Caring for Employees to Enlarge CSR Benefits

ECOVE has more than 900 employees. How many people can be affected when 900 employees work together on CSR?
Is it 90,000 people? Or 900,000 people? How can we influence more?
Before answering the question, we need to understand the true meaning of CSR.

When it comes to CSR, or Corporate Social Responsibility, the general public thinks that the company is donating money to do good deeds, but these actions are not all that is to CSR.

The true meaning of CSR is to do an excellent job in corporate governance internally and fulfill social responsibility externally, which means combining social responsibility with business strategy. It is a process of caring and helping various stakeholders such as employees, customers, the society, and the environment. It is fulfilling its commitment to social responsibility from the inside out.

For example, ECOVE pays great attention to the physical and mental well-being of its employees. In addition to regular health checkups and annual health week activities, the company conducts blood dioxin health testing and tracking every five years for employees with higher risk of exposure after risk assessments. As far as "continuous tracking of dioxin in blood" is concerned, no other company does it better in the whole world. The continuous tracking keeps employees in healthy condition and has been going on for more than 20 years. The latest test result showed an average of 14.6 picograms for ECOVE employees, far below the average of 19.7 picograms measured from the general public in Taiwan. We also hold labor-management meetings on a regular basis to listen to the voices of employees. We set up counseling courses, conduct employee satisfaction surveys, organize employee tours regularly, and welcome family members to accompany them.

"Occupational Safety" has also been internalized into a common culture within ECOVE. We are committed to creating a safe workplace environment. Take our incineration plants for example: each has obtained an "Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHSAS18001) certification." In 2016, the highest honor of the country "The National Occupational Safety and Health Award" was awarded by the Ministry of Labor (winner cannot participate within the next 5 years) to our plants. We have established a secure early warning system through data management and intelligence to create a "zero accident" and "zero occupational accidents" environment.

When a company actively cares for its employees and provides a healthy and safe working environment, its employees will resonate and embrace the company's values naturally. It will generate stronger coherence and assist the company in executing and expanding CSR. Not only will this bring greater competitive advantage, creates higher value for shareholders, external customers, society and the environmental sustainability will also be benefited. This is the true essence of CSR.

In addition to the active participation of internal employees, CSR scholars and experts also pointed out that if companies can combine CSR with their core competencies, it will not only help the industry to develop, but also expand social influence. "Continue to do it" is a right thing to do, but at best it can only affect 900 people. Is it really worth our time? A project is worth trying if you can see it succeed at the conception stage. Practicing CSR in our own industry, the company can exert its expertise and do more with less. The effect is not only a giveback to the society, but also a strong support to sustainable corporate development.

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to list 17 goals including health and well-being, affordable energy, industry, and innovation infrastructure. One should actively plan and participate to be able to fulfill deeper and wider corporate social responsibility.

To further implement CSR, ECOVE assesses all SDGs and decides to focus on SDG 6” Clean Water and Sanitation”, SDG 7” Affordable and Clean Energy ”, SDG 11 "Sustainable City", and SDG 12 "Responsible Consumption and Production". Therefore, in the operation and management of the incineration plants, the proactive replacement of the inverter, proactive process improvement and power generation efficiency improvement assessment have all achieved positive results. Contributions have been made to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving resource recycling efficiency, and reducing the consumption of natural resources (chemicals).

Furthermore, we have researched various recycling and reuse technologies that can turn waste into materials. Hence, a new company, ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corporation, is established. In the future, ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corporation will be able to recover about 6,700 tons of waste solvent every year and process it into industrial raw materials. These materials can be returned to the market supply chain, which not only greatly reduces the consumption of the resources, but also helps reduce the annual carbon dioxide emission by more than 4,900 metric tons. It is an equivalent figure to the carbon adsorption capacity of 13 Da'an Forest Parks for one year. By doing so, ECOVE sets an example on the issue of responsible consumption and production cycle.

The head of the parent company of ECOVE – Mr. John T. Yu, Group Chairperson of CTCI, advocates the concept of "CSR for all employees." - The domestic and overseas employees ECOVE work 365 days a year to engage in garbage incineration, sewage treatment, and waste and ash removal in their respective positions. The daily maintenance extends the lifespan of the planet, so people can manage their garbage without worry. There are workers in charge of track maintenance so that the public can enjoy safe public transportation. There are also workers helping solar power system installation in hot summer days. In terms of carbon reduction, they are all nameless heroes. Participating with enthusiasm and sense of responsibility, it is the workers of ECOVE that have fulfilled the CSR of ECOVE.

Corporate CSR does not equal to spending big money, nor is it an activity of only a few people. ECOVE CSR is more practical and heart-warming than just donations. Only full participation, continuous investment, and CSR combined with what we actually do every day can it bring long-term effects to the society.