2026.06.28 23:31 Commercial Times Tzu-Ya Wang Shu-Fen Tsai
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The 2026 Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) were held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 26, honoring 69 outstanding ESG-driven enterprises from across Asia. Photo courtesy of Enterprise Asia.
The 2026 Asia Responsible Enterprise Awards (AREA) recognized 69 outstanding ESG role-model enterprises across Asia. Among them, 32 Taiwanese companies received a total of 64 awards, once again making Taiwan the country with the highest number of award-winning enterprises.
William Ng, President of Enterprise Asia, attended the awards ceremony held at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur on June 26 and stated: “The future will not be defined by the technologies we create, but by how we choose to use them. This year’s award recipients have demonstrated that innovation can be a powerful force for regeneration, resilience, and inclusion. By applying technology responsibly, they are creating lasting value for businesses, communities, and the environment, while setting a strong example for the next generation of leaders.”
Organized by Enterprise Asia, the AREA recognizes organizations that demonstrate sustainable business practices, accountability, and long-term value creation, and is widely regarded as a benchmark for ESG and sustainability excellence in Asia. Since 2011, the awards have honored outstanding organizations across categories including Social Empowerment, Investment in People, Health Promotion, Green Leadership, Corporate Governance, Circular Economy Leadership, Corporate Sustainability Reporting, and Responsible Business Leadership.
To reflect the continued evolution of ESG trends, AREA 2026 introduced two new award categories: Responsible Digital Practices and Excellence in Sustainable Investment. This year’s winners were selected from more than 350 participating enterprises through a rigorous evaluation process based on criteria including program relevance, effectiveness and scale of impact, and long-term sustainability.
This year, all three recipients of the Responsible Business Leader Award were Taiwanese business leaders: Simon Chen, Chairman of ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.; Joseph Huang, Chairman of E.SUN Financial Holding Co., Ltd.; and Irene Chen, Chairperson of SinoPac Financial Holdings Co., Ltd. The judging panel recognized the three leaders for their outstanding vision, leadership, and commitment to sustainable business practices.
In addition to the competitive award categories, the organizer also presented Sustainability Emblems to organizations demonstrating long-term commitment to sustainability excellence. The Silver Sustainability Emblem, awarded to organizations recognized by AREA for five consecutive years or more, was presented to Asia Cement Corporation. The Gold Sustainability Emblem, reserved for organizations honored by AREA for ten consecutive years or more, was awarded to Thai Life Insurance.
At this year’s AREA, 32 Taiwanese companies received 64 awards. Over the 16 years since the awards were established, Taiwan has consistently remained the Asian country with the largest number of award-winning enterprises each year, reflecting Taiwan’s continued strong performance in national sustainability development goals across both global and Asian rankings.
In the Social Empowerment Award category, Taiwanese winners included ADATA Technology, Cathay United Bank, Asia Cement, SinoPac Financial Holdings, TTY Biopharm, Standard Chartered Bank Taiwan, and Fubon Life Insurance.
In the Investment in People Award category, Taiwanese recipients included Cathay United Bank, Far Eastern New Century, Regent Taipei, SinoPac Financial Holdings, Big City Far Eastern Shopping Mall, Hotai Finance, Pacific SOGO Department Stores, Taiwan Rayli Corporation, Standard Chartered Bank Taiwan, and KGI Life Insurance.
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In the Corporate Governance category, Far Eastern Department Stores of Taiwan and Vietnam’s ROX Group were recognized for their commitment to transparent governance and corporate accountability. Meanwhile, Taiwan’s CTCI Group and Thailand’s Provincial Electricity Authority stood out in the Corporate Sustainability Reporting category.
In addition, Taiwan’s Far Eastern New Century Corporation and Oriental Union Chemical Corporation received the Circular Economy Leadership Award. Thai Life Insurance and Taiwan Business Bank became the inaugural recipients of the newly established Responsible Digital Practices Award and Excellence in Sustainable Investment Award, respectively.
Ahead of the AREA Awards Gala, Enterprise Asia hosted the 2026 International CSR & Sustainability Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event brought together more than 300 senior executives, business leaders, and sustainability practitioners from across Asia, making it one of the region’s largest sustainability summits.
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This year’s summit was themed “Harnessing Technology for a Regenerative and Inclusive Future”, exploring how digital transformation and emerging technologies can accelerate ESG implementation, drive systemic change, and create new opportunities for sustainable growth through thought leadership and cross-disciplinary knowledge exchange.
Enterprise Asia hosted the 2026 International CSR & Sustainability Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Enterprise Asia Chairman Tan Sri Dr. Fong Chan Onn and President William Ng are pictured with participating panelists. Photo courtesy of Enterprise Asia.
Tan Sri Dr. Fong Chan Onn, Chairman of Enterprise Asia, stated: “The vision brought by technology must be inclusive, and its benefits must be distributed fairly across industries, communities, and economies. By applying innovative technologies responsibly, businesses can drive meaningful progress, create new opportunities for sustainable growth, and generate lasting positive impact for both people and the planet.”
Speakers at this year’s summit included Dr. Niven Huang, Managing Director of KPMG Sustainability Consulting Co., Ltd. in Taiwan; Dr. Surina Ismail, Group Head of Sustainability at IOI Corporation Bhd; and Nguyen Cong Minh Bao, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Green Transition Consulting & Training, GRI Country Manager for Vietnam, and Travelife Country Representative for Vietnam, along with many other sustainability experts from around the world.
AREA 2026 and ICS Summit 2026 were recognized by Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, with support from organizations including the Malaysia Canada Business Council, the Malaysian French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, CGM, CSROne, the Malaysian Danish Business Council, EUROCHAM Malaysia, Green Transition, the Myanmar Business Executives Association, the Thai Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, and the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy.
PR Newswire served as the official news distribution partner; Dailywire.asia and Commercial Times served as media partners; and NIVEA Malaysia was the official gift sponsor of the event.
