Sustainability Menu
Sustainability Menu
In response to global concerns on biodiversity and forest conservation, UMC has formulated the “UMC Biodiversity and Reforestation Commitment (signed by Chairman)” to declare the Company’s attitude on protecting natural environment through the supervision and promotion of sustainable governance.
UMC Biodiversity and No Deforestation Commitment
Human economic activities have led to the deterioration of natural environment, loss of biological resources, and endanger the balance of ecosystems. UMC is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its own operations and calls upon its suppliers and value chain partners to jointly support biodiversity maintenance and forest conservation, as well as to promote the well-being of society and planet, and to respond to the challenges posed by climate change
Our Commitments:
Our Action
UMC has been supporting environmental and ecological conservation in Taiwan for a long time. UMC promotes biological diversity and species restoration in the environment, and enhances people’s conceptualization of environmental protection from the two perspectives of conservation and education in the hope of caring for and protecting Taiwan’s native ecology. Since 1999, UMC has promoted greenhouse gas voluntary reduction programs and measures. UMC’s reduction achievements have passed the review of the Environmental Protection Administration, and obtained reduction amounts (i.e. carbon credits) in the GHG Early Action Project stage. Moreover, in 2014, UMC signed its first carbon credit trading plan approved by Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration with Dragon Steel Corporation, and the revenues from the carbon trade were used to launch the Eco-echo Ecological Conservation Hope Project, and to promote The Sauter’s Frog (Rana sauteri) Habitat Conservation Project, Eco Echo Award initiative, and other events to maintain biodiversity successively, enabling the enterprise to co-prosper with the environment and firmly protecting Taiwan’s ecological environment from damage.
Biodiversity Risk Assessment
UMC introduced biodiversity risk assessment in stages, and analyzed the biodiversity risks of Taiwan's operating bases (Own operations, Adjacent areas to own operations) and value chains(Upstream activities, Downstream activities)
In 2022, we use the "WWF Biodiversity Risk Filter" tool and consider industrial characteristics, operating sites factors and Location-specific approach, assess the "Dependency-related biodiversity risks " and "Impact-related biodiversity risks”, We through the company-wide risk identification, give priority to "avoidance" and "minimization" measures for medium and high risks, and reduce ecological impact. UMC has incorporated biodiversity issues into its company-wide risk management process and conducts regular monthly reviews within the disaster prevention team under the Enterprise Risk Management Committee. Water resource dependency risk, pollution impact risk, and relevant regulations are all included in the collective consideration of operational risks.
UMC |
Regarding the risk of dependence on water resources, UMC promulgated the "UMC Water Resources Management Policy and Commitment" as early as 2015, pursuing the maximization of water use efficiency. Over the years, the process water recovery rate has exceeded 80%, which is better than the regulatory standard. In order to reduce dependence on tap water sources, UMC has set water-saving goals in its sustainable strategy blueprint and expanded multiple water sources. It plans to reduce water consumption per unit of product by 30% and use reclaimed water to 40% by 2030, reducing the dependence of operations on natural water resources.
Risk item |
Risk description |
Risk identification |
Water scarcity |
Operating activities rely on natural water resources, excessive use will endanger the ecology |
Medium → Low (after control measures) |
Water condition |
Operations rely on high-quality water resources, if damage to the quality of water resources will endanger the ecology |
Low |
Air condition |
Business activities rely on good quality air, if the air quality is damaged, it will endanger the ecology |
Low |
Note: WWF BRF has total 9 Dependency-related risks. Except for the above 3 items, the other 6 items (including forestry resources, animal and plant resources, soil quality, etc.) are not relate to UMC , so they are excluded.
Assessment Results UMC Taiwan's operating bases are within 2 kilometers of no adjacent global or nationally listed important biodiversity areas. UMC's environmental protection policy aims at zero pollution, in order to meet or exceed the requirements of environmental protection laws and international conventions, and continuously introduce high-efficiency pollution prevention technologies and equipment. change.
Risk item |
Risk description |
Risk identification |
Pollutions |
Operating activities produce air pollution, water pollution, it could endanger the ecology |
Medium → Low (after control measures) |
Protected conserved areas |
Operations in protected areas, key biodiversity areas, or other ecologically important demarcated areas that may damage the ecology |
Low |
Key biodiversity areas |
Low |
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Other important delineated areas |
Low |
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Ecosystem condition |
If the operating activities damage the surrounding ecosystem, it may lead to the loss of biological habitat and the extinction of species |
Low |
Range rarity |
If the operation activities destroy the habitat of rare species, it could cause the number decrease or extinct |
Low |
Note: WWF BRF has total 9 impact risks. In addition to the above 6 items, the other 1 item (invasion of alien species) is not related to UMC, so it is excluded; the other 2 items (land change, deforestation) are excluded because there is no additional risk of impact on biodiversity by the exist factories.
Value Chain |
Evaluation result
Some manufacturers in the value chain are close to important biodiversity areas listed globally or nationally within 2 kilometers of their operating bases. Due to industrial characteristics, some manufacturers’ operations may have risks of water resource dependence, air quality dependence, pollution impact risks, Ecosystem Impact Risk. (Note 1)
Response
UMC has been promoting sustainable supply chain management for a long time. Through auditing and counseling, manufacturers must comply with environmental regulations before becoming qualified suppliers. In response to international attention to biodiversity issues, UMC will incorporate biodiversity and non-deforestation requirements into the supplier code of conduct in 2022, and include them in the supplier self-assessment questionnaire, and continue to strengthen the management of biodiversity risks in the value chain. The Green Award, launched as early as 2016, continues to receive responses from suppliers every year, assisting NGO groups to invest in ecological conservation plans and jointly support biodiversity.
(Note 1: The above-mentioned risks have not considered the factors of control measures)
Eco-echo Ecological Conservation Hope Project |
The Sauter's Frog (Rana sauteri) Habitat Conservation Project (2014~2016) |
The Dashanbei area of Hengshan Township, Hsinchu County, is home to many lush, natural ecologies. The Sauter’s Frog (Rana sauteri) is a unique local species that lives in the mountains, forests, and creeks of the region.
When mating season arrives in October, the frogs will emerge from their hidden habitats, cross roads and rivers, find a mate, and lay their eggs. However, the cars on the roads often kill large numbers of these poor frogs during their mating migration.
The Hsinchu Branch of the Society of Wilderness (SOW) has carried out many in-situ observations, environmental surveys, and ecological tours. In a study carried out in October 2008, the SOW found that over 100 frogs are accidentally killed daily while crossing the roads. Such figures could lead to an irreversible collapse of the frog population and this is why the SOW immediately established a frog protection task force, recruiting volunteers to “help the frogs cross the streets” and get them safely to the other side.
UMC began working with the SOW in July 2014 in The Sauter’s Frog (Rana sauteri) Habitat Conservation Project. It is hoped that human intervention and conservation efforts could help sustain the natural ecologies of the Dashanbei region. This Conservation Project was supported by a fund established by UMC after conducting the first carbon trading transaction in Taiwan. The Project would focus on the 2 major dimensions of ecological conservation and ecological education to provide long-term care and protection for Taiwan's local ecologies.
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![]() Spawning sites |
![]() Environmental factors evaluation |
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![]() Habitat conservation |
Habitat conservation |
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Preserve the wealth of local natural resources |
Ecological stone ditch |
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![]() Working holiday volunteer |
Habitat maintenance |
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![]() Help the frogs cross the road |
![]() Help the frogs cross the road |
The Sauter's frog |
![]() The Sauter's frog |
Liu Yueh-Mei, Director of the Hsinchu Branch, The Society of Wilderness |
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Eco Echo Award (2016~ongoing ) |
In 2016, the UMC Eco Echo Award was established to solicit high-quality ecological conservation projects. And since the 3rd UMC Eco Echo Award, the total prize money has grown to NT$3 million per year, making it the highest prize money in the field of ecological conservation initiated by enterprises in Taiwan. Apart from that, in order to stimulate young students' awareness and understanding about protecting the environment and ecology, the "Youth Environmental Action Award" has also been established since the 4th UMC Eco Echo Award, with the aim to encourage young students to turn their enthusiasm and creativity for environmental protection into practical actions and further bring changes to the environment. In response to global attention on climate change and resource shortages, the 7th Eco Echo Awards added the Green Innovation Award. This award encourages start-up teams to propose solutions for net zero/carbon reduction and resource reclamation. Total prizes were raised to NT$4 million.
In the eight years since the inception of the UMC Eco Echo Awards, 68 ecological conservation and green innovation projects have been implemented across Taiwan. In addition to our own effort, UMC has also linked resources from various parties and combined the power of supply chain partners to realize more outstanding ecological conservation projects.