apracaTEN delegates of the Asia-Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA) included Benpres Holdings Corporation and First Philippine Industrial Corporation (FPIC) in their international study visit program, “From Cost to Capital: A Paradigm Shift on People Management.” APRACA is a nongovernment international organization composed mainly of central banks, agricultural banks, development banks, commercial banks, federations of financial institutions, rural development institutions, institutes and nongovernment institutions in the Asia Pacific region involved directly in agricultural credit and rural development.

The APRACA Center for Training and Research in Agricultural Banking (CENTRA B), based in Manila, requested the two Lopez Group companies to share their experience in adopting Investors in People (IiP) as a standard for driving business results. Benpres is the first holding company in the country to be IiP certified and FPIC is the first Asian company to get the IiP Gold Award.

APRACA CENTRA B managing director Eduardo Garcia said the visit was a means for member institutions “to recognize the growing importance of people in driving today’s business and to realize the significance of adopting the IiP framework in maximizing the potential of human resource to achieve organizational goals.”

Participants were also expected to discover Philippine approaches in people management which they may adopt or replicate in their own country. Delegates were senior executives of member institutions based in India, Thailand, Nepal and the Philippines.