Listening to Stakeholder Concerns and Focusing on the Sustainability Issues That Matter Most
Sustainability management begins with understanding stakeholder expectations. Through stakeholder identification, engagement channels, material topic analysis, and impact assessment, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital identifies the sustainability issues that should be prioritised for management and disclosure.
This chapter explains how the Hospital connects external stakeholder concerns with internal operational priorities and risks inherent in healthcare delivery, and how its material topic management approach provides the basis for subsequent actions and performance monitoring.
Stakeholder Identification and Engagement
With reference to the AA1000 Stakeholder Engagement Standard, the Sustainability Development Management Committee evaluates the relevance of different stakeholder groups to the Hospital’s operations and sustainable development. Following collective review and discussion of the assessment results, five major stakeholder groups were identified for this report: employees, patients and their families, the oversight team, competent authorities, and suppliers/contractors.
Based on the importance of each stakeholder group to the organisation, their key concerns, and their engagement needs, the Hospital has established diverse communication channels and response mechanisms. Through regular or real-time engagement, the Hospital seeks to understand stakeholder expectations and uses this information as an important reference for sustainability strategy development, continuous improvement in operational management, and information disclosure.
The significance of each stakeholder group, together with the relevant communication channels and frequency of engagement, is summarised below:
| Internal / External | Stakeholder | Importance and Significance to the Organisation | Communication Channels and Frequency |
| Internal | Employees | All employees, including full-time, part-time, and contract personnel, are essential partners in the Hospital’s operations. We value their concerns regarding working conditions, remuneration, and occupational safety, and are committed to creating a supportive and stable working environment. | • Labour-management meetings: Regularly • Annual performance evaluations: Regularly • Employee satisfaction surveys: Regularly • Internal employee information website: Real time |
| External | Patients and Their Families | Patients and their families are among the Hospital’s most important service recipients. We value their expectations regarding healthcare quality, safety, and convenience, and are committed to providing care that is safe, compassionate, and responsive to their needs. | • Social Service Office as a support and resource-linkage platform for vulnerable groups: As needed • Intelligent Nursing Support Platform – “Head Nurse Xiao-Nan”: Real time • Hospital website / email / service and complaint hotline / Superintendent’s mailbox / app: As needed |
| External | Oversight Team | The oversight team focuses on the Hospital’s financial performance, returns, and sustainability strategy, while providing professional advice and fulfilling its oversight responsibilities to support the Hospital’s stable long-term development. | • Email / telephone: As needed • Board of Directors meetings: Regularly • Management Meetings: Quarterly |
| External | Competent Authorities | Competent authorities monitor the Hospital’s compliance with laws, regulations, and healthcare-related standards, and oversee the implementation of relevant policies to ensure lawful operations and sound development. | • Official correspondence: As needed • Meetings: As needed • Email / telephone: As needed • Project reports: As required • Regulatory reporting systems: Regularly |
| External | Suppliers / Contractors | Suppliers and contractors provide medical equipment, technical support, and related services and are important partners in maintaining the Hospital’s stable operations, healthcare quality, and workplace safety. | • Email / telephone: As needed • Supplier meetings: Regularly |