The CTBC Charity Foundation was established in 2004 by then-CTBC Bank Chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr. and with the full support of its parent enterprise, CTBC Financial Holding. The foundation’s mission is to ensure that children from disadvantaged families are able to enjoy a happy and fulfilling life.
We work to foster a volunteer culture across the CTBC group. We also design and run our own social programs, with an emphasis on education and poverty. In all instances, our efforts are driven largely by employees of various CTBC companies, who are encouraged to volunteer by proactive corporate policies.
Our efforts are aimed generally at providing long-term, comprehensive assistance to Taiwan's disadvantaged children and their families.It’s something we see as our responsibility, as reflected by our “We are family” motto. And it’s a responsibility we embrace.
From the Chairman Jeffrey Jr. Koo
“We are family” is more than a slogan.It speaks to a caring, beneficial corporate presence for which we at CTBC Financial Holding have been striving for decades. From our starting point of creating a happy corporate culture, we have sought to have a positive effect beyond our employees – one that touches every corner of Taiwan.
This ideal began with my father, Dr. Jeffrey Koo Sr., who was also the founder of CTBC Financial Holding. His dream was to create a company that valued happiness. With this motivation, he launched the Light Up a Life fundraising campaign in 1985 to raise money to help disadvantaged children accomplish their dreams. It became an annual event and is still running to this day. Watching on since then, including as the CTBC Charity Foundation was established in 2004, I’ve been heartened to see a growing number of CTBC family members identify with my father’s vision and put their belief into action by volunteering.
Another way the CTBC group is benefiting the community is through Taiwan’s public welfare lottery. When we first bid for the rights to operate the state-sanctioned lottery draw, we said we were committed to raising a surplus of at least NT$2 billion a year to go into the government’s social welfare coffers. It was a nearly unconceivable number at that time but one that, through a lot of hard work, we delivered on.
Completely eradicating poverty, whether in Taiwan or elsewhere, is an almost impossible proposition. With these initial actions, however, we have made real differences in the lives of children and their families.
I deeply believe that life becomes more beautiful when we share our good luck and good fortune with others, and I hope you join me in doing so.
