Yang Ming Scores Bronze at the 2024 TSAA Taiwan Sustainability Action Awards SDG04 Sustainable Ocean and Reading Project

Since 2016, Yang Ming has aligned with the United Nations' SDG14, aiming to protect and preserve marine resources. We've actively participated in the “Protecting Blue Whales & Blue Skies Vessel Speed Reduction (VSR) Program" spearheaded by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Program (EcoAction Program) spearheaded by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. In 2022, Yang Ming's proactive measures to safeguard blue whale habitats and our voluntary environmental efforts received international recognition, earning us the prestigious Sapphire Award from the U.S. program and the Blue Circle Awards from the Port of Vancouver in 2023. Since joining the Protecting Blue Whales & Blue Skies VSR Program in 2016, Yang Ming's fleet has voluntarily reduced speeds to under 10 knots in the waters off Southern California and the San Francisco Bay from May to December every year. This practice allows whales to migrate safely to these waters for feeding, thus securing a safe habitat for marine life and ensuring the ocean's sustainability. In line with our maritime conservation efforts, the Foundation published the picture book "Yang Yang and Slowly the Whale" in 2023, illustrating the critical link between ship speeds and whale survival. This book was planned in 2022, selected through a competitive process involving both narrative and artistic contributions, and was co-created by renowned picture book author Wangfan Nian and the first-prize winner of the Friendly Ocean Picture Book Contest, Hsiao-Fan Chang.

In 2024, it was honored with inclusion in the Taiwan Pavilion at the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy. To amplify our impact, we have also donated copies of the picture books to 421 elementary schools across Taipei, New Taipei, and Keelung, promoting co-reading in schools. Furthermore, we partnered with six major museums in Taiwan, the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology, the National Science Education Center, the Taiwan Museum, the National Museum of Natural Science, the National Science and Technology Museum, and the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, as well as the Taiwan Cetacean Society, to jointly organize the "Navigating to Sustainability: Picture Book Promotional Tour." This initiative aims to spread the message of marine ecological conservation more widely. This initiative is not merely about promoting a picture book; it's about fostering partnerships to engage more people in sustainable development topics, focusing on SDG13 (Climate Action), SDG14 (Life Below Water), and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals), and spreading marine conservation knowledge throughout Taiwan. From the perspective of a whale, the picture book Yang Yang and Slowly the Whale prompts readers to consider the impact of ships traversing busy marine "highways" on aquatic life. Through the eyes of children, it conveys complex messages about marine conservation and respecting life in a straightforward and engaging manner. By sharing the interactions between marine vessels and marine life, we aim to garner broader public interest in marine ecology and advocate for the protection of our precious aquatic creatures.Through this educational tool, we hope to teach children that every life deserves respect and that every action can impact our shared home on Earth. Yang Ming and the Yang Ming Cultural Foundation are actively leveraging both business operations and philanthropic channels to promote ocean conservation. This not only positively enhances the corporate image but also spreads knowledge about marine preservation and facilitates impactful social communication. By doing so, we engage stakeholders including investors, employees, shareholders, and customers, providing them with insights into Yang Ming's commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable management.