As the global transition toward sustainability accelerates, The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank and the Taiwan Impact Investing Association (TIIA) co-hosted the “Family Sustainable Legacy and Impact Investing Forum.” The forum was moderated by Francine Wu, board director of the Taiwan Impact Investing Association (TIIA) and Chair of the Pension Fund Association, R.O.C. It brought together leaders from the financial industry, family office representatives, and venture capital founders, including Li Tan (Co-founder and Managing Partner of Audacy ), Lawrence Yen (Founding Partner at MIH Climate Impact Venture Capital), and Vincent Lee (Director of PwC Taiwan), to discuss how family businesses can respond to sustainability transformation through ESG integration, governance reform, and climate technology investment.
The forum opened with remarks by Ching Tsung Huang, First Deputy Executive Vice President of Customer Finance Department at The Shanghai Commercial & Savings Bank. He emphasised the bank’s long-standing commitment to impact finance and its role as a key partner in corporate sustainability transformation, supporting enterprises in adopting low-carbon and energy-efficient solutions to enhance overall sustainable competitiveness.
Ray Chen, Vice Chair at Taiwan Impact Investing Association (TIIA) , noted that impact investing is an investment strategy that combines financial returns with positive social and environmental outcomes. He further highlighted three core themes of the forum:
- Redefining “value” by integrating impact into investment decision-making,
- Embedding sustainability across generations through institutionalisation,
- Strengthening long-term governance structures.
Experts at the forum reached a consensus that climate technology is a central focus. Rising carbon costs, tightening regulations, and increasing energy demand are transforming climate risks into core business risks, driving growth in sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and alternative materials. At the same time, the rapid advancement of AI is significantly increasing energy consumption, further underscoring the urgency of sustainable solutions.
The discussion also emphasised the importance of governance frameworks and talent development. Establishing family constitutions, family offices, and trust mechanisms helps align long-term objectives, while cultivating next-generation leadership through external exposure and ongoing value dialogue is critical for successful succession.
In conclusion, the forum highlighted a key shift: the future competitiveness of family enterprises will no longer depend solely on financial performance, but increasingly on their ability to generate sustained social and environmental impact over the long term.
