Taipei: Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corp. (TDCC) attended the International Corporate Governance Network’s (ICGN) 30th anniversary conference in Milan, Italy this week, marking its first participation since joining the organization last year.

According to Focus Taiwan, TDCC Chairman Lin Bing-hui, who attended the event in person, mentioned that the conference, held from October 21 to 23 at Bocconi University, offered a platform to align Taiwan with global corporate governance trends. Founded in 1995, ICGN has over 300 members from more than 40 countries, collectively managing more than US$90 trillion in assets.

Lin emphasized that the conference theme, “Building Bridges, Building Confidence,” aligns with TDCC’s mission to serve as a bridge of transparency and trust between investors and companies. He highlighted TDCC’s digital services, including eVoting, eMeeting, eNotice, and eCounter, which enhance transparency and communication between investors and listed firms.

Lin also highlighted TDCC’s ESG (environmental, social, governance) initiatives, including the launch of its ESG Investor Relations (ESG IR) integration platform and its commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. TDCC has already secured ISO 14068-1 carbon neutrality certification, becoming the world’s first depository institution to meet the standard, Lin said.

ICGN CEO Jen Sisson, who recently visited Taiwan, praised the country as one of Asia’s leaders in corporate governance. In an interview with CNA, she observed that TDCC’s participation offers an excellent opportunity to bring international perspectives to Taiwan and share Taiwan’s experience with the world. Taiwan’s corporate governance evaluation system helps global investors assess companies and encourages higher standards, though several areas for improvement remain, including stronger board independence and greater shareholder engagement, Sisson added.