KGI Life Insurance bags two ESGBusiness Awards 2024 for pioneering education equality and inclusion initiatives

The company has been awarded for its innovative programmes that empower underserved communities in Taiwan.

KGI Life Insurance's commitment to social responsibility and innovation has been recognised at the ESGBusiness Awards 2024, where the company was honoured with both the Education Equality and Access Award - Taiwan and the Inclusion and Diversity Award - Taiwan.

These accolades are a testament to KGI Life’s trailblazing efforts to create a more equitable and inclusive future through its New Leaf Academy and Empowering New Beginnings initiative.

Empowering underserved communities through education

At the core of KGI Life's success is the New Leaf Academy, a semester-long course designed to address educational and economic disparities in Taiwan's rural communities. Created in collaboration with rural universities and local revitalisation groups, the programme goes beyond traditional corporate outreach by targeting underserved students, bridging gaps between urban and rural areas, and offering a sustainable solution centred on education, mentorship, and community development.

Whilst most corporations tend to focus their educational initiatives on top-tier universities, KGI Life’s New Leaf Academy zeroes in on students from underserved universities, making it unique within the industry. This focus exemplifies the company’s mission to democratise access to resources, offering mentorship in crucial areas such as financial literacy and career planning—skills that are often out of reach for students in economically disadvantaged regions.

The New Leaf Academy’s coach-led curriculum stands out for its integration of academic learning with real-world industry application. By involving KGI Life’s employees as mentors and partnering with local revitalisation groups, the initiative ensures that students receive both theoretical knowledge and practical experience.

This hands-on learning model teaches students how to identify personal and financial risks, helping them avoid exploitation driven by short-term economic pressures, and encourages them to develop projects aimed at contributing to the revitalisation of their own local economies.

Students are not just passive participants—they are empowered to take charge of their futures, conceiving and leading projects that contribute to the economic development of their communities. This focus on self-driven community engagement fosters a sense of ownership, responsibility, and pride, which is critical in creating sustainable change.

The success of the New Leaf Academy is tracked through the Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology. The anticipated results of the programme include improved financial literacy, heightened career readiness, and enhanced community involvement, all of which contribute to reducing the educational and economic disparities between Taiwan’s urban and rural areas. By empowering youth in underserved communities, KGI Life is catalysing a movement for economic and social justice that could lead to a more balanced future for all.

The initiative has also established a new standard for how corporate entities can engage in meaningful, long-lasting change through education and community involvement.

Lifting barriers for new residents

Meanwhile, KGI Life also seeks to make new beginnings easier for new residents in Taiwan with its Empowering New Beginnings Initiative, which seeks to address challenges faced by marriage migrants and women.

In partnership with Taiwan New Immigrant Family Growth Association (IMMFA), the Company established a landmark in financial inclusion with its multilingual service initiative, ensuring equitable financial access for all. This way, those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who form the majority of new residents are empowered to approach insurance services in their mother tongues.

In addition to this, KGI Life also offers reminders of policyholder rights in nine languages to avoid language barriers. These initiatives are complemented by its online education platform, on which there are over 15 multilingual insurance knowledge videos to help viewers navigate complex financial jargon, reaching 0.8 million audiences nationwide.

Beyond language services, KGI Life also provides crucial financial literacy and anti-fraud courses to equip new residents with the knowledge to make informed decisions.

The success of these initiatives is evident in their quantifiable results. The company’s financial education programmes have an impressive 100% satisfaction rate and it has trained over 40 seed interpreters, who can shield more new residents’ families from becoming targets of fraud or financial vulnerability. KGI Life likewise empowers over 70 interpreters with specialised knowledge, enhancing their ability to assist in complex insurance matters and paving their path towards obtaining life insurance agent licences.

The recognition from the ESGBusiness Awards solidifies KGI Life’s role as a CSR leader in Taiwan. The company’s focus on sustainable, long-term impact reflects a deep commitment to building a more inclusive and equitable society.

The ESGBusiness Awards recognises companies that excel in sustainable practices, honouring businesses that show exceptional commitment to environmental, social, and governance standards.

The ESGBusiness Awards is presented by ESGBusiness. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding commitment and achievement in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].