Innovative Sustainable Value
Everlight Electronics Supports Global Anti-COVID-19 Campaign With Innovative R&D
The economies and societies in the world have been impacted severely by the COVID-19 pandemic. To help the whole world recover to a steady state as soon as possible so that the implementation of sustainable development could be ensured, Everlight successfully developed the UVC light equipment that can effectively eliminate SARS-CoV-2 viruses in 2021 through the study of The Effectiveness of Far-Ultraviolet (UVC) Light Prototype Devices with Different Wavelengths on Disinfecting SARS-CoV-2. With the assistance of the team led by Yi-Ling Lin, the researcher of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Academia Sinica, it has been verified that the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) virus can be effectively killed under the UVC light sources of specific wave bands, which helps limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The study result has been published in Applied Sciences on November 12, 2021, to fight against the COVID-19 virus with the world.
Note：Log-reduction value of UV light devices.
The LRV refers to the relative number of viruses reduced. For example, the number of viruses were 107 before the UVC LED irradiation and 102.77 after 5 seconds of irradiation; thus, LRV=Log10107- Log10102.77=4.23, and the percentage of virus elimination: 1 – 102.77/107 = 1 – 10-4.23 = 0.9999=99.99%.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has posed a serious threat to the health of all humans, and the most effective way to stop it is to prevent the spread of viruses by cutting off the routes of virus transmission. Since ordinary people and some UV sterilization equipment manufacturers have a lack of understanding of UV sterilization, which has led to the improper use of UV sterilization, Everlight Electronics has developed a series of UVC LED (275nm) products to which Everlight’s patented UV-C LED packaging technology is applied, to dispel the myth for customers. The third party SGS has certified though laboratory testing that the products have a bacteriostasis rate of up to 99.9%. The products are even demonstrated to have the ability to kill the COVID-19 viruses, providing consumers with a better alternative to powerfully
safeguard every corner of homes in addition to spraying alcohol when entering houses.
Everlight Electronics takes accountability for the food crisis worsening due to climate change
As the pandemic has turned almost of the whole world upside down, food shortages have an even more disastrous effect on millions of people. The disruption of the food supply and people with a continuous lack of financial ability are going to become more common; the impact simply on formal economic activities can affect 1.6 billion people, not to mention the impact on other aspects. Food banks and community organizations have been making efforts to help people in the greatest need, but when a pandemic, injustice, and climate crisis strike at the same time, it is necessary for us to change our attitude towards food and agriculture.
Everlight Electronics supports aquaculture industries to overcome difficulties by greatly increasing the survival rate of groupers
Concerned about the food crisis worsening due to climate change, Everlight specially worked with a team led by Wang Yung-Sung, a professor at the Institute of Fisheries Science, National Taiwan University, and successfully developed a LED lamp dedicated for groupers. The lamp has been offered to aquaculture operators for practical tests, and it has greatly reduced the cannibalism of grouper fries. The survival rate of grouper fries has consequently doubled with the reduction of more than 40% in fry loss.
Now, according to the research results of the team led by Professor Yung-Sung Wang, grouper fries exposed under the special lamp can have a survival rate of up to 85%, while fries under natural light only have a 65% survival rate. In the research, it is discovered that fish under light with a specific wavelength show a lower cannibalism rate. In addition, such light brings a higher survival rate compared to light with other wavelengths.
Everlight Electronics Uses Agricultural Technology to Solve the Problem of Insufficient Sunshine and Makes Strawberries Redder
Through years of research, Everlight developed a special wave band that can make strawberries redder. We cooperated with organic strawberry farms in Guanxi Township, Hsinchu County, and successfully increased the color change rate of strawberries by 30% using our special lamp, helping the strawberry farmers in North Taiwan solve the problem of insufficient light and the reduced red color of fruits in winter.
Strawberries, fruit with high economic value, are rather popular in the winter. The main production period is from December to the following April, and the production areas include Miaoli, Hsinchu, Neihu District, etc. However, the regions to the north of Hsinchu tend to lack sunlight in the winter. As a result, some strawberry varieties are not able to change their color well, which impacts their commercial value. Strawberries that are not red enough can only be made into processed products like jam or may even be discarded.
Everlight Electronics, Feeling Duty-bound to Contribute to Ecological Restoration, Lights up the City With Glowing Fireflies
Due to the successful firefly restoration, many people have been attracted to Da’an Forest Park for firefly viewing in recent years. Why do fireflies that tend to avoid places with light pollution show up in the metropolitan center? It’s all because of the world’s first “firefly road lamp” and “firefly light pen” developed by Everlight Electronics. Making use of a red and yellow LED with a wavelength of 590 nm, we effectively helped with firefly restoration, lighting up the metropolitan center with glowing fireflies. Based on this achievement, Taiwan was introduced to the world through the 2017 International Firefly Symposium. Da’an Forest Park is located in the city center and surrounded by outdoor lighting, which made firefly restoration difficult to be carried out. In addition, even if people covered their flashlights with red cellophane during firefly viewing in the past to avoid disturbing the fireflies which can see blue, green, and yellow-green lights, the flashlights, if containing the wavelength of blue light LED, could still impact the ecology of fireflies despite the attached red cellophane.
Since 2016, Everlight has takenpart in the firefly restoration program in Da’an Forest Park. Every year, the red and yellow LED components with a wavelength of 590 nm have been specially introduced in consideration of the firefly retinas. The world’s first “firefly road lamp” and “firefly light pen” have thus been developed. As a special wavelength is adopted and mass production is consequently impossible, all the firefly road lamps installed were manually made by the engineers of Everlight. In the future, it is likely that more related products will be further produced.
Framework for Sustainable Governance
Fulfilling corporate social responsibility, Everlight complies with the vision and mission of “Sustainable Development Best Practice Principles for Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd”. The “Corporate Sustainability Advisory Committee” has been regarded as the center of the top-level for decision-making and governance regarding sustainable development in the Company, with our Chairman serving as the chair of the committee and meetings. The Chairman appoints a professionally trained and certified person with talents for sustainability as the executive secretary. Together with the cross-domain top management, the committee reviews the Company’s core operational capability, determines the direction for mid-term and long-term sustainable development of the Company, and jointly draws up the SDGs promotion blueprint with which the core strengths of Everlight are combined.
To ensure that the resolutions of the “Corporate Sustainability Advisory Committee” are carried out, the Company sets the“Corporate Sustainability Execution Committee” as the platform for cross-unit communication, with the Chief Sustainability Officer serving as the chair of the committee and meetings. Adopting international standards and keeping up with international trends, the committee has created a way of operation from the top to subordinate levels while keeping units in a horizontal connection. It guides the members from different units through the procedure of developing annual implementation strategies and goals for sustainability issues, follows up on the effectiveness of implementation, and proactively strikes a balance among the interests of stakeholders, fully putting the corporate sustainability strategies into action during our daily operation.
The “Corporate Sustainability Execution Committee”, a platform for cross-unit communication regarding Everlight’s sustainable development, has set up task forces to discuss sustainability issues and implementation of goals and decisions easier. All the members of the “Corporate Sustainability Execution Committee” take part in the task forces based on their own position and expertise. The task forces are, in accordance with Paragraph 4 of the “Organization Rules of the Corporate Sustainability Advisory Committee”, established by the Chief Sustainability Officer with the SDGs, international trends, laws and regulations, and resolutions for major issues made by the “Corporate Sustainability Advisory Committee”. Currently, the actual arrangement of task forces mainly covers four dimensions, which are “sustainable governance”, “corporate commitments”, “environmental sustainability”, and “social inclusion”. 16 task forces have been further planned based on the nature of the dimensions so that each task force can focus on a specific issue to pursue Everlight’s sustainable development goals. The key objectives by 2030 for the task forces are shown below:
Major Issues of Concern
Opportunities and Risks
Corporations should keep up with the times in response to rapidly changing global trends, understanding the trends and environmental factors through internal and external analyses, identifying major issues related to corporate sustainability, and further look into the risks and opportunities of corporate operations. Close and continuous attention has been paid to the changes in trends that will impact the important external environment, including politics, economy, laws, society, culture, technology, natural disasters, and variation in all aspects of the industry. Further, assessments have be made to such changes to discover their impact on the overall operation and analyze the potential opportunities and threats.
Regarding the current scope of business and the future development fields of new ventures, we make efforts to know the possible risks and emerging opportunities, ensure the organization status, and fully understand our advantages, disadvantages, and the capabilities we have to devise strategies and corresponding measures. With sustainable development as the main focus, long-term issues have been analyzed to determine the direction of strategies.
Everlight Electronics has established the “Risk Management Policy” to take various risks that are likely to occur during the operation into account. We have performed the general trend analysis and, in accordance with the global trends of main risks, global regulations and standards like SDGs, SASB, CDP, TCFD, and industrial regulations and standards, identified the risks and opportunities, assessed the potential impacts, developed strategies for risks and opportunities, and performed risk management.
Identification of Major Issues
During the promotion of corporate sustainability, Everlight has always placed great emphasis on the expectations and needs of internal and external stakeholders. With the latest AA 1000 Accountability Principles (2018) as the reference, we identify major issues, sort out the priorities, confirm and review them based on the principles of inclusivity, materiality, responsiveness, and impact to establish the management framework for sustainable development information disclosure. Every year, the Company regularly reviews the feedback from stakeholders and the trends of sustainable development issues through diversified communication channels.
Meanwhile, we identify major sustainable development issues through materiality analysis, and thereby set long-term goals for sustainable development, adopt specific action plans, and follow up on the progress and effectiveness of sustainability actions to extend our influence on social sustainability. The Company also conforms with the GRI Standards for major issue identification and, with the spirit of risk management, assesses the trends and impacts of risks of major sustainable development issues. Based on the results, we show the public how we promote risk mitigation measures and build up a resilient business organization to respond to international changes and risks.
The international trends show a greater emphasis on climate change and net zero emissions. To let stakeholders be aware of the issues that we are concerned about the most, we decided to remove the less material issues of “marketing and labeling” and “none-use of conflict minerals” this year to include the issues of climate change and net zero emissions.
List of Issues of Concern
Comparison of Materiality
Value Chain Boundary of Major Issues
Sustainability Vision Practices
Sustainability Vision of the UN
Everlight’s “Corporate Sustainability Execution Committee” has reviewed the 17 SDGs and the opportunities and risks thereof and assessed the SDGs likely to have the greatest influence through sustainability strategies, so the Company can make a core contribution to reach the SDGs.
Direction of Review
Negotiations on the Vision
The Company identified mutual influences between SDGs and major issues and included the responses to 10 SDGs of medium or higher level relevance in the sustainability report.
Implementation Effectiveness
Everlight Electronics has created sustainability opportunities and made specific contributions by responding to the SDGs.
Communication With Stakeholders
Identification of Stakeholders
Everlight Electronics listens to the voices of stakeholders via various communication channels and platforms. Stakeholder suggestions and issues of concern are incorporated into organizational strategies and operational planning.
This also serves as a reference basis for the information disclosed in this report. This year’s report uses the five principles of the AA1000 SES Stakeholder Engagement Standards, which were jointly discussed by the “Corporate Sustainability Execution Committee” and external consultants. This report also referred to stakeholder groups within the industry for identification based on dependence, responsibility, influence, diverse perspectives, level of interest, andother characteristics. After the analysis based on the aforementioned principles, six types of stakeholders have been identified as the primary communication targets for Everlight, which are: “shareholders/investors”, “employees/job applicants”, “customers/dealers”, “suppliers/contractors”, “government agencies/guilds and associations”, and “society” (communities, academic institutions, media, non-governmental organizations/non-profit organizations).
Stakeholder Negotiation
Through negotiation with stakeholders via multiple channels, the Company wholeheartedly responds to the issues that stakeholders are concerned about and formulates corresponding strategies and actions to advocate responsible management.
Everlight has diverse interaction and communication mechanisms with stakeholders, including but not limited to channels like “customer satisfaction surveys”, “supplier surveys”, “Shareholders’ Meetings”, and “investor conferences”. Through multiple
communication channels with stakeholders, the Company can realize their demands, their expectations towards the Company, and the sustainable development issues that they pay attention to.
The Company will continue optimizing the communication channels and allow stakeholders enjoy effective communication based on the four principles of “transparency and disclosure”, “friendliness and inclusion”, “accountability”, and “equality”. We attach great importance to all stakeholders’ valuable suggestions and take them as references for the promotion of corporate sustainable development programs.
Communication With Stakeholders
The communication methods and channels between Everlight and stakeholders are shown in the table below. For details of the responses to major issues and relevant plans, please refer to the corresponding chapters.
Goal Management Progress
Sustainability Vision and Practices
Integrity Operations and Governance
Innovative Green Products
Innovative Green Products
Innovative Green Products
