Business Sustainability
Promotion of Paperless Office
Unlike the manufacturing industry, the financial service industry does not directly cause negative impacts on the environment. However, it uses a large amount of paper in the operating process or the internal exchange of documents. As the traditional papermaking process requires a lot of water, fuel, electricity, and forest resources, the promotion of paperless office and digitization (for achievements, please refer to 5.2 Financial Technology and Innovation) is the top practical action of KTB for the protection of the ecological environment.
✓In 2023, the Business Process Management (BPM) system was implemented, facilitating the digitization of paper forms and significantly reducing paper usage. By the end of 2023, a total of 60 forms were transitioned online, with 4,476 forms processed through the system.
✓KTB implemented paperless management for official documents and meeting materials, and promoted double-sided printing and paper recycling. In 2023, electronic document systems were adopted in all branch offices, with a total of 21,708 documents processed through the system, achieving a utilization rate of 97.77% across the Entire Bank.
✓KTB promoted the adoption of electronic bills by customers in 2023. A total of 643,091 electronic statements were sent for foreign currency and fund transactions, including cloud based fund statements, marking a 31.6% increase compared to 2022.
This initiative reduced paper usage by approximately 1.93 million sheets, equivalent to a reduction of 12.35 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
✓Use the "Credit Investigation and Review System" to convert hard copies of credit cases to electronic versions for storage and transmission, reducing carbon footprint incurred during transportation and paper waste. A total of 4,756 credit cases were uploaded in 2023. Estimating the average paper usage per corporate and individual case, we expect the reduction was about 1.67 million sheets of paper, or 10.7 tons of CO2 equivalent.
Note 1: In accordance with the "Taiwan Product Carbon Footprint" issued by the Environmental Protection Administration, 1 A4 paper is equivalent to 6.4 g CO2e.
Note 2: The estimated carbon emission mentioned above is not included in the GHG emission and carbon-reduction goals of KTB.
Innovative Carbon-reduction Actions
In response to Earth Day, KTB is furthering its commitment to environmental protection in 2023 by expanding the barter activity that was initiated last year. This year, the activity will be integrated with the "Green Point" initiative of the Ministry of Environment, which will serve as the grand prize. The scope of the "barter trade" activity has been expanded to include nearby branches of the Headquarters Building, promoting the "3R principle" to extend the lifespan of items and reduce waste production. A total of 172 items were successfully exchanged, saving unnecessary waste for the planet. To encourage colleagues to participate, 1,000 eco-friendly green points will be awarded for each completed exchange. The more exchanges, the more green points received. Additionally, in order to add fun to the energy saving and carbon reduction activities, the company also held a "Waste Battery Recycling Competition" within the company. The competition was organized by department, and the funds generated from recycling these batteries will be donated to the Society of Wilderness. Everyone was invited to work together to implement green life, practice green consumption from our ordinary business and life, and invest in our beautiful blue planet.
Benefits of Constructing an Eagle Perch
By constructing field perches, it is possible to attract Black Kites that are specialized in catching mice. This allows them to make a brief stop and have a satisfying meal, effectively reducing the damage caused by rodents to crops
With the assistance of Black Kites, farmers can now eliminate the need for using harmful chemical pesticides to manage rodent pests. Additionally, they no longer have to be concerned about birds inadvertently consuming poisoned mice while hunting in the fields
Uses of Biochar
Biochar is a form of charcoal that can be utilized as a soil amendment in agriculture. It is produced through the incomplete combustion of natural organic fuel using a process known as pyrolysis, which takes place in low oxygen or anaerobic environments. The production process of biochar captures and removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, converting them into a highly stable form and storing them in the soil for thousands of years. In addition, incorporating biochar into the soil can enhance plant growth, increase crop yield, improve water quality, and reduce the reliance on chemical fertilizers.
Friendly Farming, Friendly Land
KTB, originating from Tainan and deeply rooted in Southern Taiwan for many years, values community care and interaction with customers and residents. In addition to our social initiatives, we aspire to dedicate more efforts to local environmental protection activities. In 2021, KTB made a donation to the "Taiwan Regional Revitalization Foundation," which led to their introduction to the local revitalization group, Food Healthy Limited company.
In 2023, KTB and Food Healthy jointly organized a one-day agricultural experience event. The event invited the supervisors of KTB's South District business units to participate. The activities included setting up eagle perches, making biochar, preparing fish balls, planting corn, weeding, and other field experiences. Participants also had the opportunity to visit large-scale agricultural equipment to understand the operational mode and importance of sustainable farming. They learned about the ecological balance achieved through natural and sustainable land cultivation methods, which not only maintain the land but also restore the habitat of local species.
On the day of the event, participants had the opportunity to freely exert themselves and work up a sweat, as they walked on the soft farmland and got closer to our land. Through these practical actions, we were able to demonstrate our commitment to being environmentally friendly. This was a truly unique experience for us, as we typically spend long hours in the office. It also marks the first step towards promoting land conservation. We look forward to collaborating with more environmental organizations in the future and making a meaningful contribution to the environment, ecology, and biodiversity.
Self-Generated Green Power
Since 2011, KTB has been preparing to install its own solar power system on the roof of the Headquarters Building, with a capacity of 9.87 kW, which was connected to the grid in 2012. KTB has been looking for appropriate branch locations to expand green power generation. In 2019, we set up a solar power generation system in Taibao Branch, with a capacity of 19.825 kW. In 2023, KTB self-generated about 40,478 kWh of green electricity, reducing carbon emissions by about 20.04 metric tons. Since 2012, we have generated 291,439 kWh electricity in total, reducing carbon emissions by about 150.2 metric tons.
National Green Life and Green Procurement
Green Life is one of the key strategies for Taiwan's 2050 net zero transformation. It aims to change behaviors and consumption patterns in food, clothing, housing, transportation, nurturing, leisure, and shopping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. KTB is collaborating with the Ministry of Environment to actively promote the "National Green Life" movement. They focus on waste reduction at the source, environmental beautification, energy and resource conservation, advocacy and promotion, and green procurement. By practicing green living, they have achieved certification as an eco-friendly restaurant and actively participate in promoting green offices, becoming a part of the "Green Partners" initiative.
KTB also actively participates in green procurement activities, maintaining a consistent procurement amount each year. As a result, KTB has been awarded the Green Performance Purchasing Companies Award from Tainan City for three consecutive years. KTB's procurement amount in 2023 was NT$11,394,326. In the future, KTB will continue to support low-carbon products, green building materials and sustainable product enterprises through green procurement to improve the efficiency of all resource use.