Sustainability
Salary
We provide a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package to ensure fair and appropriate compensation for our employees. This empowers them to realize their full potential and contribute to a mutually beneficial future for both the Company and its workforce.
- Market Salary Survey: Welhunt regularly purchases salary survey reports from external consultants, which cover salary standards for relevant industries and positions in the market. Additionally, Welhunt actively references the latest information from job portals to gain insights into overall market salary trends.
- Internal Salary Review: Welhunt continuously reviews its internal salary structures and levels to ensure alignment with the market and makes timely adjustments as needed.
Employee benefits
Welhunt is not only committed to providing high-quality employee benefits but also focused on creating a supportive and caring work environment. Our various operational locations strictly comply with local regulations and often go beyond legal requirements to offer a diverse range of benefit programs. These programs are designed to meet the varied needs of our employees, helping them effectively balance work and life, reduce work-related stress, and enhance both productivity and well-being.
Welhunt’s benefits package is comprehensive, including but not limited to statutory employee insurance and leave benefits, holiday bonuses to celebrate festive occasions, housing allowances for expatriate employees, well-stocked snack cabinets, relaxing afternoon tea breaks, and other thoughtful special benefits. These measures not only care for the physical and mental health of our employees in the workplace but also address their holistic needs in daily life, ensuring that every employee at Welhunt feels genuinely cared for and respected.
Benefit measures provided by Welhunt Group
| Basic | Labor and health insurance, group insurance, parental leave, paternity leave, annual paid leave, menstrual leave, occupational injury leave, unpaid leave, and pension contribution |
|---|---|
| Education | Subsidies for employee training courses, external courses, and certifications |
| Food and beverages | Snacks, automatic coffee machines, fruit, milk, lunch allowances, and weekly afternoon tea |
| Group | Employee travel, group recreational and sports activities, departmental gatherings, and birthday parties are all important aspects of fostering a positive work environment and promoting team building within our Company. |
| Cash gifts | Marriage, childbirth, and funeral allowances, hospitalization condolence funds, bonuses and gifts for significant holidays, birthday gift vouchers, and year-end bonuses. |
| Others | Annual health check-ups, housing allowance for expatriates, flexible working hours, a comfortable office environment, and weekly outdoor sports days on weekdays. |
Taipei and Kaohsiung snack cabinets
Monthly birthday party
Company Vehicle Transportation for Employees and Their Families for Medical Needs
To enhance employee well-being, starting in 2024, company vehicles will not be limited to business trips but will also be available for employees and their immediate family members for medical needs. This initiative aims to reduce the burden on employee families and ensure the health of employees and their loved ones. Welhunt’s company vehicle service covers both initial medical visits and follow-up appointments, and it includes major urban areas such as Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Kaohsiung, and Tainan. Through this program, the company is committed to creating a more compassionate work environment, promoting the health and well-being of our employees.
Childcare measures
We prioritize employees’ childcare needs and implement various childcare measures in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. This enables them to achieve a harmonious work-life balance. We provide maternity and paternity leave to our employees, allowing parents to have ample time with their newborns. Furthermore, we have implemented a flexible working model, including flexible working hours, to assist employees in achieving a harmonious balance between their professional responsibilities and childcare obligations. The objective is to assist employees in maintaining job security and achieving a work-life balance during the period of childcare. We are dedicated to fostering a compassionate work environment that supports employees and their families. We remain committed to enhancing and adapting our childcare policy to provide sufficient support and benefits throughout the childcare period.
Unpaid parental leave status
| Year | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender/Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total | Male | Female | Total |
| Number of people who are qualified to apply for parental leave (A) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Number of people who applied for unpaid parental leave during the year (B) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of people who should be reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the year (C) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of people who were reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the year (D) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of people who were reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the prior year (E) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Number of people who continued to work for one year after being reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the prior year (F) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Reinstatement rate after unpaid parental leave in the year (%) (D/C) | N/A | 100% | 100% | N/A | 50% | 50% | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Retention after reinstatement from unpaid parental leave during the year (%) (F/E) | N/A | 100% | 100% | N/A | 100% | 100% | N/A | 100% | N/A |
Note:
- Number of people who should be reinstated = Number of people who planned to be reinstated from unpaid parental leave during the year
- Number of people who were retained in 2022 = Number of people who were reinstated in 2021 and who are still in service as of December 31, 2022
- Reinstatement rate after unpaid parental leave in the prior year (%) = (Number of people who were reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the prior year) /Number of people who should be reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the year) * 100%
- Retention after reinstatement from unpaid parental leave during the year (%) = (Number of people who continued to work for one year after being reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the prior year/Number of people who were reinstated from unpaid parental leave in the prior year) * 100%
- N/A: There were no employees to be reinstated after parental leave or there were no employees who continued to work after reinstatement from the prior year.
Employees who were not reinstated or resigned within one year after reinstatement all did so due to family factors.
Professional training
As our organization continues to experience rapid growth, we are proactively recruiting key talent externally and concurrently bolstering the professional knowledge and skills of our employees through internal training initiatives. We continue to offer a range of learning resources to help employees handle various job challenges. These resources include orientation training, on-the-job training, information security training, and competency enhancement training. Furthermore, we encourage employees to engage in overseas rotations and inter-departmental projects in order to broaden their global perspective and improve their capacity for cross-departmental collaboration and horizontal connectivity.
In addition to internal training, we encourage employees to participate in external certifications and courses. We also provide subsidies based on the relevance of these certifications or courses to their work. The Company also frequently procures a variety of the latest books that employees can borrow. We believe that these training programs will not only enhance employees’ work performance and improve their professional skills, but also assist them in achieving their personal growth goals. This, in turn, will contribute to the sustainable development of the Company.
The book area
Kaohsiung
Taipei’s office
Introduction to training resources
| Learning resources | Trainees | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation training | New employees | New hires undergo training provided by the Human Resources Department on their first day of employment. This training includes an introduction to the work environment, an overview of the Company, information on organizational culture, and an introduction to the employee code of conduct. |
| On-the-Job Training, OTJ | New employees | We provide guidance and training from senior employees to help new hires quickly familiarize themselves with the work content and industry knowledge. Additionally, departments convene periodic departmental meetings to foster a shared understanding of tasks and responsibilities. |
| Information security training | All employees | All employees participate regularly in information security testing and training. Additionally, we send monthly e-newsletters to safeguard trade secrets, client information, and employee personal data. |
| ESG Newsletter | All employees | Given the paramount significance of sustainability issues for individuals, businesses, and the global community, we support our colleagues in staying informed about current domestic and international ESG-related news. We accomplish this through the monthly distribution of newsletters, enabling them to swiftly grasp relevant trends and new insights. |
| Competency enhancement training | All employees | Through both internal and external training, we strive to enhance employees’ soft skills and knowledge, enabling them to effectively tackle challenges by applying practical examples. This, in turn, leads to improved work performance. |
| Overseas rotation training | Certain employees | We send exceptional employees abroad as expatriates or for overseas rotation training in order to explore new markets and establish a local presence. We enhance their management skills and international vision by providing overseas rotation training, transforming them into top talents with strong international mobility skills. |
| Interdepartmental project training | Certain employees | Some large projects necessitate collaboration between different departments. To facilitate this, we engage external consultants/instructors to provide guidance to our employees. This enables them to swiftly acquaint themselves with the project and task specifics, thereby enhancing the overall execution. Includes ERP, greenhouse gas inventory, ESG reports, etc. |
| Various books | All employees | We regularly procure the most recent Chinese and English books for employees to borrow at their discretion, enabling them to gain new knowledge. |
| External certifications and courses | All employees |
|
Number of training hours
| 2022 | 2023 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managerial positions | Non-managerial positions | Managerial positions | Non-managerial positions | |||||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Total number of persons | 13 | 13 | 43 | 40 | 16 | 12 | 51 | 42 |
| Total number of training hours | 157.3 | 377.8 | 397.3 | 435.4 | 231 | 498.3 | 437.7 | 687 |
| Average total number of training hours (hours/person) | 12.10 | 29.06 | 9.24 | 10.89 | 14.438 | 41.53 | 8.58 | 16.36 |
Examples of training
Trade Operation Department
Annually, we invite external instructors to provide professional training sessions to the Documentation Department team members, in accordance with the Company’s business requirements. This practice has greatly contributed to their professional growth and job performance. The courses comprised seminars on reviewing and following guidelines for bulk carrier documents, drafting, revising, and reviewing English business contracts, and workshops on analyzing letter of credit and reviewing documents.
These courses enabled them to acquire essential skills in reviewing and analyzing letters of credit, enhancing their ability to verify the accuracy and compliance of documents. This, in turn, effectively mitigates the risk of recovering receivables associated with letters of credit. Meanwhile, they could familiarize themselves with the rules and standards of the International Chamber of Commerce and apply them to propose real-time solutions for addressing problems and disputes in practical transactions. With increased knowledge and skills, the Documentation Department team members can enhance their efficiency and effectiveness, thereby facilitating trade activities with clients and ensuring the Company’s trading security. By participating in these courses, employees can enhance their professional skills and develop alongside the Company.
All employees
[Speech topic: The Importance of ESG for the Sustainable Development of Enterprises]
Sustainable development is not only a crucial subject for enterprises, but also the fundamental factor for the survival of humanity. In December 2022, we invited Professor Li Hung-Yuan, a renowned expert on sustainable cities and former Minister of the Interior, to deliver a two-hour keynote speech to all our employees worldwide. This included the Board of Directors, senior managers, and general employees, with the aim of enhancing their understanding of ESG. The speech addressed topics such as extreme climate events, resilient smart cities, small hydroelectric power plants, the UN SDGs, carbon neutrality, carbon credits, and emerging sustainability trends in Europe and the United States. He discussed sustainable development issues from multiple perspectives, inspiring all employees at Welhunt in every aspect.
Business Department and senior managers
We place significant emphasis on international exchanges and learning among our team members. To facilitate this, we regularly organize international trader meetings that bring together traders from around the globe. These meetings also involve the participation of senior management level and department heads.
During the meetings, the international team members exchange information on the most recent developments and market conditions in different countries. They also share their firsthand experiences, which helps to ensure that our trading team is equipped with up-to-date market knowledge and skills. On the other hand, non-business department members who attend these meetings can gain insight into the challenges and needs faced in different countries’ markets by personally listening to the traders’ sharing and experiences. This, in turn, promotes collaboration. The Documentation Department, Finance Department, and other departments can then provide more timely and effective support for the Commercial Department’s relevant affairs.
These crucial meetings promote collaboration and communication among departments and across borders, demonstrating our dedication to fostering an open and collaborative work environment.
Indonesia – Coal Quality Training
In 2023, the Indonesian subsidiary conducted its first training on coal quality, led by senior colleagues from Taiwan and complemented by external expert instructors. The training covered various topics, including coal characteristics, the processes involved from the mine to the port, coal blending, spontaneous combustion risk prevention, and coal testing methods and procedures (such as inherent moisture, ash content, calorific value, and particle size analysis). This training not only enhanced the professional knowledge of the employees but also helped Welhunt provide higher quality trade services.
Welhunt Declares Its Commitment to the “Talent Sustainability Action Alliance in Taiwan
At Welhunt, talent development is a core objective and foundation of our operations. In response to the evolving trends in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), and to actively fulfill our global corporate social responsibility, Welhunt voluntarily participates in the “TALENT, in Taiwan” Talent Sustainability Action Alliance. This initiative is led by Commonwealth Learning and supported by numerous Taiwanese companies to continuously promote and advocate for talent sustainability.
We are committed to cultivating talent through diverse learning resources and supporting employees in obtaining external certifications and participating in relevant courses. Additionally, we conduct annual salary adjustments based on performance and transparently share our operational results with all full-time employees. Our goal is to establish a competitive reward system that ensures our talent continues to progress in an industry filled with opportunities and challenges.
We aim to ensure that every employee feels the impact of our diverse learning and reward mechanisms, leading to better career development and prospects.
Workplace safety
Compared to the manufacturing industry, which involves numerous factories, machines, and equipment and is therefore more susceptible to significant occupational accidents, the risks in Welhunt’s offices are relatively minimal. However, we still prioritize occupational safety and health. We actively monitor workplace safety through regular maintenance of water dispensers, monthly elevator safety inspections, inspections of firefighting facilities, and participation in emergency escape training provided by the building committee. This training covers topics such as evacuation routes, escape methods, fire extinguisher practices, and fire hose operation. Our goal is to mitigate risks before they arise.
Smoke detector testing
Emergency lighting repair
Monthly regular elevator security inspection at the Kaohsiung office
Workplace Safety Awareness
We have acquired ergonomic chairs and implemented a system of regular internal email reminders to encourage employees to take breaks and engage in stretching exercises. This is to address common office issues such as a sedentary lifestyle and prolonged screen time. Additionally, employees have the option to request standing-desk converters from the Company to enable them to work while standing. Meanwhile, we use green fences, green walls, and potted plants to add a touch of comfortable green to the office environment.
In 2023, Welhunt Group experienced two occupational safety accidents. These incidents involved car accidents that occurred in Kaohsiung while our employees were commuting to work. Fortunately, all injuries sustained were minor, resulting in a maximum absence of half a day for medical treatment. We extended our condolences to the injured individuals and provided them with assistance in filing for labor insurance. We prioritize safety not only within the workplace, but also during employees’ commute to work. We acknowledge the significance of traffic safety during commute hours and emphasize the importance of cautious driving and attentiveness to our employees. With that, we aim to increase their awareness of traffic safety in order to collaboratively establish a secure work environment.
Employee occupational injuries in 2023
| Total Working | Work-Related Accidents | Fatality Rate Due to Occupational Injuries | Serious Occupational Injury Rate (Excluding Fatalities) | Recordable Occupational Injury Rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Fatalities | Number of Serious Occupational Injuries | Number of Recordable Occupational Injuries | ||||
| 433,515 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% | 0% | 4.61% |
- Notes:
- Fatality Rate = (Number of fatalities / Total working hours) * 1,000,000
- Serious Occupational Injury Rate = (Number of serious occupational injuries / Total working hours) * 1,000,000
- Recordable Occupational Injury Rate = (Number of recordable occupational injuries / Total working hours) * 1,000,000
Fire Drill
Welhunt continues to strengthen employees’ safety awareness and emergency response capabilities by organizing a fire drill at the end of 2023, incorporating it as part of the company’s sustainable development initiatives. This year’s training was provided by the Third Division, Dazhi Branch of the Taipei City Fire Department and the First Division, Xinxing Branch of the Kaohsiung City Fire Department. The fire drill included a comprehensive range of courses, such as Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), the Heimlich maneuver, the operation of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), and the use of fire extinguishers. These courses not only enhanced employees’ emergency rescue skills but also deepened their understanding of the importance of fire safety. Moving forward, we plan to maintain at least one fire drill per year to ensure that employees can conduct self-rescue and assist others quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency.
Employee Satisfaction Survey
Welhunt prides itself on having a diverse workforce, viewing our employees as our most valuable and core assets. We engage with our employees through a variety of communication channels, including internal campaigns, the establishment of communication channels, regular labor-management meetings, and comprehensive satisfaction surveys, all aimed at fostering a strong dialogue mechanism between labor and management.
Internal Campaigns
In 2023, we launched the campaign “Promoting Workplace Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and Integrity,” encouraging open and respectful dialogue among teams to create a supportive and positive work environment. This campaign emphasized seven key points and reaffirmed the channels for complaints or inquiries. The key points include: prohibiting corruption and bribery, prohibiting bullying behavior, prohibiting sexual harassment, ensuring equal treatment, building respect and trust, promoting empathy and inclusiveness, and facilitating open communication. Through these principles, we are committed to creating a highly inclusive and integrity-driven workplace.
Satisfaction Survey
To enhance overall job satisfaction, we regularly conduct comprehensive employee satisfaction surveys. The 2023 satisfaction survey had a participation rate of 73% and used a scale to evaluate four major dimensions: Company and Team, Manager/Supervisor, Psychological Safety, and Workload and Personal Development.
The survey results showed that the majority of employees gave positive feedback to their managers and supervisors, indicating strong performance by the leadership in terms of support and management. Regarding psychological safety, most employees felt comfortable raising concerns or sharing feedback openly, reflecting a highly open and secure work environment. Concerning workload and development, some departments were reported to have higher workloads. To address this issue, the HR team is actively recruiting to distribute the workload more evenly and to support employees’ career development. We will also continue to strengthen the promotion of policies and corporate values, ensuring timely updates.
Welhunt highly values employee feedback. In addition to conducting online written surveys, we also engage in in-depth face-to-face communication with employees to understand their thoughts on the company and their career development.
Labor-Management Meetings
To promote labor-management cooperation, coordinate labor relations, and reduce conflicts, particularly in matters related to the protection, improvement, and implementation of employee rights, we began planning a labor-management meeting system in 2023. We completed the nomination of employee representatives for the first labor-management meeting in 2023, selecting four representatives—one male and three female—and plan to hold regular labor-management meetings starting in 2024.
We uphold an open, transparent, and inclusive approach, actively listening to our employees and viewing their feedback as a driving force for improvement and growth. We believe that a culture based on respect and trust fosters a collaborative and friendly work environment, enabling every employee to fully realize their potential and strengths. This atmosphere will promote stronger teamwork, inspire innovative solutions, and drive us to work together with our employees to create a harmonious and sustainable company.