Letter from Chief Sustainability Officer
As HTC's Chief Sustainability Officer since taking office in 2022, we have embarked on a comprehensive and in-depth planning journey towards sustainable development. This includes organizational, strategic, and both software and hardware aspects. We are committed to gradually taking root step by step. After three years of effort, these plans began to show results in 2024, establishing a stable foundation for our 2050 net-zero target.
In terms of organization, we founded a ESG Committee chaired by the Chairman and composed of senior executives from various departments to ensure maximum visibility and priority in sustainable decision-making and execution. Additionally, we set up a dedicated ESG Office responsible for planning and guiding the company's sustainability-related operations, as well as internal and external communications. This not only continues to foster sustainability awareness among all employees but also ensures effective communication with stakeholders.
In terms of strategy, we have carefully assessed the company's current carbon emissions in line with domestic and international regulatory trends, as well as HTC's future core business directions and vision. In 2023, we officially committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. By August 2024, our short-term and net-zero targets were officially approved by the SBTi, making us the fifth technology hardware company in Taiwan to pass this review. We use scientific methods to plan our path to net-zero, adhering to the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C warming target, ensuring our actions align with international standards. We have also developed six key strategies for HTC to achieve net-zero carbon emissions, implementing them step by step with scientific methods.
In terms of software and hardware, we have invested resources in developing and utilizing the latest cloud-based sustainability solutions, establishing an advanced carbon management platform. This platform successfully integrates and digitizes carbon emission-related hardware and software, supporting our sustainability goals. The successful implementation of the carbon management platform allows us to monitor the company's carbon status in real-time and significantly enhances our efficiency in conducting greenhouse gas inventories (ISO 14064-1:2018) and product carbon footprint assessments (ISO 14067:2018). This achievement made HTC the first company in Asia to complete greenhouse gas inventory and product carbon footprint verification using Microsoft's sustainability cloud platform. This success story, co-published with Microsoft, sets a benchmark for other companies in carbon management.
With our comprehensive planning and implementation in various sustainability aspects, HTC won the National Sustainable Development Award again in 2024, becoming the only company to win this honor consecutively in 2023 and 2024. While winning awards is a form of recognition, our primary goal remains to participate in various sustainability evaluations and awards to ensure that HTC's sustainability efforts meet the expectations of national and international communities. The recognition motivates us to continue progressing towards sustainability and net-zero emissions.
Looking ahead, HTC will further implement an internal carbon pricing mechanism strategically to better manage and assess various carbon reduction actions. This will prepare us for potential future external carbon regulatory risks. We are also continuously investing in renewable energy, not only by increasing solar panel installations but also by actively planning renewable energy procurement to implement energy management policies most economically. These initiatives respond to international trends and meet stakeholder expectations.
Finally, we understand that achieving net-zero carbon emissions and sustainable development is an ongoing process that requires long-term commitment, innovative thinking, and strong execution. We will continue to strive to find a balance between environmental protection, social responsibility, and operational growth, contributing to global sustainable development. This is our responsibility and mission as global citizens.
HTC Corporation
Chief Sustainability Officer
Madeline Chen
