constant motion towards delivering quality work.
PURPOSE IS OUR MAIN DRIVER
On the level of the business environment, purpose exists to motivate the overall vision of a company. The EY Beacon Institute conducted a global survey, sponsored by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services (HBRAS), which championed Purpose as a main driver for strategy and decision-making aimed at long-term success. The snapshot of the results show that most executives believe purpose is transformative on almost all levels – from better employee satisfaction to increasing customer loyalty.
Meanwhile, companies which have yet to develop their own purpose-driven management are now trying to create one. Why the impetus for purpose in the workplace? The answer is simple: a unified, collective, corporate purpose empowers individual members of the organization with a greater sense of fulfillment and meaning. When one person wholly understands the power of one positive action, they become more engaged, they access higher levels of creativity, and they function beyond expectations of the job.
EMBARKING ON OUR PURPOSE JOURNEY
Following the results of this survey, how does SGV articulate its purpose? What drives SGV to succeed above and beyond the call of duty? What should drive its individual members to do the same?
From the very beginning, SGV’s core values of meritocracy, fairness, integrity, and steadfast support for lifelong learning have driven generations of leaders and staff to carry a torch of excellence for over 70 years. These values are embedded in many aspects of their personal and professional life, long after their tenure in SGV. These constitute the blueprint of SGV’s reason for being — the Firm’s purpose.
SGV’s Purpose Journey is the collective ambition of a talented, dynamic, and team-based organization encapsulated in the statement: “In everything we do, we nurture leaders and enable businesses for a better Philippines.”
There is now a greater call to align one’s personal sense of purpose to the idea that even small acts at work can exponentially affect the community, and the country, in a positive way. SGV strives to help build a better Philippines that has people unafraid to take up positions of leadership and management; who live with integrity; who are engendered with the spirit of doing what is right, even when it is challenged.
In 2019, we have committed to continue to walk the path of our Purpose Journey. In recognition of the greater majority of the company’s millennial workforce, the Purpose has also been captured in a hashtag: #SGVForABetterPhilippines. This will be the unshakeable compass that will aid all of us in navigating through new trends, disruptions, and unpredictable movements in the marketplace. And may this “reason for being” inspire many to pursue greater work and success, all towards the aim of a better working world.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional advice where the facts and circumstances warrant. The views and opinion expressed above are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of SGV & Co.
 
J. Carlitos G. Cruz is the Chairman and Managing Partner of SGV & Co.