Crafting the Global Sustainability Blueprint as the Guardian of a Sustainable Earth

— Joanne Ho, Chief Sustainability Officer, CTCI Group

As Taiwan's leading EPC Group and one of the top 100 global players, CTCI has consistently been at the forefront of sustainable engineering. The Group has long been committed to embedding ESG principles into its core competencies. With the leadership of its management team, CTCI has engaged its 8,000 global employees, making sustainability an intrinsic part of its culture and driving "ESG for All" through tangible actions. This exemplifies CTCI's leadership in sustainable development within the global engineering industry.

In recent years, in response to shifting global dynamics, the net-zero carbon challenge, and the rise of smart technologies, CTCI has made "Net-Zero EPC" as the core of its strategy. Through the continuous advancement of its "green engineering" initiatives, CTCI is laying the foundation for a global blueprint of sustainable engineering. This article will outline CTCI's plans for 2025 and its vision for advancing sustainability and achieving net-zero goals.

2024 in Review: Driving Sustainable Value with CTCI’s Core Business

The engineering industry's transition to sustainability is inevitable, and integrating sustainability principles into decision-making is essential for long-term growth. CTCI has long collaborated with clients to deliver environmentally beneficial "green engineering" solutions, making bold green commitments and upholding its corporate social responsibility. By fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive (DEI) workplace and promoting sustainability education, CTCI aims to create lasting value for sustainability.

1.Green Engineering: Striking a Balance Between Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability
CTCI’s green engineering efforts are focused on three key areas: green technology, green contracting, and green investment.

For Green Technology, CTCI continuously adopts innovative low-carbon technologies, having developed over 130 concrete energy-saving and carbon-reduction solutions. These technologies have been successfully applied across various projects, achieving remarkable results.

As for Green Contracting, this refers to projects undertaken by CTCI that contribute to carbon reduction and net-zero goals. For example, in the water resource sector, notable projects include the "Southern Taiwan Science Park Water Reclamation Plant," which recycles industrial wastewater for semiconductor manufacturing, and the "Hsinchu Seawater Desalination Plant," the largest public desalination project in Taiwan. In the globally spotlighted field of carbon capture and storage (CCS), CTCI secured Taiwan's first carbon sequestration site project and followed it with a turnkey carbon capture pilot project for a leading semiconductor manufacturer, making it the first Taiwanese company with expertise in both upstream and downstream CCS engineering.

In Green Investment sectors, CTCI invests in environmentally beneficial projects through BOT and BOO models, with total investments exceeding 
NTD 40 billion and more than NTD 10 billion in green financing support. These investments include sectors such as solar power and reclaimed water plants, generating not only stable, long-term revenue but also significant environmental benefits.


2.Green Commitment in Action: Leading the Supply Chain Toward Net-Zero
As the first engineering service company in Taiwan to achieve certification under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), CTCI has been a trailblazer in advancing carbon reduction efforts. In 2021, the company pledged to achieve net-zero emissions at its office sites by 2030 and at its production and service sites by 2050. CTCI continues to actively implement the 1.5°C target set by the Paris Agreement and has established a goal to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 45% by 2030—exceeding the global benchmark of 42%.To drive sustainable development across its supply chain, CTCI established the Supplier Net-Zero Alliance, which now has over 242 participating suppliers. The company supports its supply chain partners by fostering carbon emission management capabilities and implementing incentive measures. To date, 185 suppliers have successfully built carbon management systems. Furthermore, CTCI encourages supply chain entities with higher emissions in Scope 3 to set carbon reduction targets by 2028.

As environmental risks increasingly impact business operations, CTCI has adopted the 2024 frameworks for climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD) and nature-related financial disclosures (TNFD) as part of its strategy. This commitment is showcased in its "Climate and Nature-Related Financial Disclosure Report (TCNFD)," which highlights its dedication to implementing nature-based solutions. A cornerstone of this strategy is the "Green Water and Vitality" biodiversity program, which emphasizes ecological conservation across its global operations. The initiative focuses on protecting three key species: the Formosa Blue Magpie, the powder-puff tree, and crow butterflies.

CTCI is committed to achieving "No Net Loss" (NNL) of biodiversity and meeting zero deforestation standards at its operational sites by 2030. By 2050, the company aims for a "Net Positive Impact" (NPI) at its operations and alignment with NNL and zero deforestation standards throughout its entire value chain. Additionally, CTCI has reaffirmed its dedication to sustainable development by signing the Business for Nature's Make it Mandatory campaign, demonstrating its long-term commitment to preserving natural resources for future generations.


3.Building a Diverse, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace
Maintaining a DEI workplace is a core priority for CTCI. The company strives to ensure that over 8,000 employees from 20 countries are treated equally and feel a strong sense of belonging. To support this, CTCI offers flexible working hours, maternity leave, and paternity leave that go beyond legal requirements, as well as Mandarin language courses for international colleagues to help them better adapt to and integrate into their work and living environments. Additionally, through Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and stock options, CTCI helps employees achieve a healthy work-life balance.

4.Maximizing Sustainability Impact Through Education and Public Welfare
CTCI continues to enhance its sustainability impact through education and public welfare initiatives. In education, CTCI has launched "CTCI University" for employees, the open-access "CTCI Learning" platform, and the "CTCI Education Foundation," which organizes various programs to develop sustainable talent. In public welfare, CTCI co-hosts the annual "Shilin Cultural Festival," promotes sustainable consumption through the "New Green Life Movement," regularly donates supplies to support the "Food Bank" program, and maintains long-term partnerships with organizations such as the "Syin-Lu Social Welfare Foundation" and the "Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation."

5.Seizing Global Trends to Lead a Sustainable Future
As a pioneer in international trends, CTCI actively tracks the latest global sustainability developments to seize opportunities and lead the future. Recent focal topics include: global climate finance, AI digital governance, human rights due diligence, the Global Plastic Treaty, biodiversity frameworks, and key climate issues at COP29.

As an early adopter of TNFD and Taskforce on Inequality & Financial Disclosures (TISFD), CTCI demonstrates its strong commitment to natural capital and social inclusiveness. Additionally, CTCI EF has been recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as Taiwan’s 11th non-governmental observer. This recognition enables CTCI to actively participate in the Conference of the Parties (COP), reinforcing its role as a global partner in addressing climate change challenges.

With its forward-thinking vision, CTCI continue to leverage its core competitiveness with ability to innovate, and steer the engineering industry towards a sustainable future. Its outstanding achievements have garnered widespread recognition, including being listed as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index for ten consecutive years, maintaining the highest score globally in the construction and engineering sector. Additionally, CTCI has repeatedly ranked in the top 1% globally in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, solidifying its reputation as a sustainability role model in the engineering industry.

Charting 2025: Strengthening Green Engineering for a Sustainable Tomorrow

The shift toward sustainability places digitalization, AI, and green technologies at the forefront as driving forces, reflecting CTCI's ongoing strategic focus.

Looking ahead to 2025, CTCI is steadfast in its commitment to advancing green engineering, with a focus on integrating advanced technologies into project execution. By harnessing digitalization, applying AI innovations, enhancing smart building solutions, and adopting circular economy practices, CTCI aims to accelerate the green transformation of engineering processes and provide distinctive Net-Zero EPC services to clients worldwide. Equally important is CTCI’s dedication to cultivating green talent. Through professional training programs, green engineering workshops, and active partnerships with academic associations, government authorities, and academic institutions, CTCI is fostering sustainable expertise within the Group. These initiatives support a comprehensive green transition in the engineering industry.

As the Guardian of Sustainable Earth, CTCI is committed to leveraging its engineering expertise and embracing a systemic approach to transformation, setting new benchmarks in sustainability. Our vision extends beyond leading industrial transformation; we aim to unite global resources to accelerate progress toward the Net-Zero Vision, ushering in a new era of sustainable engineering.