The Bank of Taiwan today (28th) officially issued Taiwan's first wooden credit card - "Green Go Card." Chairperson Jong-Yuan Ling of the Bank of Taiwan led the management team and invited distinguished guests from all sectors and the media to jointly witness this important milestone on the Bank of Taiwan's path to sustainable development. The event kicked off with warm wood music performed by Taipei Percussion, playing the melody of harmonious coexistence between finance and nature for sustainability. Afterwards, Jong-Yuan Ling, Chairperson of the Bank of Taiwan, and Eva Chen, Senior Vice President, General Manager of Taiwan at Mastercard, jointly opened the giant book symbolizing the "Story of Sustainability" and unveiled the wooden credit card, announcing that the Bank of Taiwan has entered a new stage of sustainable finance.
The Green Go Card uses a wooden card certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and carbon emissions from the manufacturing process of the wooden cards are far lower than traditional plastic cards. The natural wood grains in the minimalist design combines aesthetic crafts with the concept of sustainability, making the card aesthetically pleasing while effectively reducing its carbon footprint. The Green Go Card offers a new experience to the credit card market with a new way of combining financial services with environmental responsibility.
The Green Go Card is not only innovative in the materials used, but also provides a variety of rewards to encourage consumers to practice a low-carbon and eco-friendly lifestyle. The scope of rewards covers three major areas: green stores, low-carbon transportation, and support for public welfare. Whether it is the House of Story Wear, Leezen, ComeTrue Coffee, or any one of the more than 30 other green stores across Taiwan, or low-carbon transportation options such as Taiwan High Speed Rail, Taiwan Railway, Uber, and vehicle sharing, as well as mobile payment channels such as Taiwan Pay and Apple Pay, cardholders can enjoy up to an additional 5% cashback.
The Green Go Card closely links consumption with public welfare. The Bank of Taiwan specially has selected 15 charitable organizations that are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including environmental protection, education assistance, care for the disadvantaged, and social innovation, and encourages cardholders to convert every purchase into real support for charity to enjoy an additional 1% cashback. This design allows finance to play a greater role in connecting goodwill in society and promoting sustainability actions.
In addition, the Bank of Taiwan announced that it has joined Mastercard's Priceless Planet Coalition, and will work with international partners to promote reforestation and ecological restoration. At the same time, the Bank of Taiwan pledged to plant 17,250 trees in the first year that the Green Go Card was launched, taking concrete actions to show the responsibility of financial institutions in global climate action.
Jong-Yuan Ling, Chairperson of the Bank of Taiwan, said that the influence of finance is not limited to capital flow, but also guides industries and society to implement the spirit of sustainability. The launch of the Green Go Card symbolizes a new start for the Bank of Taiwan in sustainable finance. Going forward, the Bank of Taiwan will continue to incorporate sustainability concepts into core businesses, such as investment, wealth management, and corporate financing, and will jointly create a competitive and socially responsible sustainable finance ecosystem together with consumers and industry partners.
Looking towards the future, the Bank of Taiwan will continue to expand its presence in sustainable finance, and combine the capabilities of industry, charitable organizations, and international partners through innovative products and strategies to deeply embed sustainability values in society, which will generate stable momentum for Taiwan to move towards a future with net zero emissions.