Asia Cement : Achieves Top Score in Taiwan's Building Materials Category in Leading Global ESG Rating

Asia Cement Achieves Top Score in Taiwan's Building Materials Category in Leading Global ESG Rating

S&P Global recently released the 2024 Sustainability Yearbook, one of the most influential ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) ratings globally. The assessment this year accommodated 9400 companies from 62 industries worldwide. Asia Cement stood out, not only by being included as a member of the Sustainability Yearbook but also significantly improving its score, achieving the highest score in the building materials category among its peers from Taiwan. In response, Asia Cement's President, Li Kunyen, expressed that this achievement is the result of the collective efforts of all staff. Asia Cement has always been committed to green environmental protection and social responsibility, which are not only core values of the company but also the foundation for future development.

According to S&P Global standards, the requirements for becoming a member of the Sustainability Yearbook are quite strict. Candidates must rank in the top 15% of their respective industries. According to data provided by S&P Global, Asia Cement excelled in waste management, achieving a perfect score of 100 points. Additionally, it scored over 90 in Occupational Health & Safety, Business Ethics, and Water Management, while receiving a score of 87 in Climate Strategy and Emissions. The most significant improvements were observed in Stakeholder Engagement, Tax Strategy, Biodiversity, and Human Rights.

Asia Cement emphasizes that its cement plant in Hualien is one of the earliest facilities in the country to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Since 2009, Asia Cement has voluntarily reduced emissions by over 330,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to the carbon absorption of 860 Daan Forest Park in Taipei. Currently, Asia Cement is actively developing various carbon reduction technologies and promoting the use of cement products with both quality and low carbon characteristics to achieve the ultimate goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Additionally, Asia Cement is collaborating with domestic and foreign research institutions to develop carbon-negative technologies. It is integrating these technologies into the Ya-tung Ready-mixed Concrete industry chain to produce carbon-negative recycled aggregates or auxiliary cementitious materials and has established stage-wise targets for carbon capture.

Asia Cement has cultivated a secure, healthy, and fulfilling work environment, with six consecutive years of zero significant occupational accidents. Moreover, all of its subsidiaries have attained ISO 45001 certification, extending safety awareness across the value chain and among subcontractors by establishing a systematic safety protection network through onsite counseling. Additionally, Asia Cement has been granted ISO 37001 certification, with all directors and employees signing an "Anti-Bribery Policy Compliance Statement." In addition, Asia Cement was chosen for inclusion in the "TIP Customized Environmental Sustainability Dividend+ Index" in January 2024, which shows that Asia Cement has both environmental sustainability and high dividend characteristics and continues to create value for investors. Asia Cement reaffirmed its commitment to embracing sustainable development, pursuing excellence with elevated standards, making significant contributions to sustainable development, and guiding the entire industry chain towards a more environmentally friendly future.