Biodiversity is fundamental to protecting the ecosystem, promoting the well-being of humans, safeguarding our planet, and maintaining economic prosperity.
ASEH is to actively engage with stakeholders to promote biodiversity and responsible environmental activities. We are committed to meeting the established targets of No Net Loss (NNL) and achieving Net Positive Impact (NPI) on biodiversity. We endeavor to collaborate across our value chain to achieve the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s vision of “a world that is living in harmony with nature.”
Ensure that our business operations and value chain activities are not located in globally or nationally designated biodiversity hotspots, or near the surroundings of hotspots and ecotones, to prevent negative impacts on protected species.
If any of our business operations or value chain activities produce any negative impacts on the biodiversity or ecosystems, we will apply the mitigation hierarchy of Avoidance, Minimization, Restoration and Offsetting to mitigate the impacts and work towards the No Net Loss (NNL) target.
Adopt an approach with regional characteristics to periodically assess the dependency and impact on the provision, regulation, support and cultural services of the ecosystems. Regularly monitor and disclose the biodiversity and ecosystem risks from our business operations and activities. Establish strategies for the corresponding actions, targets and goals, and regularly publish reports on the progress and achievements.
Ensure that no deforestation is part of our business operations and activities across the value chain by establishing a system to monitor and strictly comply with international and national forest conservation regulations. Engage actively with suppliers and/or partners on future reforestation to compensate current forest loss (no net deforestation) and work towards the target of ending all deforestation (no gross deforestation) by 2030.
In compliance with applicable policy requirements and in response to the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) initiative, ASEH directed its subsidiaries to conduct nature-related risk assessments at its 26 major manufacturing facilities worldwide. Based on the TNFD-LEAP guidance, we have identified the relationship between our major global manufacturing facilities and sensitive biodiversity areas (Locate); assessed the dependence and impact of each facility’s operations on nature (Evaluate); analyzed the corresponding risks and opportunities based on the dependence and impact path assessment and determined priority risks and opportunities through materiality analysis (Assess); and finally, formulated response strategies, set monitoring indicators and management goals, and published a Climate and Environmental Report (Prepare). The results of the natural risk assessment revealed that one facility in North America and one in Northeast Asia are located next to Category IV habitat/species management areas designated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). However, these facilities are operating in line with local regulations and no significant ecological impact has been observed. Furthermore, it should be noted that the majority of our facilities depend on natural climate regulation to mitigate potential disasters such as extreme temperatures or irregular rainfall, and that waste treatment and greenhouse gas emissions are the main environmental impacts of our factory operations. To manage the aforementioned physical/transitional risks and opportunities, each of our facilities has taken action to mitigate risks and seize opportunities through strategies such as improving energy use efficiency, optimizing water resource management, increasing waste recycling, and striving for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts enable the company to generate profits from its operations while taking into account their impact on the environment, thereby realizing its vision of achieving harmony and coexistence with nature. For more information, see the 2023 Climate and Environment Report.
To implement the company’s Biodiversity and No Deforestation Policy, ASEH directed its subsidiaries to conduct nature-related risk assessments at major manufacturing facilities worldwide. Utilizing the TNFD-LEAP model, we identified the company’s dependence and impact on nature, assessed the corresponding risks and opportunities, formulated response strategies, and ensured transparency by publishing the Climate and Environmental Report.
In alignment with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework’s goal of restoring at least 30% of the terrestrial ecosystems, we adopted mitigation hierarchy measures to comply with regulatory requirements and minimize environmental impact during the construction of a new facility for SPIL, in the Huwei Science Park. Acknowledging that some land use impacts cannot be entirely avoided or mitigated, SPIL is collaborating with the Central Taiwan Science Park Administration Bureau (CTSP) and ecological experts to adopt the adjacent parkland; Park No. 5. This initiative aims to restore biodiversity by planting indigenous plants and creating an environment that is beneficial for the community’s physical and mental well-being.
Aimed at achieving the Net Positive Impact (NPI) policy goals and boosting local cultural and social value, Park No. 5 will be transformed into a model project that combines ecological restoration with social benefits, and facilitates off-site compensation for the environmental impact caused by SPIL. The CTSP has approved the ecological restoration strategy and construction of the ecological model park is scheduled to commence in 2024.