Employees form the core of the financial service industry. FFHC has not only established a brand image of sound management in the minds of the general public but is also working actively to build a "happy workplace." We have long adhered to our philosophy of "employees are the company's most valuable asset." We are committed to creating an ethical, transparent, caring and cooperative working environment for employees. Employees are also encouraged to realize their full potential and create value.As of 2024, the number of full-time employees in the group is 10,317 (591 foreign personnel (including 89 new employees), 6,178 female employees, 4,139 male employees, female to male ratio of approximately 6:4, managerial personnel account for 17.0%, female managerial personnel account for 49.11%, the proportion of female managers and employees is higher than their male counterparts; The proportion of senior management hired from domestic residents was 100%. Additionally, there were a total of 492 non-employee workers (includes staffers, security, maintenance, and cleaning personnel) at the Group in 2024.

To catalyze the development of innovative financial products and services, we recruit top professionals with a background in business management, information science, science and engineering, law or psychology. Since 2014, we have recruited more than 400 professional personnel and high-level managers with related digital technology expertise such as information safety management, big data analysis, social media management, and Internet marketing management. In coordination with the global strategy of dedicating recruitment efforts in the ASEAN region, the search for talent also continues in overseas locations across the U.S. and Europe. The addition of an overseas group when hiring reserve managers has resulted in the active recruitment of talent with language skills such as English, French, German, and Spanish into the operations team to implement an elite talent cultivation policy based in diversity.

On the other hand, the Company focuses on the observable professional capabilities of employees as well as their internal personality traits to predict the future job performance of employees. As such, a variety of digital tools have been introduced for this purpose, such as: AI video interviews and talent assessment systems to improve the efficiency of talent selection and act as a basis for refining human resource development. In order to understand the leadership potential of employees, the bank introduced the Career Personality Aptitude System (CPAS) for the selection of deputy manager reserves in 2014. The result of aptitude tests provides an objective assessment of managerial capabilities and were given to interviewers for reference and improving the identification of professional ability as managers. Starting in 2016, the test was also implemented into the selection process of core reserve talent (MA).

The Group recruits new employees each year, embracing multicultural diversity without restrictions on school, major, age, class, or gender. In 2024, we recruited a total of 687 new employees, with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 6:4. Our overseas operations also prioritize providing employment opportunities to local residents, highlighting our group's commitment to cultural diversity and inclusion. In 2024, all subsidiaries employed people with disabilities at rates that met or exceeded the standards set by regulatory authorities, and they received the same salary and benefits as regular employees.

FFHC evaluates the impact of ESG risk factors on the Group's operations in the establishment of business locations, new business development, loan investments, procurements, planning of business strategies, and human resource development.The human resource management risk graph drawn up based on the 22 selected evaluated factors in 2024, with the vertical axis as incidence probability and horizontal axis as the impact on company operations, is as follows. The 10 factors designated as medium to high probability incidence were categorized as those requiring risk management.

In 2024, due diligence investigations were conducted to identify the occurrence rate and impact level of major issues such as "occupational safety and health management", "information security", and "major infectious diseases" to establish and implement plans that can mitigate relevant risks and their impact on this Group, such as: In response to natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires and geopolitical risks of overseas operating locations, the task group method is used to form crisis management teams that seek solutions to prevent the risk of interruption to operations in the event of a crisis or disaster.

First Financial Holding has established a comprehensive employee training program, covering onboarding for new hires, foundational and advanced professional development, and leadership pipeline cultivation.For the selection of managerial personnel, the process includes relevant training courses and assessments, as well as one to two rounds of interviews and 270-degree evaluations involving supervisors, peers, and subordinates, to comprehensively assess candidates' management and leadership competencies.

To further enhance managerial capabilities, targeted training programs are provided based on different management levels, focusing on communication skills, problem-solving in managerial contexts, and overall improvement in management quality.

Regarding employee training, active participation in training courses and obtaining certifications required for relevant business operations are encouraged, as well as the submission of innovative work proposals. Professional certifications are considered a bonus item in the annual performance evaluations, and adopted innovative proposals are rewarded with bonuses. The Group also organizes a variety of professional training, online training, internships, language training, internal certification testing and management competency training. To acquire new financial knowledge and understand the latest industry developments, personnel are frequently sent to attend training courses organized by professional training bodies.

Utilizing a 3 by 3 grid matrix approach factoring in things such as talent appraisal and performance potential, we are able to discover talented people with high performance or high potential within the Bank. We have customized the "Individual Development Program" which caters to different professional backgrounds, language proficiency levels and competency analysis. We also continue to work with external professional training organizations to enhance various professional financial competency in order to facilitate job rotations and help employees with their transition and growth. For example, we have cooperated with the Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance and Taipei Foundation of Finance to conduct professional competency training on overseas reserve personnel in areas such as foreign exchange derivatives, trust, compliance and AML. We have also purchased and installed online courses and learning platforms focusing on diverse management and soft power at the workplace, providing a variety of courses and learning channels. Furthermore, we have also conducted various professional training and foreign language courses independently, as we strive to enhance our language, business and diverse management capabilities while grooming reserve professional talent for our overseas operations. To enhance our employees' digital banking literacy, we would arrange for our employees to take part in external FinTech training courses and seminars. As of the end of 2024, we had conducted a total of 15,659 hours of FinTech-related courses internally, with 9,233 attendees in total. First Securities and First Securities Investment Trust arrange professional training courses such as pre-service training, on-the-job training, and business seminars through related business associations and the Securities and Futures Institute. Courses arranged for our new recruits include the Group's history, ESG policies, our group development strategy, and corporate image, as part of our efforts to increase corporate culture alignment. For professional courses targeting overseas reserve personnel, we would invite external lecturers to teach cross-cultural communication and management, disagreement situation identification and relevant responses and communications, in order to improve their adaptability and work efficiency. We would also arrange our overseas branch employees to return to Taiwan for training, so that they understand the latest business regulations and policy directions. To enhance our employees' professional capabilities and organizational cohesiveness, we have incorporated the mentor-protégé guidance system and team-based learning into our training courses for new recruits, business personnel and executives, in addition to arranging senior employees or executives to act as mentors to help their students familiarize themselves with business activities as soon as possible, develop professional skills, and pass on hands-on experiences and corporate culture. Since 2022, we have promoted the "First Good Buddy" guidance system, where employees with positive characteristics are arranged to act as new hires' guidance counselors, in an effort to strengthen their workplace adaptability and interpersonal connections. Allowances for dining out are also provided to promote exchanges. Based on our survey of new recruits in 2024, their level of satisfaction with the First Good Buddy system reached 92 points (out of 100). A team-based learning system has also been adopted into our courses on executive leadership and the transition to digital banking. Through approaches such as panel discussions, project rehearsals and experience exchanges, we seek to promote knowledge co-learning and practical connections, in addition to improving team cohesiveness. To assess the effectiveness of training, the Group's subsidiaries use the Kirkpatrick Model and Human Capital ROI to evaluate changes in employee behavior, attitudes, and job performance after completing training programs.

To enhance employee learning efficiency, 494,715 employees participated in internal and external training courses in 2024, with an average training time of 62 hours. Among these,