The EU climate monitoring agency announced that 2023 was the hottest year on record globally, with an average global temperature of 14.98 degrees Celsius, 1.48 degrees higher than the pre-industrial global average. During COP 28 in 2023, countries unanimously agreed to phase out fossil fuels in a "just, orderly, and equitable" manner and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 scientifically. The EU and 118 countries initiated the "Global Commitment on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency," aiming to triple global renewable energy capacity and double the average annual rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030. Without adjustments in greenhouse gas emissions and unrestricted energy consumption, the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting global temperature rise to 2°C will soon be surpassed. In Taiwan, the National Development Council's 2050 net-zero emissions blueprint includes 60-70% renewable energy, 9-12% hydrogen energy, and 20-27% thermal power with carbon capture to achieve overall power supply decarbonization. However, according to the annual "Climate Change Performance Index" (CCPI) by international NGOs, Taiwan's climate performance in 2024 declined by four places from 2023, ranking 61st overall, with basic performance rated as very poor or poor. As a global citizen, Taiwan has an unavoidable responsibility in addressing climate change and mitigating global warming due to its poor performance in greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency.
The global political and economic situation in 2023 became increasingly volatile, with the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East wars escalating, aggressive interest rate hikes in the United States, deindustrialization in Europe, and global supply chain restructuring exacerbating the global economic downturn. The solar industry in 2023 faced challenges due to the impact of Taiwanese elections, the dramatic drop in solar raw material prices, and high inventory levels in the European and American markets, confronting another round of macroeconomic and supply chain challenges. United Renewable Energy Co., Ltd. (A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.) is committed to creating, storing and saving energy. In terms of energy creation, United Renewable Energy will improve the efficiency of solar energy conversion, increase power generation per unit area, and reduce production (power generation) costs, and generated 1.257 billion kWh of electricity. This equates to 622,237 tons of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to the carbon capture capacity of 1,610 Daan Park for one year. In terms of energy storage, Taipower has joined hands with United Renewable Energy to build a 20MW (megawatt) energy storage system at the SYT solar photo-voltaic (PV) site, creating Taiwan's first Taipower "Taipower's South Yan-Tian (SYT) ESS system", the first Taipower's solar storage system in Taiwan. In terms of energy saving, through continuous improvement and strict self-requirements in URECO's production and R&D, the company saved 11,728.1 gigajoules of energy in 2023, and the total carbon emissions in 2023 (tons CO2e) were reduced by 31.5% compared to 2022, demonstrating URECO's commitment to energy saving.
In addition, as a leading manufacturer of solar batteries, solar modules and solar power systems, we have been committed to our vision of making solar energy affordable for every household since our establishment, with the mission of providing sustainable and affordable clean energy. United Renewable Energy has been actively developing solar power system development and construction and providing asset management services under its system business and module brand. In the past few years, United Renewable Energy has been providing professional localized system development and construction services in various countries with its excellent global business team, with the aim of ensuring affordable and reliable modern energy services for all in order to achieve the United Nations' sustainable development goals; While striving for sustainable growth, we also promote the concept of green energy, energy conservation and environmental protection to our customers, users, partners and the general public around the world, hoping that we will not only be responsible to our shareholders, customers and employees, but also show our care and contribution to the environment and society. United Renewable Energy will focus on the module brand and solar energy system business to promote the competitiveness of Taiwan's solar industry and to support the national energy policy of the Taiwan government. United Renewable Energy will assist Taiwan in transitioning its energy supply with government funding and policy support to reach the goal of 20GW of cumulative solar photo-voltaic installations by 2025. We continue to achieve excellent results and have received numerous certifications from international and domestic institutions.
In developing the business, promoting sustainability has become United Renewable Energy's business motto. United Renewable Energy understands that it is necessary to publicly disclose the results of the company's efforts in the areas of Corporate Governance, Employee and Community Involvement, Partnerships, and Green Energy and Environmental Protection to stakeholders and the public. United Renewable Energy also needs to self-examine the extent to which its corporate development strategy is aligned with sustainability and meets the expectations of society.
United Renewable Energy firmly believes that employees are among the company's most valuable assets. Upholding a relationship of mutual trust and respect, URECO actively recruits talented individuals, strives to create a positive and safe working environment, offers diverse and equal opportunities, ensures equal pay for equal work for both genders, provides comprehensive educational training, and maintains diverse and open communication channels. The Company aims to build a win-win future together with its employees. Although the COVID-19 pandemic gradually eased in 2023, employee health remained a priority. URECO enhanced anti-epidemic measures in the plant, installed numerous temperature monitors and protective partitions, provided disinfection supplies such as hand sanitizers and public space disinfectants, and regularly supplied medical masks and health education. Moreover, as a socially responsible corporate citizen, URECO has consistently participated in public welfare activities. These include regularly inviting the Sefun Bakery House or other charitable organizations to set up stalls at the plant, providing educational assistance to underprivileged children in remote areas of Hsinchu, and making charitable donations to various public welfare organizations. Demonstrating its commitment to social welfare, URECO invited employees at the end of 2023 to participate in the "34th 30 Hour Famine" charity donation event, providing warm assistance to those in need, and aims to continue giving back to society in various ways that show love for the community and the planet. URECO is also committed to environmental protection. To link renewable energy with ecological conservation, URECO donated high-efficiency solar panels to the Albefarm Ecological Farm, operated by the Taiwan Environmental Information Association, to support the farm in participating in the energy transition and reducing carbon emissions. URECO's commitment to public welfare will continue, looking forward to giving back to society in various ways that show love for the community and the planet.
Looking ahead, advances in solar photo-voltaic technology will be one of the keys to the sustainability of life on Earth; United Renewable Energy will lead Taiwan's solar industry into a new era of 2.0, with a business model based on system business and module branding, so that Taiwan's green energy industry will continue to thrive in Taiwan, and we will continue to improve the conversion efficiency and quality of batteries and modules based on our existing leadership, and actively develop downstream solar power plant business. Based on our core functions and passion for the environment, we will integrate sustainable development into our business strategy to create a positive cycle and make our company a world-class benchmark in the solar energy industry, contributing to a greener and more beautiful world (We Make the World Greener) and moving toward the goal of sustainable management.
Stakeholders communication and material issues’identification (extract from 2023 ESG report)
Following the GRI Standards, United Renewable Energy Co., Ltd.(A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.) conducted the stakeholders and material issues analysis based on the following steps to confirm the disclosure of performance parameters in the 2023 ESG report: the identification of material issues and stakeholders, the investigation and analysis of material issues, the confirmation of the boundaries and scope of material issues. URECO reported to the board of directors on August 6, 2024, regarding the communication status between the company and various stakeholders.
URECO
Establish process of ESG Report
Step. 1 Identification
(Five major stakeholders groups)
(19 Sustainability Topics)
Step. 2 Investigation and Analysis
Step. 3 Confirm
Stakeholders Identification
Stakeholders are the groups that affect or are affected by United Renewable Energy Co., Ltd.(A company from Taiwan where the sun shines). We have identified stakeholders according to the nature of our operations and business through three working groups under the ESG office: Economic, Environmental and Social. Although the solar industry has experienced dramatic price fluctuations in recent years, the stakeholders have not changed much, so URECO continues to use the same identification method as in previous years: the AA1000 SES: 2015 Stakeholder Engagement Standard (SES) guidelines identify the major stakeholders based on the five principles of stakeholder responsibility, influence, dependency, tension, and diverse perspectives. We have identified five major groups of stakeholders: government agencies, customers, suppliers, employees, and shareholders/investors.
Stakeholders communication channel and respond
Major issue analysis and respond
The ESG Office takes stakeholder's concern for the sustainability theme. The combined regenerative energy operational impact score plus of more than 15 points is a major sustainability theme, with seven items. At the same time, the ESG office considers the balance of the theme and adds two major sustainability themes. In 2017, major sustainability themes include: ethical integrity, economic performance, compliance, energy conservation, carbon reduction, sewage and waste, labor-management communication, compensation and benefits, occupational safety and health, total of nine major sustainability themes.
Stakeholder attention at sustainability types
Analysis and influences in type of material issues
Major sustainability topics and performance indicators
・ Ethics and Integrity
Based on a clean and responsible business philosophy, we develop a policy based on integrity and establish a good corporate governance and risk management mechanism to create a sustainable business environment. Establish a corporate culture of integrity management and establish a reference structure for business operations.
Expose chapter: Ethics and Integrity and Regulator compliance
・ Economic performance
Continued growth in operational performance creates a positive cycle that provides the driving force behind URECO's development. (A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.)
Expose chapter: Operating performance
・ Occupational Safety
The company dedicates significant resources to safety inspections for new machinery installations, relocations, or modifications, including necessary safety guards, interlocks, and detectors to minimize operational risks. Annual health examinations and special health checks for employees in hazardous roles; increasing health awareness, identifying high-risk employees, providing subsequent health consultations and tracking; implementing maternity protection, abnormal workload prevention, ergonomic hazard mitigation, and workplace violence prevention according to regulations, and conducting health promotion activities to enhance physical and mental health awareness and actions.
Expose chapter: Safe Workplace
・ Human Rights Protection
Employees are the company's most valued assets. The company prioritizes employee feedback and safeguards their labor rights, creating a safe and secure workplace to foster employee loyalty.
Expose chapter: Employee and Social involvement
・ Waste Management
URECO (A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.) is committed to mitigating the impact of global warming and manufacturing on the environment, and continuously reducing the power consumption, chemical usage and waste generation per unit of production. Meanwhile, the classification of office waste continues to be promoted to increase the resource recovery rate of general activities.
Expose chapter: Water Pollution Control/Waste Management
・ Labor-Management Communication
Compared with other tangible resources, human resources have more meaning and characteristics of sustainable development. Good labor relations can effectively understand the needs and expectations of employees, to strengthen employee focus and retain outstanding talents. URECO (A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.) pays attention to the development of every employee. We expect everyone are happy at work. The overall salary planning and well welfare can meet the basic physiological needs of employees.
Pursuing the development of a good workplace environment, improving employee identification and allowing individual work values to grow in line with the company's corporate culture, can enable employees to meet higher levels of psychological needs. Through the construction of a well-recognized labor-management relationship, each of URECO (A company from Taiwan where the sun shines.) members will be able to grow up and contribute at here. The continuous stream of high-quality human resources is the secret weapon for the continuous development of URECO.
Expose chapter: 'I have something to say' and improve the labor-management communication channel / establish a friendly workplace to encourage employees to find a balance between work and life / human resources
・ Greenhouse Gas Management
1. In response to global climate change and the "Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Management Act," the company voluntarily conducts annual inventories of greenhouse gas emissions from each plant, and has completed inventory registration since 2023. 2. By adopting the best technology and actively promoting energy saving and carbon reduction, the company aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the process year by year.
Expose chapter: Greenhouse Gas Management