Chugai Pharma Taiwan (CPT) initiated an innovative campaign to promote sustainability—the cultivation of millet and the protection of the habitat of the russet sparrow, a protected species, in the villages of the Rukai people in Pingtung. For CPT, the campaign is not only a proactive move to implement its corporate social responsibility, but also a part of its advocacy of environmental protection and responsible consumption.

The millet is an important food crop in the culture of the Rukai. However, in recent years, the Rukai are faced with the waning of their traditional culture and biological diversity, as well as the pressures of realistic market preferences and an aging population, so farmland that was originally devoted to millet has been converted to crops with high economic value, and the culture of growing millet has declined, with 6 to 8 strains of the millet gradually disappearing and in turn threatening the russet sparrow and other creatures. The russet sparrow is an endangered species; it is a protected species in Taiwan, and it is on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In recent years, the deterioration of the quality of the farmland environment has caused habitat loss for the russet sparrow, and it is estimated that the total number of russet sparrows in Taiwan is less than 1,000; the relocation of villages due to the August 8 Flood has further aggravated the issue of cultural imbalance, which has in turn caused serious impact on culture and the environment.

To turn the situation around, CPT decided to offer its support and devote itself to the campaign. The management team led by the Chairman traveled to a Rukai village in Pingtung on March 1, 2024 to take part in the plaque unveiling ceremony of the “Russet Sparrow Millet Restoration Project", a contract farming project whose goals include watershed restoration, preservation of the traditional millet farming culture of the indigenous peoples, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and protection of habitats. A series of concrete actions to realize the above goals has been launched.

Through the adoption and contract farming program, CPT offers support to local farmers in the effort to rebuild the sustainability of the millet culture; at the same time, CPT plans to purchase quality agricultural products made from local millet, such as millet shio koji and sweet fermented millet, in order to revitalize the sale of local agricultural products and promote the development of the villages.

The campaign has not only driven the development of local agriculture and promoted the traditional culture of the indigenous peoples, but also added a touch of color to CPT's innovative sustainability campaign to advocate for responsible consumption and production. Through such interdisciplinary collaboration and a shared concern for traditional culture and the environment, CPT hopes to influence partners and raise public awareness of environmental protection, protected species and local good-quality agricultural products, thereby changing behaviors and enabling a collective effort in sustainable development and the protection of the natural environment.