Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are seventeen goals and 169 targets to make the world a better place by 2030. The SDGs have been agreed by the countries that are member of the United Nations (UN) and the SDGs are the successors of the Millennium Development Goals, which ran from 2000 to 2015. The SDGs can be seen as a common framework to end global issues like poverty, inequality and climate change.
As an international operating company, we are aware of the fact that we can contribute to these global challenges when we integrate the SDGs in our strategy and business model. The targets, the UN SDG indicators, are thereby a useful mechanism to define the contribution of our company in a more tangible way. It gives stakeholders also the opportunity to compare our efforts and results with peers.
In our daily operations we notice that stakeholders like clients and governments are increasingly more interest in the way we add value to society from a social and environmental perspective. As an organization we want to contribute to the SDGs where we can make the most impact. We’re thereby contributing to a more sustainable future through our products, systems and services.
To determine which SDGs are the most material, we performed a peer- and customer analysis to determine which SDGs they endorse. We thereby executed a survey and interviews with internal and external stakeholders. SDG 3, 4, 8 and 12 are the most material SDGs for our company and underneath you can find a description of how we contribute per SDG.
SDG 3: Good health
and well-being
In 2020, the amount of time we spend looking at a display is staggering. From monitors or laptop displays in our workspace or school to large screen TVs and our smartphones/tablets on the go; everywhere we turn, we are looking at displays. Hours of staring at screens might not be as harmless as it seems, current research suggests. In order to prevent harmful effects caused by certain wavelengths, AOC has stepped up and developed a Low Blue Light mode. Filtering out a certain blue light spectrum, the technology helps increase safety and wellbeing when working with monitors for any period of time.
People working at desks can often spend up to a third of each day sitting and looking at a monitor. An improper setup might cause bad posture which, in turn, can result in back and neck pain, headaches, shoulder and arm pain, muscle joint problems as well as poor digestion due to compressed organs. A properly adjusted monitor is, therefore, key to a healthy working environment in order to limit such effects during long days at the desk.
As everybody is different, there is no single desk or monitor height that is healthy and comfortable for everyone. Additionally, users sharing a workplace may need to make adjustments each time. For this reason, it’s crucial to equip a workplace with ergonomic furniture, including a monitor with an ergonomic stand. AOC & MMD cares about its users’ health and wellbeing. Therefore, we have been focusing on developing products with improved ergonomic features to enable comfortable working conditions while still benefiting from our excellent display quality.
Good health and well-being is not only important for our customers but also for our employees in the offices and production facilities. The four production facilities of AOC & MMD are regularly audited by an external auditor regarding environmental and social themes.
We have been focusing on developing products with improved ergonomic features to enable comfortable working conditions while still benefiting from our excellent display quality.
SDG 4: Quality
education
Our company is committed to support and empower the communities in which we operate. We have always believed that education is a crucial component of community empowerment.
Partnerships with schools
In 2019, we continued to support the “One to One Subsidization” project aimed at providing education for ethnic minority students from underprivileged rural families in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the PRC. The project was first initiated by the Group’s chairman and CEO, Dr Hsuan, Jason in 2012 and has been operated in collaboration with the Beijing Meijiang Education Foundation. This project has expanded to our sites in Beijing, Xiamen, Wuhan, Qingdao and Fuqing. The Group has been sponsoring tuition fees for eligible students since the commencement of the project. In addition, the Group encourages its employees to foster mentorship relationships
with the students by conversing through letters, WeChat, gifts, video calls and visits. During summer, we assist Chongwen Elementary School in Fuqing City of Fujian Province and Ruiting Elementary School in Taipei City, Taiwan to organize the Tee-Ball Summer Camp. The Summer Camp facilitates exchange between Taiwan and Mainland schools. Through exchange and collaboration, they can expand their network as well as en-
hance understanding and communication. In the process of learning Tee-Ball together, students can strengthen cultural interflow, and achieve mutual advancement.
Partnerships with universities
We collaborate with various institutions in China to foster talent and professional expertise. Participating institutions include top universities such as Fuzhou University and Xiamen University of Technology. Shortlisted
candidates work closely with our in-house engineers on product innovation, for example on creating new display technologies with higher definition and yet lower power consumption. In today’s highly competitive job market we recognize the vital importance of work experience. Through partnerships with top universities such as Fuzhou University and Xiamen University of Technology our company enables students to take part in innovation projects that give them the opportunity to gain first-hand experience and insights for career development. Through this program, we offer students the chance to become part of our company or to receive practical support towards obtaining a first job elsewhere. Already, more than 300 students have benefited from the program since it was launched in 2009.
SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
As an internationally operating organization with different supply chains, it is our responsibility to protect the working conditions of our employees and those in the supply chain as far as we can.
We unequivocally respect the internationally recognized human rights of all people, and are firmly committed to upholding the human rights of all our employees and those who work in our supply chain. We offer competitive remuneration and benefits packages in accordance with industry practices, which are reviewed regularly to remain competitive within the market. We operate various retirement schemes, including pension plans and post-employment medical plans in accordance with local rules and regulations.
Our company is committed to provide our employees with an inclusive workplace that embraces and promotes diversity and equal opportunity. We have zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination in any form. Employment is offered only to the best-qualified applicants considering their ability to meet the job requirements, irrespective of whether they are referrals or direct applicants. This applies to recruitment, selection, terms and conditions of employment including pay, promotion, training, transfer, and every other aspect of working with us. We regularly review our procedures and selection criteria to ensure that individuals are selected and promoted fairly.
Looking at the environment, our parent organization conducts periodic audits to ensure that our growth is not at the expense of the environment. The production locations that supply AOC & MMD all have an ISO 14001 certification.
SDG 12: Responsible
consumption and
production
In addition to our own energy needs, our biggest impact is in the products we develop and sell. In 2020 we were able to launch three of our greenest monitors, the 272B1G, 241B7QGJEB and 242B1G. They feature not only a number of super energy efficient features, but also employ eco-friendly materials that meet major inter-national standards. We have made a commit-ment to use more sustainable, eco-friendly materials across our monitor range. This is to help ensure the minimization of waste and the elimination of toxic substances for a better tomorrow. To lessen environmental impact, the 241B7QGJEB and 242B1G (23.8”), as well as 272B1G (27”) models, are boxed in 100% re-cyclable paper cushions and packaging materials that are non-EPE. This not only reduces waste, but also eliminates any fees needed for the disposal of non-recyclable packaging. All the body plastic parts of these three models are made of lightweight, 85% post-consumer
recycled plastics that are free of PVC and BFR. While the 241B7QGJEB and 242B1G models are TCO Certified Edge, the 272B1G also employs 100% recyclable materials for all its body parts and metal chassis.
Their foremost eco-conscious feature is PowerSensor, a built-in ‘people sensor’ that transmits and receives harmless infrared signals to determine if you are present. Once you step away, PowerSensor automatically reduces monitor brightness to cut your energy costs by up to 70%. Another energy-saving feature is LightSensor, a smart sensor that adjusts picture brightness according a room’s light conditions. To reduce your car-bon footprint even further, we have incor-porated a 0-watt hard switch, which is located at the back of these monitors. With just a flick of this switch, the AC power to your monitor is completely cut off, resulting in zero power
consumption. These energy-efficient features have helped these B Line monitors to achieve a higher EU EEI A++ energy class, as well as EnergyStar 7.0 rating (for the 2421G and 241B7QGJEB) and EnergyStar 8.0 rating (for the 272B1G).
To help our customers to make a conscious and sustainable choice they can calculate their possible savings.
Our LightSensor is an energy saving smart sensor that adjusts picture brightness according a room’s light conditions.