ESG

What is ESG？

E - Environment

S - Social

G - Governance

ESG refers to a set of issues that investors, businesses, and organizations should consider when making investment decisions. These issues include environmental concerns, social issues, and corporate governance.

Environment

Companies must address their environmental impact and sustainable operations. Key concerns include reducing carbon emissions, managing resources, waste treatment, and ecological protection. Measures such as lowering CO₂ emissions, adopting renewable energy, conserving natural resources, and minimizing environmental pollution are essential. ESG investors pay close attention to companies’ environmental policies and practices to ensure active efforts are being made in environmental protection.

We Are Pioneers of Sustainable Innovation:

In 2023, despite the uncertain outlook on sustainability issues, Sun Chang dedicated significant resources to research in this area and recommended sustainable standards to clients. This has resulted in many factory construction projects incorporating considerations for material flow and solar orientation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from operations. Additionally, factory designs were recommended to adopt low-carbon materials and equipment, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

Recognizing the recent surge of Taiwanese businesses expanding into Southeast Asia but lacking internal project teams for factory construction, Sun Chang innovatively offers international sustainable construction solutions. These services include international architectural design, selection of multinational contractors, assistance with cross-border negotiations and contracts, critical international project supervision, and sustainable construction carbon footprint reduction solutions. For multiple listed Taiwanese companies, these services have led to substantial achievements, including cost savings exceeding NT$1.7 billion in a single project, aligning with SDG 9 goals.
In 2023, Sun Chang assisted the Ministry of Culture and the International Humanitarian Architecture and Education Association in hosting the Taiwan Mobile Exhibition in Prague, Czech Republic, to promote Taiwan’s architectural and educational cultural influence in Europe. This initiative also facilitated the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Taiwan Architects Association and Czech architects, aligning with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
Due to Sun Chang’s commitment to green and sustainable issues, we believe that while the company is small, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” The best time to start is now. Accordingly, we have reviewed organizational greenhouse gas emissions under the ISO14064 framework and implemented measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For emissions that could not be reduced, we have participated in the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to offset the carbon usage from our operations.

Social

Companies must address their impact on employees, customers, suppliers, and society. This includes caring for employee rights, diversity and inclusion, labor rights, product safety, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Companies should ensure fair treatment of employees, comply with legal and ethical standards, and actively participate in community and social responsibility initiatives.

We Are Practitioners of Social Good:

Since 2022, when Principal Architect Meng-Hsuan Yang served as an on-site construction supervision volunteer in Reyhanlı, Turkey, Sun Chang Associates has formed a lasting bond with the International Humanitarian Architecture and Education Association. After completing Phase 1 of the Reyhanlı Taiwan Center project, Sun Chang has continued to assist the association with various projects worldwide. These include hosting the Syrian Refugee Exhibition from the Reyhanlı Taiwan Center in Manhattan, New York; designing the Phase 2 expansion of the Reyhanlı Taiwan Center; and planning the expansion of facilities for Syrian refugee services in the area, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17: Partnerships for the Goals.
The firm’s founder, Architect Wen-Chang Yang, has been a long-time donor to the Li Jia-Tong Foundation for Social Welfare, which was established by Principal Li Jia-Tong. The foundation’s mission of alleviating poverty for children in Taiwan’s rural and underprivileged areas through education has inspired Sun Chang to extend its support to vulnerable groups in Taiwan. For example, the firm prioritizes purchasing pastries from Happy Bakery (an initiative supporting individuals with disabilities) for gifts during holidays and sources local Taiwanese agricultural products for staff gifts, aligning with SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Governance

ESG evaluates a company’s management and transparency, including the composition of the board of directors, internal audit and regulatory policies, systematic risk management, incident and safety management, business ethics, political influence, competitive behavior, and supply chain management.

We Are Managers of Diverse and Inclusive Talent:

Sun Chang places great emphasis on the future development of its employees and fostering sustainability. Every Friday, half a day is dedicated to internal training sessions for staff on BIM software, and external speakers are occasionally invited to give lectures on sustainability trends, helping team members continuously improve their skills. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education.
Each year, Sun Chang subsidizes more than 2.5% of its annual budget for employees to attend industry and academic courses related to professional fields and sustainable development. Several colleagues have earned certifications such as AFNOR (French Standards Association) International Sustainability Reporting and Carbon Manager, BSI (British Standards Institution) ISO14067 International Carbon Footprint Lead Auditor, and SGS (Swiss Standards Association) ISO14064 International Greenhouse Gas Lead Auditor. These certifications enhance the firm’s ability to provide comprehensive ESG sustainability services to clients while empowering team members to advance their careers, aligning with SDG 4: Quality Education.
The firm adopts a flat management structure to improve administrative efficiency and ensures that employees can freely express their ideas and present their proposals directly to company leaders. By aligning employees’ interests with work goals, the firm maximizes the potential of its team members, improving talent acquisition and retention. Compensation and benefits exceed industry standards, and the firm values the personal career development of its employees. Regular one-on-one discussions are conducted between staff and leadership to address work content and project arrangements. When planning domestic or international business trips, employees’ preferences are prioritized. The company firmly believes that shared success within the team is the key to long-term sustainability, aligning with SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Sun Chang values diversity and inclusion, maintaining a gender ratio of 1:1 among its staff, aligning with SDG 5: Gender Equality.