Hakka Language Corporate Social Responsibility

To respect the spirit of national cultural diversity and to advance the inheritance, revival and development of national languages, Article 4 of the Development of National Languages Act stipulates that all national languages are equal and nationals using a national language shall not be discriminated against or face restrictions. Article 3 of the Hakka Basic Act likewise stipulates that the people shall be given guarantee on their right to study in Hakka language and use it in enjoying public services and partaking of the dissemination of resources. Owing to historical and environmental factors, at present the Hakka-speaking population is rapidly declining. While in reality Hakka people make up close to 20% of the national population, the promotion of the Hakka language should not be the responsibility of government departments alone. The Hakka Affairs Council encourages businesses to actively incorporate Hakka language and culture in their commercial activities, and to list use of the Hakka language among their corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) sustainability goals, in the hope of creating a society of multiple equal languages.

The Council has come up with corporate social responsibility Hakka-friendly business promotion practices and drafted the “Corporate Hakka Language Social Responsibility Advocacy Plan” through in-depth communication and consultation with enterprises. It is expected to be implemented from 2022 and the design of a “Hakka-Friendly Business” trophy has been commissioned. It was planned at the end of 2021 to recognize Coca-Cola, I-Mei and PX Mart with the award in the hope that these may be a model for private businesses and elicit attention and response in the corporate world with regards to this issue. In addition, starting with the emblematic public enterprises (such as Chunghwa Post, Taiwan Water Corporation) that took the lead as examples in 2021, businesses related to people’s livelihoods will provide multi-faceted services in national languages with pluralistic thinking to demonstrate the diversity of the nation’s languages and cultures.