This article is a direct translation of a piece originally published by the Risk Society and Policy Research Center (RSPRC) at National Taiwan University, a leading institution in understanding and addressing the multifaceted risks facing contemporary society, including environmental, technological, and health-related challenges. Check out the original article here. (Note: the original article is in Traditional Chinese)
The publication of this article on the RSPRC's platform underscores the importance and relevance of our work at DOMI Earth in the field of sustainable development and energy poverty. It is a testament to our commitment to driving positive change and highlights the recognition of our efforts by a prestigious research body. The RSPRC's focus on risk society provides a crucial context for our initiatives, emphasizing the critical need for innovative solutions in community regeneration and sustainability. This collaboration amplifies the impact of our work and also aligns with our mission to create a more equitable and sustainable future.
Energy Prosperity Initiatives
Transitioning from energy-consuming lighting to embracing the concept of collective well-being, moving from governmental collaboration to innovative business model operations for shared value, and from corporate social responsibility to creating win-win ESG practices, DOMI Earth initiates not just a technological intervention but solutions to the underlying adaptive challenges.
The DOMI Earth team has been focused on bringing attention to the issue of energy poverty in Taiwan for nine years, starting with the replacement of energy-consuming lighting in homes. With a mission to balance social welfare, Taipei City launched the Vulnerable Families Energy Welfare Project in 2015. Over four years, the DOMI Earth team visited nearly 3,000 low- to middle-income households in Taipei City, replacing outdated lighting with brighter, energy-efficient LED lights and promoting energy-saving awareness.
Throughout these household visits, we encountered many low-income families using second-hand or donated but outdated electrical appliances. Without the extra capacity to learn and implement energy-saving methods, these families faced high electricity bills directly. Or, due to poor living conditions, they often dealt with electricity theft, poor natural lighting, and dampness, leading to higher expenses from additional lighting, fans, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.
This situation is not isolated but a widespread reality of energy poverty affecting many globally, including both rural and urban areas in Taiwan. The concept of "energy poverty" significantly impacts the daily lives and health of economically and socially vulnerable groups, making them susceptible to "energy poverty" due to inefficient home energy use and lower adaptive capacity to price adjustments. "Energy poverty" involves not only the lack of access to electricity but also the high costs of energy leading to reduced quality of life, increasing living pressures, affecting learning and work efficiency, and posing serious threats to the physical and mental health of family members.
Over the years, serving nearly 6,000 households across five counties in Taiwan, the DOMI Earth team's fate led us to the homes of the Tayal indigenous people in the mountains of Datong, Yilan, for a deep cultural immersion and community understanding. However, this opened Pandora's box to a series of challenges intricately linked to poverty, such as tourist-generated trash, outdated power-consuming appliances, water scarcity, and the lack of future-oriented job options. These are vital issues for rural regeneration, becoming increasingly evident through the Power to Change: Energy Prosperity Project.
Being on the front lines, we felt that many residents had long given up hope for adequate lighting, accustomed to living in dimness or with broken fixtures they couldn't afford to replace. By swapping out energy-saving lights, we not only conducted electricity and safety education but also improved home safety and community interaction opportunities by brightening their living spaces. Moreover, addressing energy poverty is just one angle of intervention; more importantly, it's about fostering resilience among vulnerable families and tribal members, not just swapping LED lights but integrating energy-saving knowledge and practices into their lives, building trust, and tackling long-standing social issues like aging populations, domestic violence, and young motherhood. This process ignites hope for a better future for the tribe and the next generation, opening up to coexistence and shared prosperity.
Launching 'Power to Change' for Sustainable Impact
Starting with government initiatives to find sustainable funding solutions for tackling vulnerable energy poverty, DOMI Earth launched the Power to Change in 2021. The business model called the Minus Plus model, is based on reducing one and adding another. With this model, in collaboration with financial institutions in Taiwan, pushes for consumer paper bill digitalization, reducing bank printing, mailing, and transportation costs. On the other hand, the savings support the DOMI team in helping vulnerable households switch to energy-saving lighting, educating them on the importance of energy saving and poverty alleviation. This cooperative model has created a win-win situation: vulnerable families receive corporate support; consumers can help by digitalizing their paper bills, saving resources for energy-poor household lighting renovations and directly reducing transportation carbon emissions; banks reduce operational costs by using less paper; and the DOMI team drives environmental and social impact through collaboration.
DOMI Earth, with the support of several banks in Taiwan including Taishin Bank, DBS Taiwan, King's Town Bank, Shanghai Bank, and international corporations like IKEA, has demonstrated how innovative collaboration and concrete actions can make substantive contributions to solving the problem of energy poverty. Taishin Bank initiated the paper bill model, with DBS Bank and King's Town Bank generously joining the effort for a better environment and society. Taishin Bank now further supports understanding and research in remote tribal areas, allowing us to deeply comprehend real needs and exert greater change.
Throughout this process, DOMI Earth hopes to inspire not just participation in the predefined plan by bank teams but also through issue awareness and thought on creating larger impacts. Over the years, bank execution teams have become deeply aware of contemporary social issues, evolving from skepticism and unfamiliarity to belief, seeing their role in contributing to societal and environmental matters. Perhaps future corporate product designs can consider more diverse, inclusive perspectives on vulnerability, sparking the enthusiasm of bank teams to engage in this plan. In the journey of sustainable development, it's essential not only to focus on energy and environmental issues but also to care about the people living on it, their opportunities for survival, and the right to pursue their dreams. This transformation is not just about tangible products or activities but about changing hearts and minds, the true path to sustainability.
Through service processes, many unsolvable problems have been identified, and through collaboration with various types of enterprises, we've realized that building broader partnerships is key to achieving long-term goals. Therefore, we especially call on more companies from different fields to collaborate with Power to Change and join DOMI Earth in combating energy poverty, rural regeneration, and climate justice. Let's work together for a better world, where everyone born on this land can live in a better natural environment, have better survival chances, and freely pursue more beautiful dreams.
Taishin Bank Partnership with Power to Change: A Beacon of Hope in Sustainable Banking
Taishin International Bank faced a significant challenge in its digital transformation journey, struggling to encourage customers to switch from paper to digital statements, a move critical for both reducing environmental impact and operational costs. Simultaneously, the issue of energy poverty in Taiwan highlighted families living without adequate lighting, making basic activities like studying difficult for children. Recognizing the need for a holistic solution, Taishin Bank turned to Power to Change, a program designed to forge connections between corporate sustainability efforts and tangible social improvement.
The collaboration between Taishin Bank and Power to Change led to a groundbreaking campaign that not only addressed the bank's digitalization challenge but also used this opportunity to alleviate energy poverty. By leveraging strategic partnerships with NGOs, and corporate allies, and mobilizing a vast volunteer network, Power to Change significantly amplified the campaign's reach and efficacy. This initiative resulted in Taishin Bank achieving $4M USD in annual operational savings and the successful digitization of over 1.2 million customer statements by 2021. Moreover, it illuminated the lives of 360 families since 2018, providing them with the light of hope, as captured in the grateful words of one family, "Thank you, auntie! The house has become so bright." This partnership exemplifies the impactful synergy between digital transformation and social responsibility, driven by Power to Change's innovative approach.
Through service processes, many unsolvable problems have been identified, and through collaboration with various types of enterprises, we've realized that building broader partnerships is key to achieving long-term goals. Therefore, we especially call on more companies from different fields to collaborate with Power to Change and join DOMI Earth in combating energy poverty, rural regeneration, and climate justice. Let's work together for a better world, where everyone born on this land can live in a better natural environment, have better survival chances, and freely pursue more beautiful dreams.
From Broad Collaborations to Focused Impact: The AGC Transition Institute’s Role in Shiangcheng’s Sustainable Journey
As we extend our vision of collaborative sustainability, the AGC Transition Institute exemplifies how tailored interventions can profoundly influence corporate strategies. In the heart of Taiwan, Shiangcheng, a well-established lubricant distributor, exemplifies the transformative potential of these targeted efforts. Through the AGC Transition Institute's Consensus Workshops, Shiangcheng has taken significant strides in aligning its operations with rigorous Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards and embarked on an ambitious path to adopt sustainable practices, aiming to achieve B Corporation status, marking a significant step towards operational sustainability and industry leadership.
This endeavor showcases the pivotal role of social innovation in business and the effectiveness of consensus workshops in fostering a culture of sustainability within corporations. Through the strategic educational efforts of AGC Transition Institute, Shiangcheng has emerged as a model for how companies can drive meaningful environmental and social change, illustrating the power of strategic collaboration and education in achieving sustainable development goals.
Be a Game Changer with DOMI Earth
At DOMI Earth, we're not just talking about change; we're making it happen. Through initiatives like Power to Change and partnerships with forward-thinking entities like Taishin Bank, we’re driving tangible environmental and social improvements. But this journey isn’t ours alone — it belongs to every individual, company, and community aware of our planet's future.
Are you ready to be part of this transformative journey? Whether you're a business looking to integrate sustainable practices, an individual passionate about making a difference, or a social enterprise seeking collaboration, there's a place for you in our mission.
Together, let's make Earth happy! Contact us at service@domiearth.com or fill out this form and we will contact you!
