This time, under his leadership, the Alliance for Sustainable Development of Taiwan (A·SDGs), with TAISE as the executing body, hosted the 6th Global Corporate Sustainability Forum (GCSF) themed “Accelerating Transition in Global Change.” The four-day event attracted over 7,000 participants from various sectors, including government, industry, and academia. During the forum, the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA) ceremony recognized companies that exemplify sustainable development.

In a subsequent interview with 《The Icons,》 Chairman Chien emphasized, “The journey of TAISE hasn’t been without challenges. In the initial years, corporate interest in sustainability was lacking, but in recent years, sustainability has gained prominence. This year, we had a record-breaking 526 companies participating, showcasing a growing commitment to sustainability.”

TAISE Sharpening the Sword for 16 Years

Since its establishment in 2007, TAISE has been devoted to sustainable advocacy. Just this past November, the organization celebrated its 16th anniversary. Chairman Chien, during the celebration, cut the birthday cake and made a wish for “national security, net-zero success, and sustainable development.”

Looking ahead to TAISE’s future, Chairman Chien aspires to “continue embracing its mission and leading Taiwan’s society towards sustainability.” He also announced that TAISE will continue to cultivate talent, deepen its professional services, and prioritize “digitalization” and “internationalization” as key directions in the next phase.

“The initial years of TAISE were challenging,” Chairman Chien reflected. In the early days of advocating sustainability to businesses, companies were more concerned about profitability. “I vividly remember that we were almost on the verge of shutting down. At that time, having just stepped down from the public sector, without official authority, I found it challenging to promote advocacy. But there’s a saying, “carrot and stick!” I didn’t have a stick, but I could use the carrot to pique everyone’s interest.”

To attract corporate participation, TAISE started organizing competitions. In the first year, only 16 companies participated. “However, these participating companies later provided very positive feedback, realizing that sustainable actions not only benefit society but also positively enhance a company’s competitiveness,” Chairman Chien recalled.

With the support of partners, TAISE’s development entered a prosperous phase. The TCSA is now in its 16th year, with a cumulative total of 731 companies participating over the years. This represents 80% of Taiwan’s listed company market value, making it the highest honor in sustainability awards in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cultivating Sustainable Education in Depth

With the United States proposing the Clean Competition Act (CCA) and the European Union experimenting with the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), driving a global trend toward low-carbon transformation in supply chains, Chairman Chien emphasizes that business leaders should proactively understand and formulate medium to long-term plans to adapt to the future trend of net-zero. He believes that these changes will bring opportunities.

“This is the beginning of a major transformative era!” Chairman Chien believes that in the face of transformation, only a change in people’s mindset can achieve goals. “TAISE insists on starting from education, providing guidance, organizing competitions, advocating climate-related issues, and promoting sustainable development. At the same time, we host expos, forums, and workshops to assist industries, government, and academia in capacity building, tirelessly working towards these goals for the past 16 years.”

TAISE encourages stakeholders to sign the “Sustainable Development Advocacy Charter.” Since signing an agreement with National Taipei University in 2017, 58 universities have declared themselves as sustainable universities as of November this year. Following Shin Kong Wu Huo-Shih Memorial Hospita’s initiative in March, 44 hospitals have also committed to moving towards sustainable development.

Furthermore, TAISE actively promotes sustainable education, systematically imparting sustainable thinking and skills. The Corporate Perseverance Elite Training Course has trained 9,400 individuals. Professional certification courses such as “Corporate Sustainability Manager,” “Climate Change Adaptation Manager,” and “Sustainable Finance Manager” are among the most popular courses today

Eugene Chien: Digitization and Internationalization are Key Dual Tracks for Sustainable Education

This year’s TCSA focuses on the dual tracks of digitization and internationalization, featuring over 15 categories of awards that encompass enterprises, hospitals, financial institutions, government sectors, NGOs, and educational institutions at all levels.

Chairman Chien believes that the purpose of the awards is not just to rank organizations based on scores but rather to provide benchmarks and exemplary learning cases through outstanding organizations and individuals. The goal is to drive overall sustainability development in Taiwan.

Staying in sync with international standards, TAISE extends its awards globally through the GCSA. This year’s awardees include Indonesia’s largest petroleum company, PT Pegadaian, Asia Pulp & Paper Sinar Mas (APP), Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Société Générale, Nespresso Taiwan, and Volvo Group—globally renowned companies and industry leaders.

Currently, TAISE is actively exploring an ESG digital smart evaluation mechanism, forging connections with internationally recognized academic institutions to assist Taiwanese organizations in aligning with global standards. There are also plans to export experiences in sustainable talent training. In today’s world, the low-carbon transformation has become an undeniable global trend. Building on 16 years of sustainable advocacy in the Asia-Pacific region, TAISE is stepping onto the global stage to lead the journey toward sustainable development.

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The post Sharpening the Sword for 16 Years! Eugene Chien, Chairman of TAISE: Sustainable Education Should Progress Simultaneously in Digitalization and Internationalization first appeared on The Icons.

The 6th GCSF forum took place from November 14 to 17, 2023, at the Grand Hotel Taipei, focusing on “Accelerating Transition in Global Change.” The four-day event hosted 24 forums, facilitating cross-disciplinary and cross-industry dialogues. With over 7,000 participants from diverse sectors including industry, government, academia, and research, the forum aimed to collectively discuss strategies for accelerating global low-carbon transition.

The driving force behind these initiatives is Taiwan Ambassador Eugene Chien, Chairman of A·SDGs and TAISE. Apart from his role in leading these organizations, Ambassador Chien currently serves as Taiwan’s ambassador-at-large and has previously held key positions such as Minister of Transportation and Communications, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Environment. Many regard him as the “Father of Sustainability.”

In an interview with 《The Icons》, Ambassador Chien shared his journey of advocating for ESG and SDGs since the foundation of TAISE 16 years ago:

“With the rapid pace of technological advancement, international dynamics, and climate change, it is essential for everyone to take decisive actions, in addition to consolidating efforts from various stakeholders, to accelerate the realization of net-zero and other sustainability goals.”

From Obscurity to Leading Sustainability in the Asia-Pacific Region

In response to global trends, various countries have introduced regulations, including the European Union’s new policies and the implementation of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in October of this year. CBAM is set to impose carbon tariffs on goods imported into the EU, driving a global trend towards low-carbon transformation in supply chains. Taiwan has not lagged behind by passing the Climate Change Adaptation Act in early 2023 and establishing a carbon market in August, with carbon fees scheduled to be levied from 2024. In 2025, it plans to mandate listed companies to produce sustainability reports, making sustainability a prominent concern.

“At the beginning, it was indeed very challenging,” recalled Ambassador Chien about the early days of the foundation when sustainability issues were not receiving much attention. Despite the support from the Shin Kong Group’s fund and a few dedicated professors, the foundation faced the risk of discontinuation. Over the span of seven years, the foundation persevered through obstacles, especially when Taiwan showed limited interest in sustainability issues.

At that time, corporations were more focused on issues like earnings per share (EPS) and shareholder dividends. Ambassador Chien reminisced, “Initially, people were highly skeptical about investing in sustainability. However, as pioneers received positive feedback, those early corporate partners discovered that sustainable actions not only benefited society but also positively impacted their competitiveness.”

After a slow start, the foundation found its footing, and Ambassador Chien, with unwavering commitment, organized forums, workshops, courses, and various events, fostering collaboration across industries and sectors. Today, it has become a leader in advocating sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region.

“The Carrot Strategy” Captures Attention for Sustainable Development

Due to a lack of coercive power after leaving public service, advocating sustainability faced significant challenges. Businesses showed little interest and often couldn’t comprehend the immediate benefits of investing in sustainability. Nevertheless, Ambassador Chien remained steadfast: “There’s a saying, ‘carrot and stick.’ I didn’t have a stick, but I could use a carrot to spark interest.”

Following the “carrot strategy,” the foundation began organizing competitions to engage businesses. However, in the first year, only 16 companies participated, with five standing out and winning awards. Ambassador Chien vividly recalled the award ceremony, which featured Legislative Yuan President Wang Jin-pyng as a guest presenter. Despite the small venue and the presence of only about five people, the event left a lasting impression. Ambassador Chien admitted feeling somewhat disheartened at the time.

Today, with the impetus of international trends, sustainability has become a focal point, and the “Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards” (TCSA) is in its 16th year. The number of participating companies reached a record high at 526, with benchmark companies from various fields such as TSMC, E.SUN Financial, and Taiwan Mobile. The accumulated number of participating companies over the years has reached 731, accounting for 80% of Taiwan’s listed companies’ market value.

Ambassador Chien, akin to a preacher, firmly believes in the value of sustainable development and continuous advocacy. Today, sustainability has become a prominent and globally recognized issue.

Ambassador Eugene Chien: Green Economy Leading the Next 30 Years

In the current edition of the “Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards,” not only has the number of participating companies reached a new high, but leading companies in various fields, including TSMC, E.SUN Financial, and Taiwan Mobile, have also joined. The TCSA has become a prestigious representative of sustainability development awards in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ambassador Chien pointed out that global corporations such as Google, Apple, Microsoft, and department stores like Walmart are demanding that companies achieve low-carbon transformation and fully use renewable energy by 2030. This presents a significant challenge for businesses and has led to a phenomenon known as “carbon anxiety” in Taiwan. However, Ambassador Chien firmly believes that Taiwan has the potential to lead globally in the field of sustainability.

“This is the beginning of a major transformation era!” Ambassador Chien emphasized that economies worldwide have explicitly stated their goals to achieve net-zero by 2050. Business owners should proactively understand and formulate medium to long-term plans to address the future trend of net-zero. He believes that change will bring opportunities.

Since 2007, Ambassador Chien has tirelessly emphasized the importance of sustainable development, urging society to collectively address climate change and environmental issues, creating a sustainable future. Today, low-carbon transformation has become an undeniable global trend, and Ambassador Chien is optimistic that the green economy will lead the next 30 years. He looks forward to the Asia-Pacific region contributing globally, guiding the world towards a path of sustainable development.

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The post Taiwan Ambassador Eugene Chien, Chairman of the TAISE: Asia-Pacific Experience is Making a Global Impact! first appeared on The Icons.