Meralco Corporation is the largest electric distribution utility in the Philippines. It is today under the aegis of a new chairman whose foresight and passion for innovation has made the company what it is today – a provider of total energy solutions. From its beginnings solely as a distributor of electricity, Meralco at 113 years today is the people’s choice for their energy needs, a company whose commitment to seamless quality service and pursuit for excellence is legendary. In 2016, Meralco produced a two-volume unified report: one detailed its sterling and record-breaking performance for the year with emphasis on innovation, new products and services; the second showcased the achievements of its corporate social responsibility arm, the One Meralco Foundation.

Both annual reports put two themes on center stage: Innovation and Service. To set the tone, covers of both reports featured the next generation of innovators and thinkers – the youth. The mother report selected college students from middle class families huddled in a discussion of Meralco’s “Smart Meter;” the Foundation report chose young beneficiaries of its CSR programs from indigent families in poor urban communities. Both sets of teens, though from different social classes, are depicted as the next generation of thinkers, movers and shakers, the veritable source of brilliance as symbolized by colored “idea and concept bubbles” above their heads. To convey the message of grand results, dramatic two-page spreads were utilized while Infographics delivered the important data. A clean and modern layout serviced the text for ease in reading. The reports were printed on special wood-free paper produced from pulps from PEFC-certified (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) sustainable-managed forests. A PDF of the reports was included in the company website for stockholders overseas to access.

A total of 2,000 sets of the Meralco Unified Reports were printed and first distributed at the Annual Stockholders in May 2016. The reports received wide acclaim for its design treatment not only from corporate officers but also most importantly, from recipients (stockholders, investors, partners, captains of industry). Requests from overseas investors and stockholders were many, and a reprint of more copies was ordered. The Meralco Unified Annual Reports won a Bronze “Stevie” in The International Business Awards in the category of 2016 Best Annual Report - Online/Electronic. The competition drew 3,800 entries from 82 countries.