Case study: How Inventec reduces the environmental impact of its products
Inventec is a global ICT (information and communications technology) leader focused on innovation and product research and development, whose product portfolio includes notebook and tablet PCs, desktop computers and computer peripherals, personal digital products and mobile devices. Minimising the environmental footprint of its products is, thus, a key priority.
This case study is based on the 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report by Inventec 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
Abstract
Besides complying with the requirements of international laws and regulations, Inventec makes every possible effort to consider consumer health and environmental protection when designing and manufacturing its products. Tweet This! In order to reduce the environmental impact of its products Inventec took action to:
- implement green design
- produce green products
- help customers achieve green product certification
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With this case study you will see:
- Which are the most important impacts (material issues) Inventec has identified;
- How Inventec proceeded with stakeholder engagement, and
- What actions were taken by Inventec to reduce the environmental impact of its products
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What are the material issues the company has identified?
In its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Inventec identified a range of material issues, such as employee welfare, financial performance, customer satisfaction, supplier management, labour laws conformity. Among these, reducing the environmental impact of its products stands out as a key material issue for Inventec.
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 Inventec engages with:
Stakeholder Group | Method of engagement | |
Employee |
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Customer
|
| |
Government agency |
| |
Supplier (including contractor) |
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Shareholder/investor |
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Community | · Suggestions or questionnaire survey proposed by community | |
Reporters | · Questionnaire survey proposed by Reporter | |
Non-governmental organisations | · Suggestions or questionnaire survey proposed by non-governmental organisations |
How stakeholder engagement was made to identify material issues
To identify and prioritise material topics, Inventec obtained feedback from its stakeholders through a questionnaire.
In its 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Report Inventec reports that it took the following actions for reducing the environmental impact of its products:
- Implementing green design
- Inventec integrates aspects such as environmental protection and safety into product development, design and life cycle, as well as into the manufacturing process. The company uses a selection of raw materials and product design of easy disassembly, to reduce products’ environmental impacts while retaining a competitive product price, efficiency and quality. Inventec’s green design strategy means that the company:
- spares no efforts in seeking new ways to reduce environmental impacts
- reduces total energy consumption in the product life cycle
- relieves land burden
- designs products for durability, best operability, reuse, recovery and recycling
- avoids using, in products, raw materials that contain toxic substances
- Producing green products
- Starting in 2006, Inventec has established the “IECQ QC 080000 Hazardous Substance Process Management System” and has, since, been passing 3rd Party SGS validation on an annual basis. In addition, Inventec has established a green number list to strengthen the requirements for manufacturing greener products, including the properties of materials used, which are subject to green product design requirements. In its plants, Inventec uses XRF (X-ray fluorescence) instruments to examine materials entering the production line and also performs spot tests to further prevent incoming non-conforming materials, to achieve the goal of 100 per cent green product identification, green component incoming rates, and green process execution rates.
- Helping customers achieve green product certification
- Responding to environmental protection legal issues in various countries and seeking to provide global customers with more environmentally friendly products and services, Inventec helps customers acquire product green mark certification, including the Taiwan Green Mark, the China Green Mark (SEPA), the China Energy Saving Mark (CECP), the China Energy Label (CEL), Energy Star, and the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT).
Which GRI Standards and corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have been addressed?
The GRI Standard addressed in this case is:
Disclosure 302-5 Reductions in energy requirements of products and services
Disclosure 302-5 Reductions in energy requirements of products and services corresponds to:
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
- Business theme: Energy efficiency
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
- Business theme: Energy efficiency
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Business theme: Energy efficiency
- Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
- Business theme: Energy efficiency
78% of the world’s 250 largest companies report in accordance with the GRI Standards
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References:
1) This case study is based on published information by Inventec, 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) http://www.fbrh.co.uk/en/global-reporting-initiative-gri-g4-guidelines-download-page
3) https://g4.globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx
4) https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/gri-standards-download-center/
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