Since Low birth-rate is a unique and critical sustainability issue for Taiwan, the mission of the FFA is to cooperate with the government, medical professionals, research institutions, NGOs and other stakeholders to find and promote solutions to support a healthy and sustainable population development, in particular, falling birth rates, an increasingly ageing population, and to create a family friendly environment in Taiwan.

The link between population and sustainable development
Taiwan's birth rate has been sharply declining for the past 70 years. Today, the average birth rate is 1.05 children per woman, which is much lower than the fertility replacement rate of 2.1. The decline in the birth rate has resulted in a shrinking labour force, an increase in the ageing dependent population, rising healthcare costs and a mounting public service burden, which will further impact the overall economy. The reasons for low fertility are very complex and involve aspects of social economics, healthcare, culture among others.

Based on the United Nation's goals to promote human progress and sustainable development, the FFA aims to partner with foreign and local industry players to create family friendly workplaces, advocate relevant policies to address low fertility & ageing to realize a future of population sustainability, talent sustainability, enterprise sustainability and economic sustainability.

Family friendly workplace to support family building and talent acquisition
The alliance will urge the employers to take actions and commit to creating Diverse Equitable and Inclusive (DE&I) organisations and family friendly workplaces to help their employees to maintain a better work-life balance, which will help corporations to, attract and promote talent, improve their corporate image, and promote enterprise sustainability. Recommended actions, for example, include more flexible working hours and working patterns, providing fertility subsidies, childcare subsidies, family care leave, IVF treatment leave and relevant supportive measures and policies.

Among other activities, the FFA conducts research, organises workshops, seminars and forums and shares information on subjects including reproductive health, IVF, maternal and child health, disease prevention, vaccination, nutrition, healthy ageing, and showcases best practices that support work-life balance, such as flexible working and workplace policies, childcare, aged care and parental leave.

The alliance has set up working groups focusing on:

1. Family planning & healthcare awareness promotion

2. Cross industry family friendly workplace best practice sharing

3. Population sustainability policies advocacy

ECCT Family Friendly Alliance partners with multiple stakeholders such as government, industry, academia, medical experts and non profit organisations to advocate for:
 
- Population Sustainability issues including low birth-rate and demographic challenges should be positioned as Taiwan's National Sustainability Priority.
- Family friendly corporate and government policies for the workforce and workplace to develop and retain talent.
- Support for pregnancy, childbirth, childcare and aged care.
- Advanced healthcare service management and payment reforms to reduce the disease burden and improve health outcomes.
- A future-ready vaccination ecosystem and innovative medicine to tackle the impact of Taiwan's ageing population and low birth rate.

INDUSTRY & SUPPORT COMMITTEES

The ECCT currently has 29 industry & support committees where advocacy is the primary objective. Committee members collaborate to advance common industry-wide advocacy issues, primarily by drafting recommendations in annual position papers, which are presented to and discussed in ongoing dialogues with government agencies throughout the year.

Advocacy issues primarily address technical barriers to trade (TBT), market access and alignment with European and international standards. In addition to advocacy, committees also arrange networking and best practice sharing events, forums and seminars, in collaboration with the ECCT’s best practice platforms.

CROSS INDUSTRY PLATFORMS

The ECCT currently has 2 cross industry platforms, the Low Carbon Initiative (LCI) and the Family Friendly Alliance (FFA). The platforms serve to work with key leaders to showcase and promote the extensive and diverse expertise within ECCT member companies and their contributions to addressing issues of significance and importance. The platforms afford members the opportunity to furnish practical best practises for relevant government agencies and stakeholders to consider when formulating solutions. Additionally, they serve as avenues for the dissemination of softer approaches aimed at echoing the pivotal and significant issues brought forth within the ECCT committees.

The platforms collaborate with government, industry and NGOs by facilitating and organising events, activities and publications that enhance awareness of global issues, trends and solutions. Activities include large-scale summits, conferences, forums, seminars and cross-industry networking opportunities.

- Support for pregnancy, childbirth, childcare and aged care.
- Advanced healthcare service management and payment reforms to reduce the disease burden and improve health outcomes.
- A future-ready vaccination ecosystem and innovative medicine to tackle the impact of Taiwan's ageing population and low birth rate.