ASUS 2020 Sustainability Goals - Supply Chain Management
Use conflict free minerals for our products. 100% of tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold are procured from qualified smelters by 2020
Conflict minerals refer to the metals, namely tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold, mined in the context of armed conflict and human rights violations, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighboring countries in Central Africa. The minerals in these areas are mined by abusing the people who are forced to carry out inhumane mining works in the harsh environment, resulting in problems such as the exploitation of labor, child abuse, environmental damage, and more seriously, direct or indirect funding the military turmoil in Central African region.
Tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold are the four materials essential to the functioning of electronic products. Therefore, corporate shall take its social responsibilities, and through the establishment of management measures to avoid these four metals from originating from conflict minerals.
[Policy]
ASUS has promised to not using conflict minerals from illegal mining in the products, and will safeguard the rights and safety of international mining workers. Through formulating a conflict-free mineral procurement policy, we requires suppliers to preferentially purchase metals from qualified smelters and cooperate with ASUS due diligence investigation to disclose procurement status regarding conflict minerals.
Considering that the status of certifying smelters is becoming more mature and there are sufficient certified smelters for market demand, we hence developed the plan of introducing qualified smelters, and set the target for 100% use of qualified smelters in the supply chain by 2020.
[Objective]
- 2018: 100% of tantalum is procured from qualified smelters
- 2019: 100% of tin is procured from qualified smelters
- 2020: 100% of tungsten, and gold are procured from qualified smelters
[Achivement in 2017]
After ASUS has continued to request the purchase of conflict free minerals, the percentage of using conflict free minerals in the supply chain has increased from 22% to 90% in the past four years; the percentage increased to 97% in 2017. To fulfill ASUS 2020 Sustainability Goals, we set up the target of 100% of tantalum is procured from qualified smelters. According to the results of the 2017 survey, only 7% of tantalum was from unqualified sources. The suppliers that did not use qualified suppliers would complete the conversion to qualified smelters by the end of 2018.
Enhance the corporate social responsibility in supply chain. 100% of key components suppliers pass the audit performed by the 3rd party and are in compliance with the ASUS Supplier Code of Conduct by 2020
The supply chain is the stakeholder that allows ASUS to have the greatest impact on corporate social responsibility, as well as the strategic partner being relied heavily on manufacturing products and services. Any risk occurring in the supply chain can cause disruptions in supply, and affect not only business operations but even ASUS brand image. Therefore, ASUS has established a Supplier Code of Conduct to reduce risks and strengthen partnerships through the processes of sustainable risk management, including the procedures of identifying, auditing, continual improving, and capacity building.
[Policy]
ASUS has implemented corporate social commitment to protect the labors' human right in the supply chain, maintain operational safety, and reduce environmental pollution. Considering the procuring pattern with the suppliers, characteristics of the industry, and geographical factor, we identify the key suppliers and set the goal of 100% compliance with ASUS Supplier Code of Conduct through onsite audits, continual improvements, and the management of capacity building.
[Objective]
2020: 100% of the key suppliers pass the 3rd party audit
[Achivement in 2017]
In 2017, a total of 10 CSR onsite audit were performed by third-party. In 2017, a total of 10 CSR third-party audit operations were performed. Through continuous tracking and the improvement counseling, 10 suppliers corrected the findings.
Strengthen the supply chain environmental management and establish a supply chain environmental footprint roadmap. The data coverage rate reaches 90% of the products making revenue by 2020
The product life cycle impacts the environment in each stage: raw materials, manufacturing, transportation, usage, and disposal, and the enterprise shall take its social responsibility to reduce the impact. The enterprise shall quantify the environmental impact and estimate the maintenance cost through performing the Environmental Profit and Loss (EP&L), and then set the short-, mid-, and long-term management goals for the items with significant impact.
[Policy]
ASUS is committed to reducing the environmental footprint and creating green high-tech leadership. We execute a thorough inventory on the environmental impacts from suppliers' production processes, and calculate the recovery cost through the monetary valuation of environmental profit and loss, in order to plan for the management programs and set the reduction goals.
[Objective]
- 2018: Complete the EP&L for Notebook Computer, Mobile Phone, and Motherboard
- 2019: Complete the EP&L for Display
- 2020: Complete the EP&L for Tablet
[Achivement in 2017]
Taking the notebook computer as the subject, ASUS completed the environmental profit and loss report, which showed that the impact of the supply chain for notebook computer in 2016 was approximately US$347 million, and the greatest environmental impact came from the water pollution generated during the Tier 3 raw material mining and manufacturing. For more information, please visit ASUS CSR website.