Taiwan Stock Exchange

Society

Workplace composition

The TWSE and its subsidiaries all have employee training policies and related plans in place to enhance employees' professional competencies and provide opportunities for diverse development. To ensure that employees apply learning to practice, employee performance review policies have been established to strengthen evaluation mechanisms, integrate management of training and assessment, and improve learning outcomes.

The TWSE is dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is safe for all employees and prevents discrimination against gender or age. As of December 31, 2022, the TWSE and its subsidiaries employed 1,312 full-time and 43 contract staff members (including dispatch personnel and interns), with a male-to-female employee ratio of 1.27:1. Meanwhile, a total of 17 disabled workers are employed at the TWSE and its subsidiaries, who are committed to developing their professional skills and upholding the equal employment rights of the disabled according to law.

• New employees and employee turnover

  The TWSE and its subsidiaries provide comprehensive talent development mechanisms and employee benefits. Combined with a safe, diversified and friendly workplace, the TWSE and its subsidiaries are able to retain talent for longer periods of time and achieve a reasonable and healthy employee turnover rate. In 2022, there were 92 new employees (dispatch personnel not included) hired, bringing the new employee rate to 7.01%, up slightly from last year's 3.74%. A total of 92 employees (dispatch personnel not included) left the TWSE and its subsidiaries this year, resulting in a turnover rate of 7.01%, up from last year's 3.03%. The main cause was an increase in those who have reached mandatory retirement age.

  
  

  

  
  
  

  

Workplace equality

The TWSE and its subsidiaries have established adequate management approaches, promotion programs, training, grievance channels and related policies, to build internal cohesion within the company and make workplace equality a reality. In a friendly workplace, each employee can safely and happily perform to their full potential.

The TWSE has taken many measures to achieve workplace equality. First, the TWSE respects the various backgrounds of our employees, and encourages all employees to live up to their fullest potential at the company. Second, the TWSE provides equal opportunity for training and promotion, empowering employees on their path to success. Furthermore, the TWSE has in place a fair compensation policy that ensures employees' pay is not affected by gender, race, religion, or other factors.

To maintain workplace equality, the TWSE also provides training courses focusing on issues related to human rights and gender equality, aiming to raise employees' awareness and understanding of these issues through training courses, lectures, seminars, and other activities.

Our initiatives in implementing workplace equality are detailed below:

• Training for human rights related issues

  The TWSE is on the front lines of maintaining order in the securities market; as such, regulatory compliance is our first priority. In addition to strict implementation of laws and regulations, the TWSE regularly holds briefings on gender equality and prevention of workplace violence or unlawful infringement. Each year, training courses are held to promote awareness of issues such as gender equality, sexual harassment and workplace violence prevention.

  
  

  In 2022, the TWSE conducted training for human rights related issues, focusing on sexual harassment prevention and gender equality issues. To assist employees in enhancing their ability to protect themselves and stamping out incidents of sexual harassment, the TWSE held five sessions during April and May introducing the training course "Happy and Equal Workplace" focusing on communication in the workplace, prevention of workplace violence and sexual harassment. These training courses were well received and saw a total of 570 participants. The TWSE will continue to offer related courses to raise awareness of such issues among employees and reduce the risks of unlawful infringement in the workplace.

  
  
  



• Sexual harassment prevention, related grievance mechanisms and handling procedures

  The TWSE and its subsidiaries established the "Regulations for Workplace Sexual Harassment Prevention Measures, Grievances, and Penalties" to prevent and handle sexual harassment incidents in the workplace, provide a work and service environment free of sexual harassment, and protect the rights and privacy of the parties involved. The regulations provide appropriate measures to prevent, correct, punish, and handle reports of sexual harassment. Contents of the regulations include a definition of the scope of sexual harassment, the structure of a sexual harassment grievance committee, grievance and remedy mechanisms, review procedures, duty of confidentiality and counseling or medical referral services. With regard to protecting the parties involved, personnel that participate in the investigation are obligated to maintain confidentiality. Those found in violation face severe penalties in accordance with the regulations, along with the relevant measures are published on the TWSE's internal network for the reference of all employees.

  
  

  There was one report of sexual harassment in 2022. A sexual harassment grievance committee was convened to investigate this case and found the allegation to be false.

  
  



• Directions for prevention of unlawful infringement in the performance of duties

  The prevention of workplace violence is just as important as the prevention of sexual harassment to the cultivation of a friendly workplace. The TWSE has established directions for the prevention of unlawful infringement in the performance of duties, establishing the formation of an investigatory team and follow-up procedures in the case of an employee complaint of workplace violence. There were two reports of workplace violence in 2022. After investigation, one case was withdrawn and the other found to be false.

  
  
  



• Training for hazard prevention and communication skills

  To effectively curb the occurrence of workplace violence, the TWSE will regularly conduct the following education training courses:

  
  
  

  Risk assessment surveys concerning workplace violence will be conducted prior to and after the educational training courses, in order to judge employees' awareness of issues related to workplace violence and serve as a basis for risk analysis and outcome evaluation.

  
  

A safe workplace

To prevent occupational accidents and ensure employees' safety and health, the TWSE has established the Occupational Safety and Health Committee. In accordance with Article 34 of the "Occupational Safety and Health Act," the TWSE and TDCC have established the "Safety and Health Work Rules" to maintain and improve the occupational safety and health of employees.

• Occupational Safety and Health Committee

  The TWSE Occupational Safety and Health Committee, headed by the TWSE President, is convened each quarter. Labor representatives comprise three of the nine committee members, with labor and management working together to promote a healthy and safe workplace culture. The Committee's main duties are: propose improvements upon the TWSE's drafted health and safety policies; review, coordinate, and make recommendations regarding health and safety matters; carry out health and safety educational training; and review the job site monitoring plan, evaluating results, and steps for improvement.

  
  



• Occupational safety training sessions

  To facilitate all workers to understand and abide by occupational safety and health related laws and regulations, and to prevent accidents and occupational accidents from occurring, the TWSE and its subsidiaries require all employees to receive safety and health training necessary for their work in accordance with the "Safety and Health Work Rules." The TWSE held a diverse range and number of sessions, such as disaster prevention and response, fire safety, and emergency drills, to strengthen employees' emergency prevention and response capabilities. In 2022, the TWSE held a total of ten hours of fire prevention drills and emergency training with 367 people in attendance.

  
  



• Work-related injuries

  The TWSE also takes work-related injury rates into consideration in its assessment of workplace health and safety policies. In 2022, two work-related injury incidents were reported in accordance with the "Occupational Safety and Health Act," both of them were traffic accidents on the way to work or back to home. The TWSE reported the incidents to the occupational safety and health management entities when employees requested leave, and reached out in concern when employees were sick or injured, even making visits to those who were hospitalized. If an employee requests more than one day of leave for a work-related injury, the case is reported to the competent labor authority in the following month.

  
  

  

Training and performance review

• Five types of training

  The TWSE values the career development of its employees and provides suitable professional training courses tailor-made for different learning objectives to enhance their capabilities. In addition, the TWSE offers its employees a wide range of managerial courses, including financial ethics, personal data protection, information security and more. There are also a variety of health and wellness courses to promote employees' physical, mental and spiritual health.

  
  

  The TWSE offers different approaches to providing training courses, including internal training, e-learning, and assigning employees to external training courses. Employees can also apply to attend external training courses. The TWSE aims to comprehensively enrich the professional experience and knowledge of employees through regular and ongoing training, the sharing of learning resources, and in-company discussions.

  
  

  To assess the results and optimize the planning of training courses, as well as enable employees to more effectively absorb and utilize the information learned, the TWSE assesses and evaluates all training results in the human resource management system, which compiles and analyzes the data by the number of times, hours, and participants of each type of course. Training assessment also includes in-class tests, assessment tests, self-assessment, performance review and interviews.

  
  
  



• Employee training hours

  In 2022, the average training time of TWSE employees and its subsidiaries was 92.77 hours, increasing by 4.23% from 89 hours in 2021.

  
  

  




• Performance review

  To accurately evaluate employees' work performance and offer proper development in their career growth, which will drive business development, the TWSE and its subsidiaries all have established annual employee performance review mechanisms. All TWSE employees and its subsidiaries conducted these reviews in 2022. To ensure the fairness and reasonableness of performance reviews, the TWSE and its subsidiaries have established internal policies for grievances to protect employees' compliant rights.

Labor relations

• Collective agreement

  In 2015, the TWSE signed a collective agreement with the labor union in accordance with the "Collective Agreement Act" to protect labor rights, interests and employee benefits, promote labor-management harmony, enhance work efficiency and pursue sustainable development. The agreement covers articles related to labor rights stipulated in labor laws, offering labor law courses for new employees, talent recruitment, providing the labor union with an on-site office and personnel, and periodically convening labor-management related meetings as required by law.

  
  

  Upon the conclusion of the first collective agreement in 2018, both sides convened a special committee to negotiate the second collective agreement. After four years of collective bargaining, the TWSE and the labor union reached an agreement and held the second collective agreement ceremony on May 3, 2022.




• Labor union participation rate

  The labor union is an important organization for protecting labor rights and interests and communicating with management. The TWSE is open-minded with regards to participation in the labor union, and the rate exceeded 93.77% in 2022. This not only shows that employees take their work rights seriously, but also that they seek to jointly pursue growth with the Company.

  
  

  




• Labor-management communication

  As the TWSE always values the rights and well-being of its employees and respects their opinions and voices, it is committed to establishing a solid foundation for harmonious labor-management relations with the labor union. Labor-management meetings are convened on a monthly basis (the "Labor Standards Act" only requires quarterly meetings), with 12 meetings held in 2022. There are nine labor representatives and nine management representatives. Both labor and management representatives will each nominate one person to serve as co-chairs. Labor representatives are all employees who do not hold management positions. The meetings are convened for the purpose of facilitating communication and cooperation. Actual agendas are based on the labor-management issues proposed each time, such as improving labor relations, working conditions and employee benefits. In 2022, the most pressing topic related to the TWSE's response to the post-pandemic era, including how the company flexibly adjusts various activities.

A happy workplace

• Employee benefits

  The TWSE and its subsidiaries truly believe that the quality of employee benefits is key to having employees work without any worries and live a happy life. Hence, a wide variety of benefits are provided through arrangements made by the Employee Welfare Committee to ensure that every employee is properly cared for.

  
  
  



• Implementing workplace health management

  The TWSE understands the importance of the physical and mental health of its employees, and provides various health promotion activities with its subsidiaries to raise employees' awareness of proper health concepts, such as nutrition and first-aid techniques, to prevent health issues and maintain employee well-being.

  
  
  



• Promote healthy leisure activities

  The TWSE understands that leisure and recreation outside of work can have positive impacts on the physical and mental health of employees, thus establishing the Employee Welfare Committee Club Guidance for the operation of clubs. The TWSE also provides subsidies for clubs. The TWSE currently has 14 clubs (including those for table tennis, badminton, golf, softball, cycling, Tai chi, yoga, Buddhism studies, basketball, board games, choir, photography, fitness and billiards) which convene regularly scheduled activities and annual meetings, enriching the lives of employees outside the office and achieving the goal of maintaining employees' physical and mental health.

  
  
  
  

  To enhance internal cohesion and promote sports, the TWSE organizes an annual sports meet each year and encourages employees to bring their families to join. This event achieves team building and allows family members to become better acquainted with the TWSE community as a whole. The 2022 sports meet was conducted at Dahu Park on November 5. In years when pandemic measures were not implemented, the TWSE invites retired employees to the year-end dinner party every year to show gratitude for their contributions to the TWSE, which also expresses the TWSE's human-focused corporate culture.

  
  

  The TWSE offers a wide range of exercise classes to promote physical and mental health, including rhythmic aerobics exercises, introduction to using workout equipment, planting workshops, healthcare, and stress relief seminars. These activities received enthusiastic responses and were well-received by the employees.

  
  

  




• Childbearing and childcare support measures

  The TWSE and its subsidiaries established a thorough childbirth benefit plan for before, during and after childbirth, including a flexible work schedule, childcare allowance, and holidays that are better than the Labor Standards Act, allowing employees and their families to receive proper care.

  
  
  
  

Embracing society

The TWSE has been committed to engaging in various charitable activities for decades in order to fulfill its corporate social responsibility. Substantial resources have been contributed to talent cultivation, sports, art and cultural promotion, those providing care for the vulnerable, and education for the disadvantaged. Referencing the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (the "SDGs") and 169 targets, the TWSE has identified that its charitable contributions align with the following six SDG goals: SDG 1 "No poverty," SDG 2 "Zero hunger," SDG 3 "Good health and well-being," SDG 4 "Quality education," SDG 8 "Decent work and economic growth" and SDG 13 "Climate action."

Among these, care for the disadvantaged is of particular concern. Through supporting charitable fundraising and continued funding for social welfare organizations that the TWSE has been involved in for many years, the TWSE seeks to embody the spirit of community engagement. In addition, employees are also encouraged to participate in volunteer service and social welfare activities. By joining hands with all corners of society, the TWSE continues to spread benevolence and care, doing our utmost to offer warmth and heartfelt kindness to make Taiwan a better place for all its citizens.

Talent cultivation

• Financial Services Education Fund

  In 2015, the TWSE began to donate TWD10 million each year to the Financial Services Education Fund established by the Taiwan Financial Services Roundtable (the "TFSR"). In 2022 a total of nearly TWD 100 million was raised, part of it was spent on scholarships for students with superior academic performance from low-income households to help them earn a university degree. The remaining funds were used to promote fundamental financial education to vulnerable students, so they may have the opportunity to acquire financial knowledge and understanding.

  
  



• Financial Literacy for Youth ("FLY") courses

  In 2015, the TWSE began to participate in the FLY courses organized by the TDCC. The program offers a series of professional financial training courses and sharing of experience aimed at economically disadvantaged college and university students, and has proven effective in helping vulnerable young students enter the financial industry, raise their competitiveness and improve their lives.

  
  



• College of Global Banking and Finance

  In 2022, the TWSE joined forces with the Taiwan Financial Services Roundtable and the Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance to promote the College of Global Banking and Finance. Working with National Sun Yat-sen University's School of Banking and Finance, as well as National Chengchi University's College of Global Banking and Finance, the TWSE helps to nurture the necessary talents to develop Taiwan into a major center for corporate financing and asset management in Asia.

  
  



• "Capital Market ESG Ecosystem – ESG Talent Cultivation" courses

  The TWSE and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy, Tamkang University, Tunghai University, and Cheng Shiu University held the "Capital Market ESG Ecosystem – ESG Talent Cultivation" courses. This series encourages the private sectors and universities to focus on sustainable development and promote talent cultivation and research in this area, thereby assisting corporations to successfully manage their greenhouse gas emissions and practice sustainability. The ultimate goal is for Taiwan's businesses to incorporate ESG into their corporate values and competitive edge, leading the world in achieving a future of net-zero emissions.

  
  

  Sports, art and cultural promotion

  
  
  



• Presidential Office Building Light Show and Formosa New Year's Eve Concert

  The TWSE donated TWD1.8 million to the General Association of Chinese Culture, which organized the 2022 Presidential Office Building Light Show and Formosa New Year's Eve Concert, which highlight the government's policy of supporting the development of Taiwan's creative industry. The light show incorporated elements of Taiwan's traditional and folk art, reigniting the deep love we all have for Taiwan through a powerful and moving visual and auditory feast. The Formosa New Year's Eve Concert was a labor of love for professionals of all fields, including art, film, popular music, classical music, theater, and design. The performances, including student participation and pre-taped segments, were a true testament to the healing power of music that spans generations and transcends time.

  
  



• "Hear the South of Taiwan" charity concert

  The TWSE invited the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra to perform at Lai Yi High School in Pingtung County for around 800 students and teachers from 13 nearby elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. This project, funded by the TWSE for TWD880,000, supports the development of Taiwan's cultural industries. By bringing art and cultural performances to remote areas, the TWSE seeks to inspire gifted students, make art and culture accessible for all, and bridge the economic gap for disadvantaged students and those living in remote areas.

  
  



• Care for the vulnerable

  
  

  MOHW Charity Donations Destined for Social Welfare Funds

  Starting in 2019, to extend social care and expand care for the vulnerable, the TWSE has supported charitable organizations authorized by the MOHW Charity Donations Destined for Social Welfare Funds Administration System, including those that assist families and children in need, the vulnerable elderly and women, the disabled and those in disease treatment. In 2022, the TWSE donated TWD60.85 million to properly registered charitable organizations via the System, benefiting a total of 259 social welfare organizations.

  
  
  



• United Way of Taiwan

  Since 2019, the TWSE has supported social welfare organizations through the United Way of Taiwan, a domestic coalition of charitable organizations. Through careful assessment of the needs of social welfare organizations, United Way of Taiwan supervises the flow and utilization of donations to ensure effective integration of social resources for the most urgent of social welfare organizations and vulnerable groups. In 2022, the TWSE donated TWD18 million in total.

  
  



• Food (Necessities) Bank

  Since 2015, the TWSE has supported the "Food (Necessities) Bank" convened by the FSC. Through a joint donation drive organized by TAIFEX, the TWSE distributes charitable supplies to vulnerable children, elderly individuals, the poor, the disabled, and those in emergency situations to help them overcome economic hardship. In 2022, the TWSE donated TWD6 million and this charitable giving has helped over 1.5 million people.

  
  



• Social assistance funds of 22 county/city governments

  The TWSE has contributed to the social assistance funds of 22 county/city governments nationwide. These funds are not designated for a specific purpose, allowing county/city governments to allocate at their discretion for low-income households, disaster relief, daily living assistance, medical subsidies, or emergency assistance. A total of TWD22 million was donated in 2022.

  
  



• Donate agricultural products to social welfare organizations

  To support farmers and Taiwan's agricultural development, the TWSE purchased high-quality domestic agricultural products and donated them to social welfare organizations. These donations, totaling TWD 2.27 million in 2022, assist the underprivileged while fulfilling the TWSE's corporate social responsibilities.

  
  



Education for the disadvantaged




• School Education Special Savings Account ("SESSA") program

  To continue to strengthen campus public welfare, the TWSE engaged in campus assistance programs through the charity initiative "Love and Care of Financial Institutions for Disadvantaged Students" and to the SESSA on the Ministry of Education's philanthropy fundraising platform from 2018. The funds were used to help economically disadvantaged students by providing basic needs for completing compulsory education, such as meals, after-school care, books and more. The TWSE donated TWD55.88 million in 2022.

  
  



Other charity donations

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