ESG at ESCATEC

Our key objectives are to:

• Ensure compliance with legal and other statutory requirements such as environmental quality legislation, regulations, and global environmental requirements to prevent environmental pollution.
• Commit to continuous improvement to prevent depleting natural resources, reduce energy consumption, and control waste products.
• Identify environmental risks to prevent pollution.
• Promote the 3Rs of natural resources: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• Train and support our staff to ensure we meet environmental objectives and targets.
• Work with suppliers and subcontractors to ensure they are environmentally responsible.
• Support environmental protection of air, water, land, and natural resources.
  

ESCATEC has established an Environmental Management Programme (EMP) to identify, monitor, and control the company’s environmental performance. These continuous improvement programmes are conducted by different Business Units and focus on the following areas:

Our energy-saving efforts have yielded positive results. All our facilities actively try to reduce energy consumption, and we encourage our employees to use resources carefully. We have invested in energy-efficient lighting and air conditioning; for example, our Penang facilities have reduced electric consumption by 30% in terms of KWH per sale. In addition, in 2022, we began investigating a range of renewable energy solutions including the use of solar panels for our Malaysian factories. Our aim is to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030 and this is the first of many projects planned for the rest of our group.

We want to avoid using materials that are harmful to health and the environment, including Rare Earth Elements (REEs). REEs are naturally found in very low concentrations in the natural environment, but near mining and industrial sites, the concentrations can rise to many times the normal background levels.

Our environmental compliance program includes Rare Earth Elements, and we require suppliers to declare and ensure that their parts/components that are manufactured through rare earth elements process are sourced from audited and safe facilities.

We constantly look to improve our REACH and RoHS programmes to ensure that the parts we obtain from our suppliers are compliant. Our due diligence programme often goes beyond receiving declarations from the supply chain; at times, it requires lab reports and complete material disclosure information for the manufactured parts.

ESCATEC appointed an external compliance service provider, Assent Compliance Inc, to strengthen its REACH and RoHS programmes during the next four years. Assent Compliance is also an active member of the United Nations Global Compact, and their annual UNGC Reports can be publicly obtained from the United Nations Global Compact website.

Our global workforce spanning three continents, comprises employees from different races, cultures, religions, experiences, genders, and generations. ESCATEC is proud to have this mix, and we know that our diverse workforce strengthens our business as everyone has a unique blend of talent and insight.

Globally, we greatly appreciate our employees and host numerous social events annually to remind them they are part of our success.

Throughout the world, our businesses are also inextricably linked to the local communities in which they operate. Close relationships with local communities mean we can all thrive, which is why we promote social projects that positively impact local communities.

At ESCATEC, we conduct our business with the utmost integrity. We adhere to our strict professional guidelines that regulate how we interact with each other, our customers, suppliers, and local communities.

ESCATEC does not engage in, or support, discrimination in hiring, remuneration, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement, based on race, national or social origin, birth, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, marital status, political opinions, age, or anything else that could be discriminitaed against. Competence is the primary selection criterion for employees on all levels.

We are committed to upholding workers’ human rights and treating them with dignity and respect, as understood by the international community and standards. Human rights apply to all workers, including temporary, migrant, contract, and direct employees. ESCATEC’s human resource policy supports fundamental human and labour rights.

Our conflict minerals compliance has significantly evolved since 2018. Through our partnership with Assent Compliance, we have upgraded our smelter validation process by scrubbing data collected on potential smelting facilities to determine which entries are legitimate smelters. Our strategic focus on a robust smelter programme provides greater supply chain traceability and reporting accuracy. It also helps companies working with ESCATEC gain a better understanding of the smelting industry, leading to better knowledge of data from the country of origin.

The public has a right to know which smelters ignore major human rights concerns in their operations. Smelters that profit from abuses are irresponsible, and we believe this way of generating revenue is both unethical and inhumane. Transparent reporting provides the public with information and sets a reasonable ethical bar for the industry. Compliance is also essential to assure the stability of corporate procurement practices by removing a major geopolitical business risk.

ESCATEC is committed to good corporate governance. It sets our long-term strategy and ensures lasting value and success for our customers and partners.

These policies help us align business operations and values between our company, partners, and customers. They create an environment of trust, transparency and integrity for sustainable mutual growth.

Ethically conducting business is one of ESCATEC’s five core values. We operate our business with uncompromising integrity. The highest possible standards of ethical and business conduct are required and expected from all our employees.

All employees are made aware of the policies that focus on:

• 9 ways EMS providers can make more environmentally friendly products
• What Is Design for Sustainability in Electronics Manufacturing?
• E-waste recycling for OEMs - a warning and an opportunity
• Mending our ways; the right to repair movement is taking off
• Designing the perfect supply chain: is regionalisation the answer?
• How retrofitting boosts the circular economy and improves efficiency
• Where do old electronics go? Designing for the circular economy