After the United Nations officially set out the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in 2015, countries in the world started to rethink the definition of “social growth” and whether poverty can be truly eliminated and whether people can live in a happier life when enterprises privatize profits and margins while nationalizing the risks and costs in the pursuit of “social growth”. When we keep wanting more, how would those outdated, not in need and abandoned continue to affect our lives? How much more should the limited resources on earth bear for the endless desire from human beings? It is time to change our mentality when it comes to business management.
In June 2018, Taiwan Sugar Corporation (TSC) published a book entitled “TSC’s Transformation Strategies”, revealing the prologue of TSC’s entry into Circular Economy. TSC started to promote a comprehensive transformation plan with the circular economy as the core for the acknowledgement of the fact that the long-term linear economy development model with resource dependence, planned obsolescence and self-absorbed strategy has made the environment and climate change seriously threaten the future of mankind. It is only with the development of a circular economy model with symbiosis and co-prosperity can sustainable development be made possible.
We understand that as a state-owned enterprise, it is our responsibility to assist in the promotion of national policies and industrial upgrading while at the same time meeting the needs of people’s livelihood. Therefore, we set circular economy as the core of our business, taking “cooperating with central policies, contributing to national development and engaging in proactive industries in the future” and “building a sustainable cycle in Taiwan in which people lead a happy and contented life” as our missions. We have set four strategic goals, including “contributing to the country, complying with policies”, “building social bonds, meeting expectations”, “industry cooperation, assistance in upgrading” and “management innovation” as the directions of our efforts.
Currently, we have started the deepening of the new corporate culture in terms of management innovation, making the talent advancement channels smooth and actively promoting organizational transformation. In terms of the promotion of circular economy industry, we have invested resources to promote various projects. We also pride ourselves as the leading corporation in the industry and boost private investment and industrial upgrading through cooperative operations. The areas for promotion are as follows.
Modern Livestock Management
Construction of a circular agricultural park with negative pressure ventilation and water curtain, reuse of resources, biogas power generation, solar power generation and agricultural processing. Introduce the latest information management technology and set standard operating procedures to create an operating environment with zero-pollution, zero-waste and zero-accident in the pig farming industry. It is also planned to recruit great young farmers to cooperate with livestock rearing, providing incentives or a profit-sharing system for them to increase production capacity and income.
Establishment of TSC Agriculture & Livestock School to Foster New Generation of Farmers
We invested resources and established TSC Agriculture & Livestock School to train high-quality talents needed in the industry. By providing professional training courses, we cultivate young farmers and unify this industry to develop the agricultural and livestock industry that suits the environment in Taiwan best. The trainees will receive a certificate upon completion of the training courses. In addition to the provision of employment counseling (matching talent supply with demands), these farmers can also cooperate with TSC in the contract farming program.
Cooperative Eco-Friendly Farming Park
Part of our cultivated land is rented to young farmers or in the form of co-production in the contract farming program. Technical guidance and assistance in verification are provided, and a common platform for the integration of production and marketing is sought to create a cooperative agricultural value chain. With the concept of an agricultural satellite system, professional division of labor and complementary resources are applied to form a cooperation zone to increase the efficiency of production and marketing.
Planning of a Bio-refinery Industry Chain
Establish an enzyme industry chain, seek opportunities working with international companies, develop diversified use of enzymes, promote private investment, establish related industry chains and evaluate cooperation with domestic and foreign companies and R&D units for the investment in the establishment of an enzyme company.
Reuse of High-Quality Oyster Shells
Set up the Biotech Material Plant Project producing calcium carbonate from oyster shells to help oyster farmers solve the problem of environmental pollution from waste oyster shells by recycling the shells and remaking them into high value-added products to construct an industrial supply chain related to feed and food industries
Promotion of Biogas Energy Service Industry
Biogas is produced through anaerobic digestion of the pig manure, external kitchen waste and agricultural waste from TSC’s livestock farms. TSC is making assessment of setting up a company in a reinvestment model to provide renewable energy services, driving the development of the co-digestion industry.
Construction of a New Circular Economy Business Model and Business Opportunities
Adoption of Rent Instead Buy Business model to have the right to use instead of the ownership. The producers can be directly or indirectly encouraged to make investments in the development of high-quality products to facilitate the upgrading of the overall industry chain, creating new purchasing opportunities. Through this new cooperation model of Renting Instead of Buying, TSC provides a set-up site and invites investors to invest in the equipment and lease it to TSC for operational use, creating a win-win for both sides.
Construction of Circular Houses Only for Rent, Not for Sale
TSC promotes the Houses for Rent, not for Sale concept to replace the concept of ownership with the right to use the house. In addition, the green, low-carbon and smart building structure is introduced to establish related systems for circular buildings step by step. The construction process is full of experimental spirits that stimulate the innovation of construction-related industries. This not only enables reuse, recovery, re-maintenance, and waste reduction and energy conservation in the life cycle of a building from design to dismantling but also creates a new business model to pursue sustainable reuse of resources to improve the economic efficiency.
We faithfully present these plans and results in TSC’s 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report. Looking back on what we have achieved and looking into the new milestones we are about to make, we have been bearing the social expectation along the way. We hope that with the disclosure of our endeavor and visions, TSC can win the support and encouragement from the public. Meanwhile, we also want to tell the public that investing in Taiwan Sugar Corporation is to invest in circular economy, and that is an investment in Taiwan’s future.
We faithfully present these plans and results in TSC’s 2019 Corporate Sustainability Report. Looking back on what we have achieved and looking into the new milestones we are about to make, we have been bearing the social expectation along the way. We hope that with the disclosure of our endeavor and visions, TSC can win the support and encouragement from the public. Meanwhile, we also want to tell the public that investing in Taiwan Sugar Corporation is to invest in circular economy, and that is an investment in Taiwan’s future.
