Case study: How Getac promotes product safety
Getac provides rugged notebooks, tablet computers and hand-held devices as well as mechanical solutions of composite materials, die-casting light metal parts to world-class automotive parts suppliers and aerospace fasteners for aircraft engines and airframes in 80 countries worldwide, with major clients located in the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, and India. Providing safe and healthy products and services, is a commitment and a responsibility Getac has towards its customers Tweet This! – making sure all products comply with the product safety requirements of sales regions.
This case study is based on the 2017 Corporate Sustainability Report by Getac published on the Global Reporting Initiative Sustainability Disclosure Database that can be found at this link. Through all case studies we aim to demonstrate what CSR/ ESG/ sustainability reporting done responsibly means. Essentially, it means: a) identifying a company’s most important impacts on the environment, economy and society, and b) measuring, managing and changing.
Abstract
Getac makes sure that every part of the product development process is strictly monitored, in order to ensure that all of its products not only satisfy international safety regulations and environmental policies, but also meet customer and user expectations. In order to promote product safety Getac took action to:
- limit the use of hazardous substances
- comply with international environmental and safety standards
Subscribe for free and read the rest of this case study
Please subscribe to the SustainCase Newsletter to keep up to date with the latest sustainability news and gain access to over 2000 case studies. These case studies demonstrate how companies are dealing responsibly with their most important impacts, building trust with their stakeholders (Identify > Measure > Manage > Change).
With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Getac has identified;
- How Getac proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Getac to promote product safety
Already Subscribed? Type your email below and click submit
What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2017 Corporate Sustainability Report Getac identified a range of material issues, such as corporate governance and transparency of information disclosure, economic performance, operational risk management, social/economic compliance, information security and customer privacy. Among these, promoting product safety stands out as a key material issue for Getac.
Stakeholder engagement in accordance with the GRI Standards
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) defines the Principle of Stakeholder Inclusiveness when identifying material issues (or a company’s most important impacts) as follows:
Stakeholders must be consulted in the process of identifying a company’s most important impacts and their reasonable expectations and interests must be taken into account. This is an important cornerstone for CSR / sustainability reporting done responsibly.
Key stakeholder groups Getac engages with:
| Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement |
| Employees
| · Performance appraisal · Internal announcement · Employee meeting · Labour management meeting/supervisor meeting/training · Employee consultation hotline |
| Customers/resellers | · Customer service section on corporate website · Non-disclosure agreement · Telephone customer service hotline · Channel partner conference · Consumer service mailbox |
| Suppliers | · Supplier visit · Supplier procurement contract · Supplier audit · Supplier query mailbox |
| Shareholder/investor
| · Shareholders’ meeting/ investor conference · Corporate website · Market observation post system · Investor query mailbox/ hotline |
| Government | · Official documents · Regulatory meetings and training · Seminars |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics Getac engaged with its stakeholders through a questionnaire survey, retrieving 184 questionnaires.
What actions were taken by Getac to promote product safety?
In its 2017 Corporate Sustainability Report Getac reports that it took the following actions for promoting product safety:
- Limiting the use of hazardous substances
- Since establishing a dedicated Green Product Team in early 2005, Getac has been promoting green designs and limited the use of toxic hazardous substances, as well as monitored the latest directions of green initiatives. In recent years, Getac has incorporated sustainability issues into its supply chain management indicators, requesting full compliance of its suppliers. Getac makes sure that the supply chain and manufacturing processes are in line with ethical and environmental standards at all times, in order to protect users’ safety and health. All of the products comply 100% with international environmental directives, including RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances), REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), and SVHC (Substance of Very High Concern). Getac has also installed an online green product management system and classified restricted substances into three categories:
- Class A. There are currently 202 Class A substances, which are substances prohibited or restricted for use in existing products, materials of critical parts, or production processes.
- Class B. Class B substances are prohibited or restricted for use in packaging materials.
- Class C. Class C substances are prohibited or restricted for use in batteries or battery packs and must comply with the restrictions of the EU 2006/66/EC directives.
- For new raw materials, a product inspection report must be provided within two years in order to make sure that the product does not contain any hazardous substances. A new report must be provided every two years, otherwise the system will suspend the use of the material and critical parts involved. Getac Kunshan, which specialises in the assembly of electronic products, MPT Kunshan and MPT Suzhou, which specialise in the production of plastic injection mechanical parts have incorporated the IECQ QC 080000 Hazardous Substance Process Management (HSPM) system for electrical and electronic components and products, and comply with international directives for environmental protection, including the REACH, SVHC, and RoHS, to prevent the use of materials, parts, or products containing hazardous substances which would otherwise impact the ecosystem. The quality assurance division inspects incoming materials from eligible suppliers and, in 2017, all incoming materials passed the inspection, and no hazardous substances were found. Additionally, 100% of the automotive parts produced and metal materials purchased in 2017 complied with the specifications of automobile customers, and were also in line with national environmental protection regulations and the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS).
- Complying with international environmental and safety standards
- In 2017, all of Getac‘s products complied with international environmental regulations. As required by product environmental regulations adopted in the country of origin of the product, electronic products were certified by international safety standards, in compliance with regulations on product safety, radio frequency, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC), and other safety issues adopted in the country of origin (e.g., UL and FCC in the U.S., CE and RED in the EU, and BSMI in Taiwan). Getac‘s products and packages are also labelled with information on safety regulations, energy conservation, and environmental communication certification and, in 2017, there were no violations of product labelling regulations.
Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?
The GRI Standards addressed in this case are:
1) Disclosure 416-1 Assessment of the health and safety impacts of product and service categories
3) Disclosure 417-1 Requirements for product and service information and labeling
4) Disclosure 417-2 Incidents of non-compliance concerning product and service information and labeling
Disclosure 416-1 Assessment of the health and safety impacts of product and service categories does not correspond to any SDG.
Disclosure 416-2 Incidents of non-compliance concerning the health and safety impacts of products and services corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations
Disclosure 417-1 Requirements for product and service information and labeling corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Business theme: Product and service information and labeling
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations
Disclosure 417-2 Incidents of non-compliance concerning product and service information and labeling corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
- Business theme: Compliance with laws and regulations
78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards
SustainCase was primarily created to demonstrate, through case studies, the importance of dealing with a company’s most important impacts in a structured way, with use of the GRI Standards. To show how today’s best-run companies are achieving economic, social and environmental success – and how you can too.
Research by well-recognised institutions is clearly proving that responsible companies can look to the future with optimism.
FBRH GRI Standards Certified & IEMA recognised Sustainability Course | Venue: London LSE
By registering for the next 2-day FBRH GRI Standards Certified & IEMA recognised course you will be taking the first step in gaining the many benefits of sustainability reporting.
References:
1) This case study is based on published information by Getac, located at the link below. For the sake of readability, we did not use brackets or ellipses. However, we made sure that the extra or missing words did not change the report’s meaning. If you would like to quote these written sources from the original, please revert to the original on the Global Reporting Initiative’s Sustainability Disclosure Database at the link:
http://database.globalreporting.org/
2) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
Note to Getac: With each case study we send out an email requesting a comment on this case study. If you have not received such an email please contact us.