WNC and NTU Partner Again for Native Taiwan Saplings Plantation

Hsinchu, April 12, 2024 - As part of WNC's commitment to social action, WNC has been planting seeds of hope for a more sustainable environment for two consecutive years. Following the inauguration ceremony of the WNC Forest Park in Xiluo Township last year, this year, on April 13, WNC's Chairman Haydn Hsieh, President & CEO Jeffrey Gau and upwards of 100 senior managers will plant 1 hectare of native saplings at the Xitou Nature Education Area. This initiative echoes the three major goals of the United Nations' Convention on Biological Diversity: conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. In addition to planting trees, WNC has also embarked on local ecological monitoring surveys, showing its determination to protect and cherish Taiwan's land.

As an experimental forest area renowned for its extensive plantation of Japanese cedar, the Xitou Nature Education Park has made great contributions to the research of tropical and subtropical plants. Unfortunately, the sweet tree bark of Japanese cedar attracts squirrels to gnaw the bark, causing trees to deteriorate from the top down due to an inability to transport water. It is estimated that more than a quarter of the 200 hectares of planted forests has been damaged as a result. This imbalance in the ecosystem has prompted WNC to work with the National Taiwan University (NTU) Experimental Forest Management Office to build a more environmentally-friendly and robust biological chain. WNC's Chairman Haydn Hsieh expressed, "It is the responsibility of all businesses to do their bit in addressing concerns arising from climate change. WNC is actively promoting low carbon transformation initiatives in pursuit of sustainable development. We are grateful for the expert advice of NTU's Experimental Forest, which allows us to promote carbon sequestration and build a high quality environment for native flora and fauna from the perspective of sustainable forest management."

Director Tsai Ming-jer, head of the NTU Experimental Forest, noted, "This is the first case of collaboration between a university and a company to promote Nature Positive, and we are delighted to see companies joining in. The emphasis on increasing biodiversity also aligns with NTU's proposal of "Biocredit Taiwan" at COP28. We hope to contribute academic research results, and more importantly, increase biodiversity, protect habitats, promote forest healing for health, and increase job opportunities for local residents through eco-tourism." Furthermore, the Xitou Nature Education Park is home to over a hundred species of endemic and unique subspecies of animals, birds, and insects. Unfortunately, a single tree species, Japanese cedar, has caused the forest to become uniform threatening the original biodiversity of the forest ecosystem.

As we plan for the second phase of the WNC Forest Park, in addition to tree planting, we will continue to monitor the ecological development of Xitou, conduct field surveys on mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and butterflies as well as establishing a database, and promoting biocredits. WNC's President & CEO Jeffrey Gau expressed, "Forests nurture countless lives. To protect biodiversity, WNC aims to achieve positive environmental impacts and non-deforestation by 2050. We are committed to actively working with internal and external stakeholders, supporting biodiversity projects, and continuously enhancing stakeholders' awareness of ecological restoration, so we can all maintain a mutually-beneficial relationship with diverse ecosystems."

WNC hopes to inspire its employees to implement sustainability initiatives in their daily lives, and the second phase of the WNC Forest Park is a part of this. WNC's Chief Sustainability Officer Molly Lin explained, "In WNC's ESG development we integrate internal and external resources and sets related implementation objectives. Last year, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) once again emphasized nature-based solutions, calling for joint efforts among nations to address climate change and loss of biodiversity. WNC proactively responds to international issues such as ecological restoration, net-zero emissions, and the gradual phase-out of fossil fuels. In terms of energy conservation and carbon reduction, we aim to achieve a 42% reduction in GHG emissions intensity by 2030 compared to 2022 and to reach 100% renewables usage by 2040. We also participate in carbon reduction initiatives and implement green product design concepts. We expand our influence throughout our supply chain, and task ourselves with contributing to the Earth's sustainable development as we pursue sustainable business operations."