Co-organized by the Civil Service Development Institute of the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration, Executive Yuan, and the Taiwan Institute of Sustainable Energy (TAISE), the 2025 Taiwan Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Leadership Forum was held on December 10, 2025, at the Howard Civil Service International House. The Forum centered on the three core dimensions: global trade human rights regulations, intelligent talent development in the AI era, and diverse and equitable governance.TAISEAmbassador Eugene Chien, Chairman of TAISE, noted that international sustainability regulations are evolving rapidly. DEI has ascended from a corporate culture issue to a core governance capability essential for national competitiveness and supply chain resilience.

▲Representatives from industry, government, and academia gathered to discuss diversity. Chairman Eugene Chien (center), Director-General Chun-jung Su of the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration (third from right), Chief Secretary Tzu-lien Tzou of the Ministry of Labor , Advisor Attorney Jennifer Wang of Evergreen International Law Offices (third from left), and corporate leaders united in urging organizations to foster friendly workplaces to drive sustainable operations.

 

Global Human Rights in Supply Chains Become the New Normal: Enterprises Face Pressure to Restructure Governance

Addressing the global trend of strengthening supply chain human rights and due diligence, Ministry of Labor Chief Secretary Tzu-lien Zou pointed out that the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) have formed new thresholds for global trade. Supply chain compliance is no longer just a single-enterprise issue but a critical standard affecting market access. Facing the UFLPA’s new “rebuttable presumption” principle and the CSDDD’s requirement for grievance mechanisms, remedial measures, and value-chain-wide risk management, the Ministry of Labor is launching the Guidelines for Action Plans to Prevent the Prohibit Forced Labor and establishing a cross-ministry counselling mechanism to help Taiwanese enterprises build compliance capabilities and reduce trade risks.

The corporate sector has already begun advanced deployment. Mr. Yin-yen Tseng, Assistant Manager at Delta Electronics, shared the Delta has incorporated “Inclusion” into its core corporate values. Using a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) framework, Delta drives human rights management across global sites and supply chain partners in accordance with RBA standards, while also strengthening personal data governance under ISO 27701. He noted that for Taiwanese enterprises aiming to deepen their international presence, cross-border labor compliance is a competitive threshold that must be addressed.

▲Panel 1: Advisory Attorney Jennifer Wang (center), Chief Secretary Tzu-lien Zou (right), and Assistant Manager at Delta Electronics Yin-yen Tseng (left)

 

AI-Driven Talent Competition: Government and Enterprises Synchronize Layouts for Next-Generation Competencies

Facing the drastic changes AI brings to governance, Deputy Director-General Keng-yu Yang stated that the government has established an “AI Competency Framework” to guide civil service transformation across policy, application and development roles. By adopting a three-stage curriculum, Introductory, Advanced, and Practical, the framework progressively guilds essential skills. To support this, the Executive Yuan recently launched the “AI Civil Service Talent Development Office,” integrating cross-ministry resources to accelerate the realization of smart government.

Mr. Chun-ming, Director at ASE Technology, highlighted the company’s “Digital x Sustainability” strategy at its Kaohsiung plant, which features talent platforms like the AI, Cybersecurity, and Smart Engineering Academy. Covering topics from Python to safety, these initiatives prepare employees for a shift from reactive work to a culture of creativity and intelligence. Mr. Yen emphasized that the future workplace will be defined by technology empowerment, cross-functional collaboration, and talent resilience.

▲Panel 2: Examination Yuan Advisor Fang-yu Kuo (center), Deputy Director-General Keng-yu Yang (right), and Director Chun-ming Yang at ASE Technology (right).

 

Deepening DEI: Gender, Age, and Holistic Care as Governance Priorities

As demographics shift, government and enterprises must innovate systems to address gender, generational, and care issues. Drl Shih-yi Lin, Director at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, noted that an aging society puts pressure on medical and social welfare systems. The hospital uses “Holistic Integration x Smart Innovation” to create continuous care from outpatient to home settings, introducing smart technologies like remote monitoring and digital frailty assessment. Additionally, all hospital staff are required to undergo annual elderly care training to institutionalize holistic care.

At TECO Electric & Machinery, Director His-pi Lin described DEI as a core sustainability pillar. Beyond top-level commitment, TECO embedded gender awareness through mandatory training and manager KPIs. The company sets targets for the ratio of female employees and supervisors, extends leave policies to diverse gender groups, and installs lactation rooms and gender-friendly restrooms to strengthen workplace support.

Addressing labor market changes, General Mnager Ru-ping Lu of Waka Quality Talent Consultants identified age-friendliness as essential for countering low birthrate. Waka focuses on job redesign, retiree re-employment, and cross-generational collaboration to retain senior talents, positioning these sustainability investments as vital for long-term brand resilience.


▲Panel 3: President Ching-ho Chen of National Taipei University of Education (center), General Manager Ru-ping Lu at Waka Consultants (right), and Director Hsi-pi Lin at TECO Electric & Machinery (right).

DEI as Core Governance: A Critical Moment for Taiwan’s Move Toward Sustainable Resilience

Ambassador Eugene Chien emphasized that DEI is more than just a reflection of organizational culture, it is a key indicator of governance capability in the face of shifting global policies, technological transformation, and demographic challenges. From supply chain human rights and AI talent to gender and aging issues, he urges both government and enterprises to adopt a forward-looking approach, rebuilding systems cultivating talent, and driving cross-sector collaboration. He expressed hope that this forum would spark deeper exchange, strengthening Taiwan’s sustainable resilience and global competitiveness.

▲TAISE hosted the 3rd Taiwan DEI Leadership Forum, attracting 644 participants both in-person and online.