As ecological protection is an important basic corporate responsibility for sustainable development, Walsin Lihwa ensures its business activities can maintain ecological balance and species diversity as much as possible in every step, including plant site selection, plant development and construction, environmental impact assessment, and environmental protection compliance, thereby helping to mitigate environmental impacts. In terms of corporate governance, the Sustainable Development Committee of Walsin Lihwa convenes on a regular basis to deal with ecological protection issues, and the committee is planned to be developed into the highest regulatory authority of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) at the Company, whose Sustainability Office performs relevant duties and reports its planning for biodiversity to the Board of Directors on a regular basis. In 2024, Walsin Lihwa specially organized an environmental education seminar on indigenous species and alien species, as well as a seminar on bees, thereby improving employees' understanding of the geology, hydrology, and ecology surrounding the Company's plants, and reminding everyone that the reduction of pollen-producing plants, climate change, and pests pose severe challenges to the survival of bees, which will further affect the entire ecosystem. The Company also shoots documentaries and purchases farm produce to share with employees, such as taking action to support kiwi fruit farmers who promote eco-friendly grass cultivation.
The biodiversity risk assessment uses biodiversity risk assessment tools to help the Company evaluate the degrees of importance of natural environment protection at its business locations, as well as interaction with local natural environments to scrutinize individual plants' dependence and impact on their respective environments, and take corresponding protection measures based on local environments.
Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) Sustainable Development Foundation
As an important member of the IMIP Sustainable Development Foundation, PT. Walsin Nickel Industrial actively participates in the protection of biodiversity in local and surrounding areas, and is committed to the planting of mangroves, transplanting coral reefs, and conservation of habitats for rare species. It planted mangroves in several villages and worked with communities to enhance the survival rate of saplings. It has planted 43,082 mangrove saplings over the past 3 years. The coral reef transplantation project was implemented in Mbokita Village on Sombori Island, Indonesia. Approximately 1,200 reef substrates were placed, and a monitoring mechanism was established. In response to Earth Day, it planted 1,000 trees around the port of Fatufia Village and organized educational roadshows on International Mangrove Day to raise the environmental protection awareness of communities and enterprises. In addition, IMIP actively participates in the protection of the habitat of the Tonkean macaque, an endemic species, in Sulawesi Province, and enhances their habitat conditions by planting fruit trees, monitoring the environment, and rescuing wild animals. Tonkean macaques and sea hawks were successfully released into the wild in collaboration with the Central Sulawesi Nature Protection Center in the first half of 2024.
CAS Aosta Plant in Italy
Walsin Lihwa is fully aware that bee colonies play a key role in overall biodiversity. In 2022, CAS in Italy launched a bee farm restoration project around the Aosta Plant to create and provide a safe habitat for bees. As of 2024, 13 healthy and thriving bee colonies have been nurtured to help pollinate the surrounding farmlands, forests, and vineyards, effectively promoting the diversity of local ecosystems. Professional beekeepers continue to take care of the bee farms. Even in the face of challenges such as climate change, this project effectively ensures the stable growth of bee colonies. Each year, CAS provides wild flower honey, with a unique flavor featuring the fragrance of chestnuts and blackberries, as gifts to employees. CAS also launched the "tree of heaven honey," which is a golden amber honey with the fragrance of sweet pastry, in 2024 and distributed over 1,300 jars of honey as a gift to encourage employees.