The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), the highest global honor in ESG, announced its latest rankings for 2024 on the evening of December 16, Taiwan time. Shin Kong Financial Holding Co., Ltd. (SKFH) has been included in the World Index for four consecutive years and the Emerging Markets Index for two consecutive years. It ranked first among global insurance companies evaluated, with a total score of 93, setting a new record for the highest score in the insurance industry since 2016. This achievement not only elevates SKFH to the status of a world-class industry leader but also showcases the outstanding achievements of Taiwanese enterprises in sustainable development.
DJSI is one of the most authoritative ESG performance evaluation indices globally. Only the top 10% of companies in each industry worldwide, based on ESG scores, are invited to be included in the index. SKFH’s honor of being ranked first in the global insurance industry reflects its top 1% performance in environmental, social, and economic governance dimensions. Out of 18 evaluation criteria, SKFH ranked in the top 10% globally in 17 criteria, including full scores or highest scores in 11 areas such as Transparency & Reporting, Materiality, Business Ethics, Policy Influence, Tax Strategy, Sustainable Finance, Decarbonization strategy, Human Rights, Financial Inclusion, Customer Relationship, and Privacy Protection. This highlights the comprehensiveness of SKFH’s sustainable strategy and its all-round improvement in sustainable performance.
SKFH follows the SBTi 1.5°C scenario to set carbon reduction targets for its operations and investment and lending portfolios at all domestic and overseas locations. For the operations, SKFH aims to reduce carbon emissions by 42% by 2030 through energy conservation, replacing energy-consuming equipment, constructing green buildings, installing solar devices, and increasing the use of renewable energy. To accelerate the low-carbon transition, the remuneration of senior executives is linked to greenhouse gas reduction performance, demonstrating the company’s top-down commitment to carbon reduction. Additionally, SKFH’s financial assets are gradually decarbonized according to SBTs, reducing exposure to coal and unconventional oil and gas, adhering to the principles of sustainable stewardship, and leveraging financial influence to encourage clients to set SBTs, expanding green investment and lending, and leading the industry’s green transition.
SKFH’s core strategy for digital development is “Driving transition through digital roots,” using AI technology to accelerate dual-axis transition in digital and sustainability areas. Based on cybersecurity and compliance, SKFH optimizes business processes and leverages operational advantages. Additionally, SKFH is committed to promoting financial inclusion, providing diverse and innovative products and services for micro businesses and disadvantaged groups, and fostering the development of financial inclusion through non-financial support.
SKFH regards its employees as important partners in the company’s sustainable operations, aiming to achieve a happy career for them. Long-term internal and external training empowers employees’ careers, with senior executives leading the promotion of a diverse, equal, and inclusive workplace environment, practicing top-down diversity and inclusion. To balance employees’ family and work life, SKFH offers flexible working hours, remote work options, and superior family care leave and artificial pregnancy leave beyond legal requirements.
In addition to DJSI, SKFH also received the highest AAA rating in the MSCI ESG ratings, another authoritative international ESG rater. Domestically, SKFH and its subsidiaries have won over 30 sustainability awards, including the National Sustainable Development Award and the National Corporate Environmental Protection Award, showcasing the fruitful results of SKFH’s active implementation of sustainable actions.
SKFH’s Chairman, Mark Wei, stated that the company’s consecutive inclusion in both the DJSI World Index and Emerging Markets Index, and its dual championship in the global and Taiwanese insurance industries, is a significant recognition of SKFH. It motivates the company to continue working with employees, customers, suppliers, and business partners to strive together, bringing great honor to the management team and all employees who have long been committed to sustainable development.
In the future, SKFH will continue to leverage its core financial functions, learn and cooperate with industry leaders, embrace various possibilities of sustainability, and realize the vision of sustainable corporate operations.
