Far Eastern Group Wins 21 HR Asia Awards for Best Companies to Work for in Asia

　　At the HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia Awards ceremony held on August 14 by HR Asia, a leading Asian human resources media organization, six companies under Far Eastern Group—Far Eastern New Century, Asia Cement, U-Ming Marine Transport, Far Eastern SOGO Department Stores, Far Eastern International Bank, and Big City Far Eastern Shopping Mall—together received 21 awards: six Best Companies to Work for in Asia Awards, five People Transformation Awards, four Sustainable Workplace Awards, three Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Awards, and three Tech Empowerment Awards.

　　The HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia Awards adopt the T.E.A.M. comprehensive assessment model. Through anonymous employee surveys and corporate reviews, the program evaluates corporate culture, talent development, and the workplace environment, making it an important indicator of employer branding and one of the most representative human resources awards in the Asia-Pacific region.

 

Far Eastern New Century Wins Four Awards, Extending Its Winning Streak to Six Years

　　Far Eastern New Century has been recognized as one of HR Asia’s Best Companies to Work for in Asia for six consecutive years. This year, it also won four category awards: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, People Transformation, Sustainable Workplace, and Tech Empowerment.

　　Human capital has become a core indicator in international ESG assessments. As a global leading supplier of recycled polyester, Far Eastern New Century incorporates human rights due diligence, diversity and inclusion, and employee engagement into its corporate governance framework. Its 2025 employee satisfaction survey recorded an overall satisfaction rate of 94%. Based on the survey results, the company has continued to optimize compensation and benefits, workplace safety, and employee assistance programs (EAP), creating a positive cycle of “listening, improving, and disclosing.”

　　In diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), the company promotes equal pay for equal work and policies against discrimination and bullying. It has established a 24-hour multilingual grievance mechanism and conducts human rights training and due diligence at its global operating sites to create a safe, respectful, and inclusive workplace. In talent development, it has introduced leadership assessments and nine-box talent reviews, combined with individual development plans (IDPs), overseas development programs for local managers, and a global succession pipeline to strengthen succession planning for key positions and build sustainable talent capabilities.

　　In response to the AI wave, the company established an Intelligent Transformation Center and an AI Academy. Through AI innovation proposal competitions and hackathons, employees are encouraged to integrate generative AI into daily workflows. The company is also advancing smart manufacturing and autonomous AI management platforms to empower organizational transformation through technology.

　　In addition to multiple HR Asia honors, Far Eastern New Century has received other domestic and international recognition in recent years, including two Gold and one Silver awards at the Brandon Hall Group HCM Excellence Awards, the ATD Excellence in Practice Award, and the 1111 Happy Enterprise Gold Award. Going forward, the company will continue to drive innovation through talent and transformation through technology, working with employees worldwide to build a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable enterprise.

 

Far Eastern SOGO Wins Five Awards, Extending Its Winning Streak to Four Years

　　Far Eastern SOGO Department Stores has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Asia for four consecutive years. This year, it also won the People Transformation, Tech Empowerment, Sustainable Workplace, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion awards, for a total of five honors. The awards demonstrate the results of its long-term investment in talent development, a friendly workplace, and sustainable governance. Chairman Huang Ching-wen said the recognition is a strong affirmation of the company’s efforts in talent development and workplace transformation. A quality workplace should not only provide a safe and equitable environment, but also use technology to improve the employee experience, support continuous learning, and integrate sustainability into daily work.

　　Facing challenges such as labor shortages, cross-generational communication, and digital transformation, Far Eastern SOGO has placed learning at the core of its talent strategy. In 2025, it fully implemented a new job-grade structure and established dual career paths for management and professional positions, allowing employees to grow according to their expertise and career goals. More than NT$7.07 million was invested in training during the year. The turnover rate among full-time employees fell from 23% in 2022 to 14.68% in 2025, indicating that talent development and career systems have gradually translated into employee retention.

　　In technology empowerment, Far Eastern SOGO continues to build digital office systems, upgrade internal administrative systems, and introduce a global job evaluation system to improve work efficiency and the precision of talent management. The company also collects feedback through annual employee engagement and ESG surveys and cross-analyzes the results over the years to turn employee feedback into concrete improvements.

　　To ensure sustainability goes beyond corporate policy, Far Eastern SOGO provides tiered ESG training tailored to different job levels. Through ESG Best Contribution Awards, innovation proposals, and energy-saving competitions, employees are encouraged to turn knowledge into action. Sustainability awareness is also extended to sustainable dining, food and agriculture education, and green consumption, making sustainability a shared language between employees and customers.

　　Far Eastern SOGO also continues to build a diverse and inclusive workplace. In 2025, women accounted for 49.53% of mid- and senior-level managers, while completion of gender-friendly workplace training reached 100%. The company provides reduced working hours for childcare at 80% of regular pay and pioneered a childcare leave position replacement allowance in the department store industry. Going forward, it will continue to deepen talent development, digital empowerment, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable workplace strategies, working with employees to strengthen organizational resilience and create long-term value.

 

Asia Cement Wins Five Awards for the Sixth Consecutive Year, Building a Smart and Sustainable Workplace

　　Asia Cement has been named one of the Best Companies to Work for in Asia for six consecutive years. In addition to maintaining its Gold Award recognition, it won four special category awards this year: People Transformation, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Sustainable Workplace, and Tech Empowerment, for a total of five awards. The recognition highlights its achievements in talent development, building a happy workplace, and promoting sustainable development.

　　The newly established People Transformation Award focuses on how companies respond to AI and digital transformation by helping employees upgrade their skills and develop capabilities needed for the future workplace. Asia Cement has built training systems tailored to different positions, integrating net-zero carbon reduction and AI applications to cultivate employees’ critical capabilities and strengthen managerial decision-making. It was among the inaugural winners.

　　In diversity and inclusion, Asia Cement continues to deepen DEI governance. In 2025, 100% of employees completed human rights training and passed the related assessment. The proportion of female managers continues to rise, Indigenous employees account for 37% of the workforce, and the utilization rate of ceremonial leave reaches 90%. The company also provides three days of volunteer leave and other employee-friendly programs to build an equitable, respectful, and inclusive workplace. At the same time, Asia Cement continues to promote its 2050 net-zero emissions target and support employees throughout their careers, enabling both employees and the company to grow together and earning it another Sustainable Workplace Award.

　　General Manager Lee Kun-yen said that winning awards for six consecutive years demonstrates strong recognition of Asia Cement’s people-oriented corporate culture and the efforts of all employees. In the face of AI and net-zero transformation, the company will continue to combine smart technology with sustainable development, support employee growth, and work together to create long-term value for the company and society.

 

U-Ming Marine Transport Wins for the Sixth Time, Earning People Transformation Award

　　U-Ming Marine Transport has achieved six consecutive years of recognition and, for the first time this year, received the special People Transformation Award, demonstrating its outstanding achievements in long-term talent development and the creation of a high-quality workplace culture.

　　In this year’s assessment, U-Ming scored above the industry average in three key indicators—corporate culture, employee identification, and team engagement—showing that its long-term investment in talent development, organizational development, and employee care has earned strong recognition from employees. In addition to comprehensively upgrading marriage- and family-friendly benefits to help employees build families and raise children with greater peace of mind, U-Ming launched a “Health Passport Certification System” in 2026. The initiative encourages employees to develop healthy self-management habits through balanced diets, regular exercise, and community service, further cultivating a healthy corporate culture and fulfilling its commitment to treating talent as its most important corporate asset.

　　U-Ming has also long focused on ESG and sustainable operations, with notable achievements in corporate governance, talent development, and workplace health and safety. These include receiving the Taipei City Government’s 2026 Age-Friendly Workplace Certification, being named one of Taiwan’s Top 100 Sustainable Model Enterprises by the Taiwan Corporate Sustainability Awards (TCSA), winning the Gold Award in the ESG Transportation and Logistics Sustainability category, being selected for Business Weekly’s “Top 100 Carbon Competitiveness” list, and being included in the FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index.

　　In workplace safety and health management, U-Ming has obtained dual certification under ISO 45001:2018 and Taiwan’s CNS 45001 (TOSHMS) occupational safety and health management systems, establishing a safety and health management system aligned with international standards. The company has also established volunteer leave to encourage employees to participate in environmental conservation, community care, and assistance for disadvantaged groups, providing fully paid volunteer leave based on service hours and putting corporate social responsibility into practice.

　　Looking ahead, U-Ming will continue to deepen ESG governance, enhance talent development systems, strengthen leadership development and cross-generational knowledge transfer, and build a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative workplace. Together with employees, it aims to create sustainable value for business, society, and the environment and steadily advance toward becoming a modern, globally competitive international shipping company.

 

Far Eastern International Bank: A Caring and Happy Workplace Wins Recognition for the Sixth Consecutive Year

　　Far Eastern International Bank continues to invest in three major areas—talent development, employee benefits, and workplace health—to create a happy workplace where employees can develop with confidence and grow together with the company. This year, it was again named one of HR Asia’s Best Companies to Work for in Asia, marking its sixth consecutive year of recognition. The achievement demonstrates its long-term commitment to talent development, a high-quality workplace culture, and sustainable operations, while highlighting its human resources philosophy of building “a caring and happy enterprise.”

　　In response to the AI era, Far Eastern International Bank organizes multiple “AI Digital Finance Seminars” every year to enhance employees’ digital mindset and AI application capabilities. Through “AI Innovation Proposal Competitions,” it encourages cross-departmental collaboration and the integration of AI into workflows. The bank also has systems for developing management reserves, high-potential mid- and senior-level talent, and successors, establishing a complete talent pipeline and clear career development paths that support employees in continuously strengthening their professional capabilities and achieving mutual growth for individuals and the company.

　　In terms of benefits, Far Eastern International Bank offers market-competitive compensation and has long been included in the Taiwan High Salary 100 Index. It promotes flexible working hours, diverse shifts, and leave policies that exceed statutory requirements, while establishing childcare and family-care support mechanisms to help employees balance work and life. This year, it also received the Taipei City Department of Labor’s Friendly Childcare Enterprise Award. The bank places strong emphasis on employees’ physical and mental well-being, providing psychological support and counseling through its Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and organizing health promotion activities every year, demonstrating a culture of corporate care and team cohesion.

　　Going forward, Far Eastern International Bank will continue to build a happy workplace, deepen digital transformation and sustainable development, strengthen corporate resilience and talent competitiveness, and work with employees toward the next milestone.

Big City Far Eastern Shopping Mall: The Only Department Store to Win the Gold Award for Three Consecutive Years, Driving Growth Through Its “Three-Core DNA”

　　Big City Far Eastern Shopping Mall once again received HR Asia’s Best Companies to Work for in Asia Award this year, becoming the only department store and retail business in Taiwan to receive the Gold Award—the highest honor—for three consecutive years. Through ESG initiatives and systematic talent development, it also won the Sustainable Workplace and People Transformation awards. The recognition represents long-term professional acknowledgment of the company’s corporate governance and talent strategies and reflects its steady efforts to deepen organizational culture and employee experience.

　　According to HR Asia’s assessment, Big City scored 87% in employee engagement, while its core managers with more than five years of service scored 91%. It outperformed its peers in open communication, cross-departmental collaboration, recognition, and empowerment, demonstrating a stable organizational system and a workplace culture built on trust. Chairman Lee Ching-fang said the significance of the awards lies not in the honor itself, but in whether the company genuinely responds to people’s needs. Throughout its development, Big City has adhered to the core principles of “people first, technology as a force, and the city as home,” putting ESG principles into daily operations.

　　Big City incorporates three dimensions—integrity and shared prosperity, low-carbon coexistence, and diversity and inclusion—into corporate governance. In talent development, it has established a comprehensive development system covering onboarding training, competency reviews, management development, and individual development plans (IDPs), creating a systematic talent cultivation mechanism. Through the “Big City Big Learning Master Lecture Series,” it promotes cross-generational learning and knowledge transfer to strengthen organizational resilience. Since 2013, the company has sent more than 10% of its employees overseas each year for visits and study tours. The retention rate among participating employees over the past three years has reached 93.3%, indicating a positive link between learning opportunities and retention.

　　Amid the digital and AI wave, Big City has introduced ISO/IEC 27001:2022 information security and privacy management mechanisms while advancing transformation and upgrading and strengthening interdisciplinary learning and digital literacy. Technology is used as a tool to improve operational efficiency and decision-making quality. However, Big City emphasizes that technology is only a tool; people are what determine the warmth of an enterprise. The key to sustainable corporate governance is also not short-term performance, but long-term resilience and values. Its seven consecutive years of recognition as a Best Company to Work for in Asia reflect the daily efforts of every Big City employee and the long-term trust of customers and partners. This foundation will continue to drive ESG development and sustainable business growth toward creating a greater Big Impact.

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