Prioritizing People as the Foundation for Building a Sustainable Culture

Hui-Ling Chiang, Senior Manager at Human Resources Department, ECOVE, Group Resource Cycling Business
Shao-Ko Wu, Senior Specialist at Human Resources Department, ECOVE, Group Resource Cycling Business 

As a leading engineering, procurement, and construction service provider in Taiwan, CTCI Group has long integrated sustainable development into its core business operations, striving to realize its ESG vision of becoming a "Guardian of Sustainable Earth." ECOVE Environment Corp., a CTCI Group company, shares the same philosophy and actively strengthens its culture of sustainability, with the goal of integrating ESG into the daily work and daily lives of its employees. This article introduces various people-oriented methods, including daily knowledge sharing, health management systems, and diverse volunteer opportunities, that highlight how ECOVE prioritizes its "people" to ensure that ESG is not merely a concept, but a tangible, feasible, and sustainable practice.

Sharing Sustainability Knowledge and Fostering a Common Language

To increase employees' awareness of sustainability, ECOVE has established communication channels and empowerment mechanisms through the weekly distribution of ESG Hour newsletters to all members. The newsletter aims to enhance employees’ understanding of ESG issues through diverse section content such as "ESG School" section for knowledge-based information, "ESG Highlights" for event highlights and statistical data, and "ESG Green Living" section for ESG advocacy in daily life. To help employees understand ESG issues, most articles are closely related to current events and activities.

After years of promotion, ECOVE is now planning to transform ESG Hour from weekly distribution to a monthly thematic format, so that the weekly content forms a more coherent and continuous narrative. Through pre-arranged weekly theme sections—for example, “Sustainability Trivia” that shares current events and trending sustainability topics; “Local Insights” that includes record of local events and architectural beauty by the project teams at various project sites; and “Health Academy” that enhances readers’ healthcare knowledge and awareness of the latest healthcare policy development—ECOVE aims to inspire its employees with richer and more diverse content of sustainability.

Through knowledge-sharing, ECOVE fosters a foundation of common values to ensure stronger support and engagement by its employees in the company’s sustainability initiatives. That way, sustainability is no longer a top-down requirement, but an initiative that develops naturally from within the organization.

A Health Management System in Place that Provides Better Physical and Mental Health Support

Since ECOVE prioritizes the health and safety of its employees, it has established a system for health management and preventive care, and continues to take great care  of the employees' physical and mental well-being. These form the bedrock of ECOVE’s sustainable operations.

Regarding workplace health management, ECOVE follows the principle of preventive care, providing regular health check-up subsidies that exceed regulatory requirements. The company adjusts subsidy amount and examination items based on employees' age and risk profiles, while professional nurses explain medical checkup results and provide subsequent follow-ups. Furthermore, ECOVE integrates health education resources, health promotion initiatives, and on-site medical consultation services to help employees manage their health effectively. In 2025, 15 on-site physician service sessions were conducted. ECOVE will continue to arrange additional service sessions related to health education and on-site consultation based on employee needs and current trends to provide more comprehensive and attentive health care.

Moreover, since waste incineration involves high temperatures and complex processes, it is necessary to take the risk of human exposure to dioxin seriously. That is why ECOVE has commissioned academic institutions every four years since 2008 to monitor dioxin levels in the blood of its employees regularly. By integrating health examinations with analyses of occupational exposure and lifestyle patterns, ECOVE is able to continuously monitor changes in risks through long-term, verifiable, and scientific data to safeguard its employees. To date, five assessments have been completed, and ECOVE remains committed to implementing these measures in the future. The results indicate that the dioxin levels in the blood of its employees have remained below the national average, reflecting the effectiveness of ECOVE's environmental management and personal protective measures, thereby establishing it as one of the few, if not the only, companies in Taiwan to conduct long-term, continuous monitoring of employee dioxin levels.

Prioritizing Talent Development and Transfer of Experience Through Mentorship

ECOVE prioritizes the support and guidance for its talent as they develop their career and adapt to the organization. Therefore, it has established a mentorship program. Unlike traditional training, which focuses primarily on imparting knowledge and job-specific skills, the program emphasizes the imparting of soft skills and practical insights, ensuring that its employees receive assistance tailored to their specific needs.

The mentorship program not only helps employees overcome professional bottlenecks, but also focuses on career planning, peer interaction, work-life balance, and strategies for managing setbacks and low morale. By providing multifaceted support, the program ensures that new employees receive the necessary assistance. For mentors, the coaching process is an opportunity to reorganize their knowledge and resources systematically as well as help them gain more sophisticated professional judgment and perspective. This process fosters a positive cycle of mutual learning and self-improvement.

Through the mentorship program, ECOVE has addressed the limitations of traditional training methods across various circumstances and established a robust foundation for its long-term, stable development.

Social Engagement and Fostering a Sustainable Culture

ECOVE’s strong effort in building a sustainable culture is not only geared towards its internal organization, but also towards external communities. For a long time, the company has been promoting "community activities that are aligned to the company’s operations," "long-term community development," and "corporate volunteerism for mutual benefit" as it encouraged its employees from various project teams and operational sites to engage with local communities and support the society through regular, long-term volunteer initiatives.

In 2025, ECOVE supported multiple public welfare initiatives focusing on ecological conservation, care for vulnerable groups, and environmental protection. Through collaborations with various organizations, including the Taiwan Purple Crow Butterfly Conservation Association, Kindgarden, Taichung City Babies' Home, and the Sunshine Social Welfare Foundation, ECOVE has expanded its outreach. In the process, its employees could realize the sustainable vision through active participation and contribution to the society. Over the course of the year, 1,977 volunteers accumulated 4,070 service hours of service, which met the target of an average of four volunteer hours per employee, underscoring ECOVE's positive social impact.

Regarding biodiversity, it is worth noting that ECOVE has long been dedicated to protecting purple crow butterflies’ habitats. On the one hand, the company has promoted the planting of nectar plants and creation of butterfly habitats surrounding the sites it operates, based on the assessment of site features and environmental conditions. On the other hand, it has teamed up with the Taiwan Purple Crow Butterfly Conservation Association to conduct mark-and-release surveys and promote environmental education. It has also set up physical environmental education zones, taken part in ecological surveys, and carried out seed instructor training. These efforts demonstrate ECOVE’s positive impact.

Cultivating ESG Culture to Drive Long-Term Impact

ECOVE has achieved excellent results in cultivating its ESG culture. According to a survey in 2025, 91% of its employees identified with its ESG initiatives. Additionally, it has received various recognitions, including a top 5% ranking of Corporate Governance Evaluations for 12 consecutive years, the Platinum Award for Corporate Sustainability Reports at the Taiwan Enterprise Sustainability Awards, and third place honors in the Mid-sized Enterprise category of the CommonWealth Magazine Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility Awards.

Sustainability is a long-term journey that requires continuous investment and commitment. Looking ahead, ECOVE will continue to leverage its corporate culture to deepen employee engagement and strengthen its connection with the society, while ensuring that the concept of sustainability does not merely exist within strategies and systems but is practically and consistently integrated into the daily work and lives of every employee, thereby co-creating a lasting, positive influence for the enterprise, the environment, and the society.