Overview

For UMC, ESG work is viewed as a long-term investment that offers long-term, sustainable value. Back in 2014, the company sold credits for 2 million metric tons of carbon emissions reduced from its operations to Dragon Steel Corporation, which was Taiwan’s first government-accredited carbon credit deal. Over the past two decades, UMC has invested resources to reduce emissions and invest in the development of green technologies. Leveraging its experience with carbon footprint inventory of wafer products, the company has introduced a life cycle assessment plan to explore more possibilities for low-carbon products. In 2010, UMC became the first Taiwanese company to join the EU Framework Programmes (FP), helping to formulate specifications for carbon footprints in manufacturing processes.

UMC recognized the need for sustainability action early on, and has achieved significant progress. It has been selected as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for 14 consecutive years, and is the first to receive third-party verifications from both the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) in Semiconductor Standards and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). In June 2022, UMC passed a strict audit by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), becoming the first semiconductor foundry globally to obtain this validation.

Mobilizing the entire team is critical in order to achieve ESG progress. UMC does this by embedding sustainability into its corporate DNA through work structures, employee incentive schemes, and talent cultivation. Over the past two decades, the company has treated sustainability the same way it approaches its operations – with precision and a laser focus. By leveraging its resources as a major player in the semiconductor foundry industry, UMC aims to become corporate exemplar in ESG practices and motivate all employees to strive towards a common goal.

Link to the full article:
晶圓製造大廠〉綠色轉型20年，聯電打造神隊友艦隊 | 羅之盈 | 遠見雜誌 (gvm.com.tw)