Everest Sustainable Development Model
Global warming is an increasingly serious issue, and enterprises must shoulder social responsibilities to promote sustainable development. As early as April 2007, Everest launched the "Everest Sustain-Ability Model (ESM)", emphasizing the balanced development of the economy, society, and the environment. Internally, Everest actively cultivates employees' environmental awareness and promotes the "Energy Saving, Environmental Protection, Love the Earth" strategic actions. It also mobilizes the supply chain and community to jointly participate in ecological conservation, striving for the co-prosperity of the enterprise and the environment.
To implement the sustainable production concept of "Less is More", Everest is committed to improving resource use efficiency and has set a goal of zero waste discharge for its three factories, in order to build green competitiveness and move toward the vision of becoming a leader in ecological enterprise development. Facing the global trends of carbon neutrality and emission reduction, the company actively responds to international environmental protection standards by introducing energy-saving equipment and renewable energy to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve an environmentally friendly operating model.
◉ Sustainable Development Policy
Everest's Sustainable Development Policy is formulated by the Board of Directors as the highest level of sustainable governance, with regular review and reporting of sustainability-related issues. In 2014, the "Corporate Social Responsibility Policy" was formulated, and in 2022 it was revised to the "Corporate Sustainability Development Policy" in accordance with the "Sustainable Development Best Practice Principles for TWSE/GTSM Listed Companies" and approved by the Board of Directors for implementation.
Everest, as Taiwan's only vertically integrated long- and short-fiber textile mill, upholds the mission of "Contributing to society and transforming the world through innovation and sustainability", and has introduced the Cradle to Cradle concept to promote environmentally friendly design and green manufacturing processes, developing textiles that are harmless to the ecosystem and reducing environmental impact. At the same time, Everest attaches importance to human rights and workplace safety, providing employees with a healthy and energy-efficient work environment, and promoting the concept of sustainability to the community and supply chain, realizing the co-prosperity of the enterprise and society.
The company attaches great importance to stakeholder participation and feedback, with diverse communication mechanisms such as employee opinion forms, complaint systems, union communications, and suggestion boxes. For major external issues, careful review is conducted, and approval from management representatives and the highest management level is required before public disclosure. This governance framework demonstrates Everest's emphasis on due diligence, risk management, and engagement procedures, fulfilling its corporate citizenship responsibilities and moving towards sustainable development goals.
◉ ESG Global Deployment Organization
In 2022, the company launched the ESG Global Deployment Organization.The Chairman is Chief Operating Officer Chen Yi-peng, the Vice Chairman is Chief Administrative Officer Li Xian-zhong, and the Sustainability Officer is Vice President Lin Huang-shan. They are responsible for overseeing the execution of ESG-related matters, integrating the Advanced Technology Research Institute and R&D Department, and collaborating closely with the EHS, marketing, utilities, and management departments, as well as external advisory consultants. This aims to continuously deepen the formulation and promotion of the company’s overall sustainable management strategy.
Progress is reported to the Board of Directors quarterly, and annual ESG implementation results are reported to senior management. This gradually embeds ESG as a core value of the company. There are four subgroups under this organization: Environmental Protection (E), Social Responsibility (S), Corporate Governance (G), and the Overseas Plant Group.
The greenhouse gas inventory progress at global operating sites is reported at the annual Board of Directors meeting. In addition, the RO water recycling capital expenditure case was reported on November 9, 2023, and the Corporate Sustainability Report (ESG Report) and stakeholder communication were presented on August 6, 2024.
ESG Global Deployment Organization
◉ Everest fulfills its corporate social responsibility (CSR) and embeds the spirit of corporate citizenship into its business decisions, implementing the following strategies:
Responding to the United Nations Global Compact (UN Global Compact)
Everest actively responds to the United Nations Global Compact (UN Global Compact), supporting its 10 universal principles covering the four areas of human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption. The Compact calls on companies to play a key role in promoting sustainable and responsible development in their global operations. The principles include "Businesses should ensure they are not complicit in human rights abuses", "Eliminate discrimination in respect of employment and occupation", "Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies", and "Work against corruption in all its forms". Everest has integrated these principles into its corporate governance and operational practices. Through the formulation of a "Social Responsibility Handbook" and various management regulations, the company implements its responsibilities in labor rights protection, environmental protection, workplace ethics, and fair trade. The company continues to track international sustainability trends and ESG standard developments, and proactively plans education and training, as well as system strengthening for high-risk issues, in order to enhance organizational resilience and sustainable competitiveness. In the future, Everest will deepen its commitment to the 10 UNGC principles, strengthen dialogue and cooperation with stakeholders, and fulfill its corporate citizenship responsibilities. It will actively promote a sustainable value chain, low-carbon transformation, and transparent governance, contributing to the realization of global sustainable development goals (SDGs).
◉ Identifying Stakeholders and Significant Topics
◉ Positive and negative impacts of sustainable issues in 2024
◉ Through the "double materiality" assessment,
