Taiwan Excellence has launched a corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign through a global virtual event themed “Sharing is Caring”. This campaign was founded with the belief that a large number of people have the creative power to drive change to create better individuals, communities, and societies, and if their power is combined, a global initiative may be established to harness the power of collective passions, expertise and technology.
Taiwan Excellence is offering a platform for those driving change in society, and with this project, individuals, social institutions and NGOs are invited to participate and share the social and environmental causes they would like to work on in the “Sharing is Caring” project. Moreover, Thais are invited to take part in sharing new ways to make a difference in their communities and the country with new ideas to drive change for social and environmental issues.
The well-known Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who has been concerned with climate change since she was a young child, was able to grow and spread her first simple idea, from an essay competition in local newspapers. As huge numbers of people globally embraced her ideals; the world began to face the issue of climate change head-on. Another example is Ms. Chen Shu-chu from Taitung, Taiwan. She provided public welfare without asking for recognition by taking the proceeds from selling vegetables to help build schools and libraries, thereby facilitating urgent relief for her community. Their common philosophy is to do one’s best to change society and make the world a better place. We believe in every corner of the globe there are people who care about social welfare just like they do!
This event was sponsored by 29 Taiwan Excellence enterprises during a short period of fundraising. The participating businesses include many well-known listed companies in Taiwan, while many are only small and medium-sized enterprises involved in fields such as medical care, intelligent machinery, metals, transport, information and communication technology, as well as sports and household equipment among others. It is clear that Taiwanese companies are emphasising and committing to Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) and they have enthusiastically sponsored this event.
The press conference was invited by Mr. Ramon Macapagal, a board trustee of the SM Foundation (SMFI). SMFI is the corporate social responsibility arm of the SM Investments Corporation, a leading Philippine company that is invested in market-leading businesses in retail, banking and property, and Mr. Onno, an Indonesian educational philanthropist, to participate via video connection and share their views on long-term commitment to public welfare activities, as well as express their support for the charitable goals of "Sharing is Caring, Taiwan Excellence". In addition, Minister without Portfolio Tang Feng (Audrey Tang), representatives of many countries with diplomatic connections to Taiwan (such as Nauru, Eswatini, etc.), public welfare organisations, and internet celebrities from Vietnam, Honduras, India, South Korea and other countries, have all expressed support and agreement with the concept behind this activity through videos. The press conference was also simultaneously broadcast live, spreading the message to the world and calling on people from around the globe to participate in this meaningful event.
All entries for the project will receive a qualification review by an advisory committee specialising in social issues. The criteria for selection include sustainable impact for social and environmental issues, probability for execution, and reasonable budgeting. Moreover, the proposal will get the extra points that make use of innovation and include Taiwan Excellence’s award-winning products and brands in their innovation.
Up to 12 proposals will be shortlisted by the selecting committee and posted on the website for public voting. The “Sharing is Caring” project will announce the top three entries with the best proposals as the winners who will receive a sum of US$10,000. Next the advisory committee will grant the execution budget of US$150,000 and select an appropriate third party to execute and put these three proposals into action.
Taiwan Excellence has earmarked this massive sum to fuel the dreams of social innovators and change-makers from across the world to conceptualise the #SharingIsCaring projects to make the world a better place. Proposals in English will be accepted between 1 September and 31 October. Those interested in submitting proposals or requiring more details about proposal criteria, selection and details of key dates can visit share-care.taiwanexcellence.org
Taiwan Excellence has a rich history of contributing to communities as well as to meeting global needs through traditional corporate social responsibility. The organisation has always sought greater alignment of these activities with their business interests.
The Taiwan Excellence symbol was initiated by the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT), Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA), to award innovative products made in Taiwan selected for their excellence in research, design, quality, and marketing and offering a solution for the daily lives of customers across the globe. Today, the symbol is recognised in 102 countries around the world.