Giant Step Forward for the Electronics Industry: CMO completes the first verfication of "product life circle greenhouse gas asse

<August 19, 2009, Tainan> Chi Mei Optoelectronics (CMO) today announced the completion of the world’s first “product carbon footprint” verification process for LCD panels, receiving the Verification Statement of Product Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Assertions. CMO investigated the carbon footprint of its 15.4-inch notebook computer panel in adherence with global carbon footprinting standard PAS 2050, and received a third-party verification from one of the world's authority of standards Norway-based DNV (Det Norske Veritas). During the verification process, CMO fully disclosed the process and information related to the “life cycle greenhouse gas emissions” of its LCD panel products, demonstrating its determination to achieve green products. Not only is CMO responding to the global market's requirement for disclosure of business environment cost, it also helping usher in a new era of “product carbon footprint” disclosure to the electronics industry.

“Full carbon footprint disclosure is challenging because of the complexity of the LCD panel production process, and the use of material and components,” remarked CMO president Jyh-Chau Wang. “In taking this giant step forward, CMO hopes to improve its ‘green operations’ and ‘green design’. The proactive examination and improvement of product manufacturing steps and raw materials will ensure a reduction in carbon emissions, and efforts will be made in developing commercial product technology that reduces carbon emissions. CMO also hopes to see the entire supply chain network participating in the product carbon footprint disclosure, together paying serious attention to the issue of greenhouse gas reduction and eventually satisfying consumers’ requirement for energy-efficient and eco-friendly electronic products.”

Continuously realizing its philosophy of sustainable business practices, CMO has in recent years committed to reducing the possible environmental impact of its business, achieving excellent results in efforts to reduce greenhouse gases, save energy, conserve water resources and recycle waste materials. CMO has also received the EPA's ROC Enterprise Environmental Protection Award for the last two years (first awarded in 2007) and has launched a careful investigation into greenhouse gas emissions. In 2008, CMO examined the product lifecycle in its green supply chain management, passed the auditing by the Environment and Development Foundation (EDF) in June this year and made a Type-III Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its green products. Last year, CMO also made “To Earth, with L.O.V.E.” the main theme of its all-round green vision and proposed a three-year “9999” plan for its “green operations”, which is expected to see results in 2011. In March this year, CMO completed the world's first “product carbon footprint” verification process for LCD panels after approximately six months of total commitment by the related departments and close to 40 suppliers.