Ministry of Environment to Help Companies Train New ESG Talent via Intern Matching Program

(CNA reporter Wang Shu-fen, Taipei, 21st) Taiwan's Ministry of Environment (MOE) announced today that in response to the global net-zero transition and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) development trends, it is launching the "Corporate ESG Talent Cultivation Program." The program aims to assist companies in preemptively recruiting future talent with ESG literacy by recruiting and matching them with interns.

The MOE stated in a press release that it hopes to help young sustainability talent connect with the industrial frontline. This year, with the core concept of "Corporates X Youth X Sustainable Action," the initiative will pioneer with a "corporate internship" cooperative plan. It hopes to join hands with companies committed to green transformation, introducing motivated young people interested in environmental sustainability issues through the internship mechanism. The goal is to transform the power of environmental education into momentum for corporate ESG growth and to convert key issues like net-zero transition and resource circulation with zero waste into concrete, executable corporate projects, jointly creating new environmental governance actions.

The MOE stated that cultivating net-zero green-collar talent has been a key focus in recent years, with professional courses being successively launched. The new program places greater emphasis on enabling young people to enter corporate internships early, thereby helping them understand career paths, develop skills, and build networks and experience.

The MOE added that it hopes to help companies, in the face of challenges from global sustainability disclosure standards (such as GRI, TNFD), to preemptively recruit new talent with ESG literacy. Through the participation of young interns, companies can accumulate practical green transformation case studies and strengthen their internal and external sustainability practices.

The MOE suggests that participating companies can offer positions based on their needs, such as ESG data organization, assistance with carbon inventory data, research and practice on related environmental issues, execution of environmental education activities, or creation of sustainability communication content. The internship period must include September to October of 2026 for at least two months, with specific hours and schedules to be negotiated between the company and the intern.

To reduce the training burden on companies and ensure internship quality, the MOE has planned comprehensive support and counseling measures, including youth recruitment and matching, workplace skills training, and professional guidance visits during the internship period. It encourages companies interested in promoting green transformation to participate actively.

Companies can register before June 10, and student intern registration will begin on June 15. Related application information and activities can be found on the "MOE Year 115 Corporate ESG Talent Cultivation Prog"