TAIWAN: Cathay Financial Holdings Achieves Carbon Neutrality Verification Across 4 Headquarters and 23 Branches

Cathay Financial Holdings achieves carbon neutrality verification across 4 headquarters and 23 branches.

Driving Climate Leadership with Carbon Reduction, Green Energy Transition, and Carbon Offsetting to Reach Net Zero by 2050

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, March 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As a leader in climate action, Cathay Financial Holdings (Cathay FHC) has reaffirmed its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2024, Cathay FHC initiated its "Carbon Management Year One" campaign, implementing internationally certified

carbon neutrality practices across its operations. This initiative is based on three strategies: "green operations," "green energy transition," and the "usage of first-purchased carbon credits ." As a result of these efforts, the headquarters of Cathay FHC and its subsidiary Cathay Life Insurance, Cathay United Bank, and Cathay Century Insurance—along with three Cathay United Bank branches, 13 Cathay Securities branches, and 7 Cathay Securities Investments Trust branches—have achieved PAS 2060 organizational carbon neutrality verification. This milestone earned Cathay FHC six international carbon neutrality certificates, marking a significant step in its journey toward net zero.

Reduction Through Green Operations
Cathay FHC has transformed its workplace model by incorporating resource-sharing principles to minimize energy use. The adoption of flexible office spaces, combined with a shift from desktop computers to virtual remote laptops, has eliminated reliance on fixed workstations, significantly improving space efficiency and energy savings. By digitizing energy data and optimizing energy allocation, the group reduced its annual energy consumption by 3.8% in 2023—equivalent to saving approximately 4.33 million kWh compared to the previous year.

Green Energy Transition with "Green Leasing 2.0" Initiative
As the biggest landlord in Taiwan, Cathay Life Insurance considers itself the “Green Landlord” and pioneered the "Green Leasing 2.0" initiative, streamlining green electricity procurement and reducing administrative burdens for tenants, green energy providers, and government entities. In 2023, the initiative supplied over 17 million kWh of green electricity to the group's headquarters and branches, accounting for more than 96% of the group's total green electricity consumption. Cathay FHC aims for 100% green electricity usage across all headquarters by 2025 and at all operational sites in Taiwan by 2030.

Carbon Offsetting for Residual Emissions
To address residual emissions, Cathay FHC invested in international carbon credits. In 2023, echoing the commencement of the Taiwan Carbon Solutions Exchange’s (TCX) transaction platform, Cathay FHC became one of Taiwan's first financial institutions to purchase carbon credits through TCX, with a transaction value exceeding USD 200,000. These credits support projects in renewable energy, forest conservation, and community development, fostering both global carbon reduction and local economic and ecological co-prosperity. Going forward, Cathay FHC plans to align internal carbon reduction projects with annual decarbonization targets while strategically utilizing carbon credits to sustain carbon neutrality.

To drive its sustainability efforts further, Cathay FHC has introduced an internal carbon pricing mechanism supported by responsive application guidelines. This initiative integrates the cost of emissions into procurement and energy-saving competitions, encouraging departments to manage resources responsibly. By fostering a unified commitment to carbon reduction, Cathay FHC is advancing steadily toward its 2050 net-zero target. These strategic measures not only pave the way for a sustainable future but also establish a benchmark for the financial industry in climate action and environmental stewardship.