Green Activities

Sustainability Fund: Unlock the Infinite Potentials of Reduction

GIGABYTE launched the 6-year “Sustainability Fund” in 2019. Funded by annual savings in energy expenses, the fund focuses on three aspects: energy conservation in factories, development of low-carbon product and reduction proposals, and green projects related to sustainable development and climate change. It aims to push ahead innovative reduction solutions for factories, operations, product strategies, and sustainability strategies through increasing the motivation and incentives and in the meantime cultivate the internal capability of green design in order to realize reductions at a company level.

Proposals and Reduction Performance

Among the latest proposals submitted in the first half of 2024, some sought to reduce emissions by adopting low-carbon materials, recycling and reusing packaging, etc. In some other proposals, reductions have also been achieved by optimizing processes, which improved product quality and prevented ergonomic hazards for employees at the same time. A majority of the awarded proposals have technical feasibility, are in line with current and future trends, and have potential contributions to diverse aspects such as employee health and sustainability.

	Number of Proposals	Electricity Savings (MWh)	Water Savings (MT)	Waste Reduction (MT)	Emissions Reduction (t-CO₂e)
2019	11	52.0	12,331.6	58.7	61.6
2020	48	2,715.8	948.0	275.6	3,455.8
2021	103	1,223.1	15,342.6	33.0	956.1
2022	83	2,219.5	0	72.9	1,328.4
2023	81	1,648.7	4,034.6	52.7	1,412.2
1st Half of 2024	22	248.6	0	147.6	307.9
Total to Date	348	8,107.7	32,656.8	640.5	7,522.0

Note 1：Figures in the table above are estimated based on proposals, not by actual measurement.

Green Product Innovation: Looking for Sustainable Opportunities

Green product innovation drives growth and productivity; practicing green concepts in product design is the trend, upon which sustainable business opportunities and values can be created. Green product innovation relies on thinking outside the box and brainstorming on new technologies, different materials, or even different service models. GIGABYTE hosts the “Green Product Innovation Activity” based on the ideals of “Innovation, Value, Sustainability” with “Going green is free” as its theme to encourage employee proposals. An internal “Green Product Innovation Forum” has also been established to provide a platform for employees to discuss and share their brainstorming results. Ten design directions are offered by green innovation and design, such as material (plastics) reduction, ease of disassembly, product system innovation, etc. Explanations and case studies are provided as well to make the “Innovation, Value, Sustainability” concept a part of the corporate brand and lay down the foundation for green product development.

Core concepts of a green product:

Innovation- simple and creative design
Value- high-quality, environmentally-friendly, and affordable product
Sustainability- circular use of natural resources

Green Ideas: Looking for Brilliant Green Solutions

Many innovative measures for turning a profit and improving energy efficiency can be adopted in corporate operations, office buildings, manufacturing, and marketing strategies. Green Action Plan hosts the “Green Ideas” competition where all employees are invited to submit their green ideas based on green topics. The sourcing of crowd wisdom encourages GIGABYTE employees to use their observation and creative-thinking skills, expanding environmental ingenuity from the individual level or the organizational level. This boosts the effectiveness of corporate environmental education and protection efforts while also making being green more fun and innovative. Green ideas are divided into three categories: “Energy Conservation”, “Environment Protection” and “Green Product”. Employees are then asked to vote for the best idea. Notebooks are awarded to the top five proposals, and to encourage participation, everyone who votes also receives a gift. The voting results may be used by GIGABYTE for future environmental improvements and product designs. This not only is a recognition of employeesʼ contributions but also boosts their identification with green ideas initiatives. Their support for environmental protection can then come from the heart.

Sustainability Carnival – Starting New Life for Used Goods

GIGABYTE holds a second-hand market at our operation headquarters by the end of each year to promote the concept of zero waste and circular economy. The first time was held in 2019, and initially, it only opened to GIGABYTEʼs employees. Later since 2021, the second-hand market started to open to neighboring communities and invited local government and public interest groups to participate.

In 2023, GIGABYTE held the Carnival with the main themes “Material Circulation”, “Friendly Community”, and “Caring for Public Welfare”. Employees and nearby communities were invited to donate brand-new or used materials, which were then prioritized for social welfare organizations in need. During the event, participants could receive free supplies or even set up their own market stalls to distribute second-hand items. Additionally, we invited the New Taipei City Fire Department, social enterprises related to the circular economy, and other social welfare organizations to promote disaster prevention, plastic reduction, and care for the disadvantaged.

Protect our Oceans – Plastic Reduction Poster Design Competition

GIGABYTE knows that while plastic products are very convenient, they also have a massive environmental impact. To increase the influence of the “Protect our Oceans – Plastic Reduction” initiative, we not only held celebrity seminars to promote the importance of plastic reduction internally but also sought to mobilize the general public in reducing the use of plastics from the source. Every little bit counts.

To this end, GIGABYTE partnered with the Taiwan Environmental Information Association for the first time in 2016 to host the “Protect our Oceans – Plastic Reduction Poster Design Competition” and promoted the importance of reducing plastic use to save the ocean. The design competition will hopefully give contestants a better understanding of the importance of plastics reduction. GIGABYTE can then join the environment and society in fighting for environmental sustainability.

A total of 830 submissions were received during this event. The gold, silver, 2 x bronze, and 10 x merit awards were also expanded to include 30 x finalist awards as a gesture of encouragement to designers. This also gave more submissions a chance to show off their sustainability idea, originality, and ingenuity.