Assessing corporate sustainability of the ICT sector in Taiwan on the basis of UN Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

After decades of developing corporate sustainability in Taiwan, the ICT sector has assumed the most important role in promoting corporate sustainability. Of the 13 corporations in the DJSI, nine are in the ICT sector. The corporate sustainability programs of such companies should be reevaluated in terms of their contributions to global sustainable development. This study analyzes whether the practices of Taiwanese ICT firms truly respond to global sustainability trends. This study is divided into two parts. First, an evaluating framework based on SDGs is developed using the documents published by SDG Compass and SDG Industry Matrix. The framework is identified from the aforementioned analysis, followed by the application of context analysis. The 9 corporate sustainability reports published by Taiwanese ICT sector firms of DJSI members in 2015 and 2016 are selected from the CSRone platform, which is a local database for sustainability reports in Taiwan. The sustainable actions in the 9 sustainability reports are subsequently assessed by the evaluating framework to demonstrate the corporations' efforts in responding to global sustainable goals. The outcomes of this research provide Taiwanese ICT sector firms with a broad understanding of global sustainable trends and integrate novel concepts into the decision-making process. This study also improves the sustainability of corporate activities or projects for the benefit of global citizens.