Society Care

THSRC and the National Culture and Arts Foundation have once again collaborated to create "The Scenic Soundtrack of Taiwan 2022," an arts project for Taiwan's high-speed rail. The project's core concept of "Unexpected Encounters with Art" is exemplified by the transformation of the Bunun's "Song of Sacrificial Guns Before Hunting," which contains the concept of blessing, into a radio prompt on THSC trains. Singers from multicultural backgrounds have also created the theme song "Slowly and Happy" for The Scenic Soundtrack of Taiwan 2022 in three native languages, combining the ancient ecological characteristics of Yunlin, Changhua, Miaoli, and other places.

In addition to music, the project has launched four limited edition commemorative tickets inspired by vintage cassettes, providing travelers with a collection. The project also features a large-scale sound and light installation art consisting of five LEDs for “The Scenic Soundtrack of Taiwan 2022”, showcasing the art team's in-depth investigation of dynamic lights and shadows of insects collected during their expedition to the ancient paths of the region. Using a special "light body sampling" technique, the audience will feel as though they are on the scene of an ancient trail.

Since 2015, THSRC has been promoting the "THSR ART Together Program" to provide a platform for domestic arts and cultural groups to perform and to increase opportunities for people to participate in and learn about the domestic arts and cultural industry. The program invites schools, art groups, and individuals with performance experience to perform at stations throughout Taiwan. As of the end of 2022, the project has facilitated 588 performances with a total of 17,397 participants at various THSR operating bases. This initiative provides passengers with the opportunity to experience arts and cultural performances up close and promotes the beauty of Taiwan's arts and culture to the public.

THSRC is committed to preserving railway culture and has been at the forefront of collecting railway cultural relics since the construction period. In 2003, the Company launched the "THSR Memorabilia Collection Project" and showcased the collection of cultural relics at the "Taiwan High Speed Rail Museum," which serves as a historical testament to Taiwan's high-speed rail from its inception. The first generation museum was exhibited at the HSR Hsinchu station from August 2004 to the end of October 2006. The second generation museum was opened at the Taoyuan THSR Operation Management Center on January 5, 2017, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the HSR's opening. To date, it has received over 164,505 visits and has become a vital platform for promoting high-speed railway culture and public services.

THSRC has always been committed to supporting disadvantaged groups and has actively collaborated with non-profit organizations. Since 2010, we have partnered with several foundations to implement the “High-Speed Education Endowment Program”, which serves as a fundraising platform. All funds raised are then handed over to the annual collaboration unit for coordinated use. To date, THSRC has organized 13 consecutive sessions of activities, with a cumulative donation of over NT$159 million. This has successfully aided more than 28,000 children in need. In 2022, THSRC and the Children Are Us Foundation raised over NT$11 million to support children with intellectual disabilities in becoming self-sufficient and achieving a better future through study programs.

Since 2012, THSRC has organized a “THSRC Bring Warmth to Winter: Donate Blood, Give Love” at its headquarters and stations at the end of each year. The event has garnered active participation from numerous enthusiastic employees, caring travelers, and the public, adding warmth to society. In 2022, a total of 3,297 people responded to the event, donating 4,823 units of blood. Cumulatively, the event has raised more than 22,743 units of blood, creating a warm atmosphere during the cold winter months when blood inventory levels were insufficient.

Since 2009, THSRC has implemented the “THSRC Smiling Train Program”, collaborating with non-profit and social welfare organizations worldwide to offer free or discounted HSR train travel to disadvantaged individuals. This initiative has enabled them to experience the convenience and efficiency of HSR service while also providing opportunities to explore the unique customs and beauty of various counties and cities in Taiwan. As of 2022, the “THSRC Smiling Train Program” has aided 816 disadvantaged groups, with a total of 145,479 passengers benefiting from the program.

Since 2008, THSRC has been organizing winter and summer “HSR Camp” activities for students. The camp activities are categorized into four groups based on school age: college, high school vocational, junior high school, and national. Each group conducts one tier during the winter holidays and two tiers during the summer holidays, totaling 12 tiers annually. In 2022, 309 students participated in the events, which were well-received. “HSR Camp” not only offers young students an insight into the railway industry but also provides them with the opportunity to learn about railway industry expertise.

To safeguard the habitat and survival of the Pheasant-Tailed Jacana, THSRC has collaborated with government and nongovernmental organizations to establish the “Pheasant-Tailed Jacana Ecological Education Park”. We not only actively collaborate with experts and scholars, but also seek the participation of volunteers. Over the past 21 years, THSRC has invested over NT$68 million in Pheasant-Tailed Jacana preservation. According to statistics from the Wild Bird Society of Tainan, the number of Pheasant-Tailed Jacana groups in the park's habitat has significantly increased from 9 (including females, males, and fledglings) in a single year in 2000 to 105 in a single year in 2022. The expansion of the Pheasant-Tailed Jacana population's habitat area has resulted in a rise in the number of Pheasant-Tailed Jacanas in the Greater Tainan region from 275 in 2009 to 2,603 in 2022, demonstrating the effectiveness of our promotion of Pheasant-Tailed Jacana preservation.

THSRC has not only constructed a “Pheasant-Tailed Jacana Preservation Park” but has also actively promoted ecological education, assisted in the creation of park instruction facilities, and designed display and interactive areas to showcase the effects of restoration efforts. Since its establishment, the “Pheasant-Tailed Jacana Ecological Education Park” has received nearly 273,000 visitors up until 2022. This park not only offers the public an opportunity to learn about the ecology of Pheasant-Tailed Jacanas but has also gained recognition from international ecological conservation organizations, making it a rare and successful example of “coexistence between development and conservation”.

THSRC is actively implementing its corporate ESG strategy and responding to the government's 2050 net-zero transition goal. In 2022, for the first time, it will collaborate with the Council of Agriculture's Forest Bureau to carry out the "Co-planting Beauty – Low-Carbon Sustainable Activity." This initiative aims to have a positive social impact and further the Company's commitment to environmental sustainability.

On April 22, 2022, World Earth Day, THSRC announced its collaboration with the Hsinchu Forest District Office, Tungshih Forest District Office, and Pingtung Forest District Office of the Forestry Bureau to promote station seedling gifting activities. The aim is to actively enhance people's awareness of green consumption and take advantage of green transportation. A total of 3,600 seedlings of Taiwan's native species, such as Vaccinium wrightii Gray, Taiwan camellia, and Chinese holly, were distributed simultaneously at THSR Taoyuan station, Taichung station, and Zuoying station. To reduce the possible waste of traditional plastic pots, seedlings made of environmentally friendly decomposable pulp were used. Additionally, THSRC promotes the use of THSR digital tickets and encourages passengers to contribute to the planet's wellbeing by adopting a green lifestyle.

We collaborated with the Forestry Bureau, Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan to implement a three-year plan aimed at reforesting 1.35 hectares of state-owned forest land in the Xiluo township, Puxin section of Yunlin county, and 5 hectares in Hengchun township, Pingtung county. In early May 2022, the chairman of the board of directors, accompanied by the president and 150 staff members, planted 3,807 saplings of Taiwan's native wind and sand-fixing species, including Taiwanese rain tree, priyangu, neem, Heliotropium arboreum, beach naupaka, and Hibiscus tiliaceus, at the reforestation site in Yunlin. This initiative was undertaken to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to environmental protection.