Air pollution control
The main sources of waste gas for Taiwan Mask Group are the chemicals used in the manufacturing process and the waste gas emitted by transportation vehicles. In order to ensure that the waste gas generated by the equipment used in the factory and the product manufacturing process complies with the current environmental protection regulations after treatment, strict waste gas emission monitoring is carried out.
Manage and Respond
- Ensure that the waste gas generated by the in-house process meets the requirements of environmental protection laws and regulations after treatment.
- Pollutant testing is carried out according to the requirements of the permit to ensure that the discharge standards are met.
- Regular maintenance of the scrubbing tower, including replacing Raschig rings and nozzles, ensures treatment efficiency, improves equipment stability, and guarantees that exhaust emissions meet regulatory requirements. The system is also connected to monitor key parameters in real time, and regular testing results show that the concentrations of all pollutants are well below regulatory limits. Furthermore, improvements to the scrubbing tower's aging piping and dampers enhance the stability of the air pollution control system, resulting in emissions and removal efficiency meeting environmental regulations for the past two years.
Waste management
Based on the ISO 14001 standard, Taiwan Mask Group has proposed an environmental policy with four main aspects: "energy conservation and waste reduction, pollution prevention, compliance with regulations, and continuous improvement." The company reviews its processes to continuously reduce waste generation and actively seeks opportunities for resource recycling.
Manage and Respond
- Waste Management: To ensure the legal and safe disposal of waste, management requirements are implemented for waste disposal procedures to minimize environmental impact. In 2024, Taiwan Mask Group conducted annual on-site inspections of general and hazardous industrial waste removal operations, and the inspection results consistently met legal requirements.
- All waste disposal is outsourced to qualified external treatment plants; no waste is processed in-house. Treatment methods include reuse, recycling, and incineration. In 2024, the total waste volume was 1,065.42 metric tons, of which 310.21 metric tons were non-hazardous waste and 755.21 metric tons were hazardous waste. Of this, 294.76 metric tons were incinerated, 751.99 metric tons were reused, and the remaining 18.67 metric tons were treated in other ways. Reuse accounted for 71% of the total waste volume in 2024, highlighting the effectiveness of Taiwan Mask Group's proactive collection and treatment of recyclable resources.
- Taiwan Mask Group aims for "process reduction and resource recycling." In 2024, Taiwan Mask recycled waste sulfuric acid discharged from wet-processing equipment in its plants, reducing the amount of liquid alkali added to the wastewater system and preventing waste sulfuric acid from entering the wastewater system and increasing its burden. Aigersen recovers waste activated carbon and transports it to legal recycling plants via dedicated vehicles. After regeneration and activation, it produces recycled carbon. Empty chemical containers are also collected and processed at legal recycling plants, crushed, and washed to produce recycled plastic scrap. In total, Taiwan Mask Group reduced waste generation by 723.71 metric tons in 2024. Furthermore, Taiwan Mask Group plans to gradually replace its shock-absorbing materials (polystyrene, EPS cushioning fillers, etc.), reusing polystyrene to produce plastic granules for protection, thus reducing the massive amount of waste generated by original packaging materials through packaging material recycling. The company hopes to maximize resource utilization efficiency by finding technologies that reduce, recycle, and reuse waste.
Water management
Taiwan Mask Group sources 100% of its water from third-party sources (tap water). The water is primarily used for production and employee living, with a total water intake of 347,280 tons in 2024. Water consumption increased by 96,696 tons compared to 2023 due to the addition of many new cleaning machines at Taiwan Mmask Corporation in 2024, while wastewater discharge increased by 73,516 tons. Taiwan Mask Group continues to improve its water-saving technologies to increase water conservation, promoting condensate recovery projects and cleaning machine water recycling projects to increase water resource reuse opportunities and reduce water intake. It plans to expand the cleaning machine water recycling project in 2025 and continue to use water recycling systems.
Manage and Respond
- Taiwan Mask Group has continuously strengthened its wastewater recycling measures through condensate recovery projects and carton washing machine water recovery projects, improving the operational efficiency of wastewater treatment facilities and achieving process water savings of 1,145 tons in 2024. In the future, Taiwan Mask Group will continue to promote water-saving projects and refine related recycling measures to reduce water consumption and environmental impact.
- Taiwan Mmasks Corporation employ a secondary protection system to prevent wastewater overflow and environmental pollution in the event of system malfunctions or tank damage. In addition to internal water quality testing, offline sampling and analysis are also outsourced to ensure that the aquatic environment is strictly monitored.
- The factory area has separate collection and management systems for process chemicals, and treats wastewater separately according to its characteristics, improving the efficiency of dedicated wastewater treatment. The treated wastewater is then discharged into the Hsinchu Science Park Wastewater Treatment Plant. Taiwan Photomask Group has established an environmental management system based on ISO 14001 for water resource management, monitoring the water usage of each factory. Its effluent management not only exceeds regulatory standards but also continuously monitors effluent quality online. To ensure the quality of effluent, regular water quality testing is conducted every six months. Testing items include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), pH, suspended solids (SS), CN-, Cr+6, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Hg, As, water temperature, ammonia nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, anionic surfactants, boron, and fluoride. Water quality test results for the past three years show that all levels are below legal standards.
Energy and Greenhouse Gases
Taiwan mask Group actively responds to and participates in global energy conservation and carbon reduction initiatives. When planning new factory construction, it adopted Diamond-level green building standards and implemented various energy-saving and carbon-reduction measures (such as switching to energy-efficient lighting, strengthening air conditioning management, improving air compressor efficiency, upgrading UF membranes, and updating energy-efficient equipment) to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Furthermore, Taiwan mask Group promotes electronic processes to reduce paper usage, and its employee cafeteria uses environmentally friendly tableware, encouraging employees to integrate energy conservation, carbon reduction, and environmental protection concepts into their work environment. In addition, since 2023, Taiwan mask Group has been gradually including some of its subsidiaries in greenhouse gas inventory audits, and plans to include all subsidiaries in the audits by 2029. In the future, it plans to implement carbon footprint assessments for its main products and promote environmental policies to suppliers, contractors, and carriers, hoping everyone will work together to protect the environment.
Manage and Respond
- Taiwan mask Group has maintained close communication with stakeholders and discovered their concern about energy and greenhouse gas issues, hoping to understand Taiwan mask management and actions on these issues. Taiwan Mask Group hopes to promote energy conservation and carbon reduction plans, emphasize pollution prevention, safeguard the quality of life for all, mitigate the environmental impact of its operations, and create economic and social value.
- Establish energy conservation and carbon reduction development goals and plans, with the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Coordinate and integrate the energy conservation and carbon reduction promotion strategies and plans of various departments, continuously introduce various energy-saving technologies, carry out energy-saving improvement plans for related facilities, strive to improve energy efficiency, and propose environmental policies to strictly regulate and prevent air pollution.
- In response to the domestic and international trend of renewable energy, Taiwan Mask Group installed solar power generation equipment with a total area of 2,677.5 m2 at its Plants 1, 2 and 6 in Taiwan at the end of 2022. In 2024, it generated a total of 457,743.91 kWh of electricity and reduced CO2 emissions by 216.97 tonnes. In the future, it will continue to evaluate the feasibility of green energy power generation and hopes to gradually increase the proportion of renewable energy used.
- Actively establishing a greenhouse gas monitoring mechanism, the company regularly monitors greenhouse gas emissions from each plant area. In 2024, the total greenhouse gas emissions from Category I and II of the TaiwanMask Group amounted to 19,743.73 tonCO2e. Indirect energy emissions from electricity use (Category II) accounted for 99% of the company's total emissions, while the remaining direct emissions (Category I) included: generator diesel, process cylinders, gasoline and diesel for official vehicles, septic tanks, and refrigerant-related equipment, accounting for 1%. In 2024, the Group's greenhouse gas emission intensity was 0.000044 tonCO2e/thousand NT dollars due to the commissioning of new equipment, an increase of 50% compared to the previous year. The Taiwan Mask Group will continue to formulate and implement strategies to reduce energy consumption.
- Committed to improving energy efficiency and planning the use of renewable energy, the company aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations. Through central monitoring, it continuously tracks the energy consumption of each system, adjusting parameters, installing energy-saving inverters, and replacing outdated equipment to reduce its reliance on externally purchased electricity and its associated environmental impact, while supporting the company's continued growth. The main reduction measures for 2024 consisted of two main categories: installing and replacing equipment with energy-saving devices, and completing the upgrade of factory lighting, resulting in total annual energy savings of approximately 112,954 GJ and greenhouse gas emission reductions of approximately 301.14 tonCO2e. Furthermore, in 2023, Taiwan Mask Group built an ecological landscape garden of over 1,000 square meters at its Zhunan plant, providing a comfortable and elegant green environment for employees to relax in. This initiative absorbs approximately 2.75 metric tons of carbon annually, enriching the ecology of the technology park and demonstrating the company's emphasis on employee rest, relaxation, and healthy living.
Innovation management
In the field of photomask manufacturing, innovation is not only a way of thinking, but also a crucial driver of the semiconductor chip industry. While the innovation process is fraught with challenges and uncertainties, it also presents abundant opportunities. Therefore, Taiwan Mask Group actively encourages innovative thinking, starting with the "manufacturing process," focusing on identifying problems and developing improvement and innovation strategies to enhance production efficiency, improve product quality stability, and reduce resource consumption. These initiatives enable the company to continuously advance towards its product development and growth goals.
Manage and Respond
- This year, Taiwan Mask Corporation once again passed the ISO 9001:2015 quality management system renewal and annual audit, meeting all system requirements and having not been penalized for any non-compliance for three consecutive years. Xsense Technology Corp, INC.and Miracle Technology Corp, INC. have also implemented ISO 9001 quality management certification to ensure that the quality of all types of products is guaranteed under standardized management, demonstrating the Group's commitment to product and service quality assurance.
- The Group holds an annual "Continuous Process and Quality Improvement" (CIP) event to enhance operational efficiency, optimize product and service quality, reduce production costs, minimize resource waste, and promote environmental sustainability. To this end, an incentive system has been established to encourage employee participation in CIP activities. In 2024, nine teams participated in CIP activities, and the results are expected to generate over 100 million RMB in benefits for the company in the future.
- To enhance competitiveness and meet customer and market demands, Taiwan Mask Corporation has consistently invested manpower and resources in R&D of high-end photomask products and advanced processes in recent years, maintaining its leading position in technology and product yield. Our R&D team is growing steadily, demonstrating Taiwan Mask Group's strong emphasis on industrial R&D and innovation. We will continue to invest significant resources in the future to provide better products to our customers.
- Taiwan Mask Corporation is committed to improving production efficiency. In 2021, it replaced its data processing server mainframes, thereby increasing data transmission speed and improving system energy efficiency, ensuring the production of more chips. In 2024, the overall energy efficiency of its processors reached its highest level in recent years, an increase of 36.67% compared to 2020. Furthermore, it replaced the EOS mainframes of its data processing PCs and upgraded its network core switches to 10G, further optimizing the efficiency of high-end process data processing.
- In response to the global trend of digital and intelligent transformation in manufacturing, Taiwan Mask Corporation is actively investing in the development of smart manufacturing, committed to integrating innovative technologies into production processes to improve overall efficiency and competitiveness. To achieve its long-term goals, Taiwan Mask Corporation has formulated six core plans, including Delivery & Scheduling, Clean Management System, RMS Centralization, iEDA (Intelligent Engineering Data Analysis), Defect AI Traceability, and Paperless. These plans will gradually improve the efficiency and transparency of production processes.
- In 2024, Taiwan Mask Corporation actively implemented the following innovative systems and measures to improve production efficiency, competitiveness, and reduce the environmental impact of its operations: 1. Development of a smart racking system and an automated dispatching system for inspection stations, along with a factory-wide wafer positioning system, to enhance digital transparency in production and achieve the three core functions of Semi-Scheduling, Dispatch, and Auto Assignment. This will improve factory production dispatching efficiency and reduce product queue time. This system is expected to go live in the first quarter of 2025, significantly reducing processing time and enabling paperless operation across the entire area. 2. Introduction of KPES (Key Product Engineer Tracking System). This dashboard management system helps process engineers review and repair defects, improving repair success rates and saving cycle time. It also tracks the production process using MPC (Master Process Control) to determine whether to initiate backup photomask production in advance, reducing the risk of late delivery. 3. Implementation of AMS-FDC (Photomask FDC System). By automatically collecting key parameters, this system assists engineers in repair and adjustment, reducing production defect rates and mitigating the risks of late delivery and quality issues. 4. Update or upgrade cleaning equipment, and retrofit existing machines with information systems to digitize production parameters. Improve the sensitivity of equipment and processes to yield and real-time changes through real-time out-of-specification reporting. 5. Utilize high-energy laser and semiconductor automation technologies for smart steel structure production. Achieve fully automated mass production of H-beams with high-precision control and automated operation, requiring minimal human intervention for both mass production and intelligent control. Complete the construction of BOX steel mass production equipment by 2024. The automation architecture for both types of steel includes high-precision control, visual recognition, and mobile device operation, providing a comprehensive solution for architectural steel profiles. This will significantly improve steel production efficiency. The Group also promotes low-carbon building labels for laser-welded steel structures to reduce carbon emissions from steel structure production, effectively achieving energy conservation and carbon reduction goals. 6. At the end of 2024, Taiwan Mask Corporation improved the packaging cardboard box material. The cardboard boxes used for shipments do not undergo bleaching and painting processes, reducing the environmental impact of the manufacturing process and also reducing manufacturing costs. It is expected that the new cardboard boxes will be officially used for packaging after obtaining customer approval in 2025.
Information security and privacy protection
Taiwan Mmask Corporation adheres to the core cybersecurity policy of "providing a reliable and secure operating environment, maintaining the legal use of information systems and data, ensuring the continuous and normal operation of company services, and achieving the company's information security management goals." It is committed to protecting customer information privacy and the company's operational security. Since obtaining ISO/IEC 27001:2013 international standard certification for information security management systems in 2020, it has regularly completed annual audits and verifications. Between 2022 and 2024, no violations of information security regulations or customer privacy complaints were found.
Manage and Respond
- At least one internal cybersecurity audit and third-party external audit are conducted annually, along with cybersecurity vulnerability scanning to identify and improve high-risk projects. Regular disaster drills are also conducted to ensure the effectiveness of emergency response plans in the event of unforeseen circumstances. Taiwan Mmask Corporation Shield is a member of the Taiwan Computer Network Crisis Management and Coordination Center (TWCERT/CC) and has developed an information security protection plan. To effectively respond to anomalies, cybersecurity incident management procedures are followed, cybersecurity anomaly rectification forms are issued, and monthly cybersecurity meetings are held to exchange information with various departments, collect customer feedback and user needs for continuous improvement.
- To quickly resolve information security incidents and minimize their impact, Taiwan Mmask Corporation has established an information security incident management procedure specifically for recording, processing, and managing such incidents. Through regular risk assessments, appropriate corrective and preventative measures are developed and implemented for high-risk services to reduce the probability of occurrence or mitigate their impact. Furthermore, an annual management review meeting is held to review the operation of the information security management system and evaluate and improve the maintenance and operation of various documents.
- This year,Taiwan Mmask Corporation LightScan partnered with Chunghwa Telecom to conduct a cybersecurity penetration test. The test aimed to assess the security vulnerabilities of the company's internal network environment, pinpoint system weaknesses, patch vulnerabilities, and optimize cybersecurity to strengthen the overall cybersecurity system. The purpose of penetration testing is to simulate the thinking of hackers and malicious users, attempting to compromise corporate websites, information systems, or equipment software, analyze the risk level of the test targets, and assess whether security needs improvement. The test system used was Power BI-SQL (Vrfab), executed remotely/in a black-box manner. The results revealed three vulnerabilities: one medium-risk vulnerability and two low-risk vulnerabilities, with no high-risk vulnerabilities.
- To effectively record, process, and manage information security incidents, and to rapidly mitigate their impact, Taiwan Mmask Corporation has established a standard reporting procedure for major information security incidents. The process for handling information security incidents includes: identifying and recording the incident, classifying and assessing its severity, notifying relevant departments and initiating action, reviewing the causes of the incident, and developing preventative measures. In handling and tracking these incidents, it is essential to first ensure that the incident has been properly resolved, and then to thoroughly analyze its causes to reduce the likelihood of similar incidents recurring.
- When the Information Management Department discovers a suspected information security incident, it will immediately notify the information system manager for assistance in assessment. If confirmed as an information security incident, the Information Management Department will promptly notify department managers through the system and require them to complete the handling and response within a specified timeframe. Upon receiving the report, the Cybersecurity Task Force will use the online approval system to control and track the incident. In the event of a major information security incident, it must be reported within two hours, and in accordance with the information security management guidelines for listed companies, the Chief Cybersecurity Officer will release relevant important information to the public.
- The Taiwan Mmask Corporation Group places great importance on information security, regularly conducting cybersecurity awareness campaigns and carrying out social engineering drills quarterly. Employees who fail the drills will receive additional cybersecurity training. This year, 46 Taiwan Mmask Corporation employees mistakenly clicked on links in phishing emails; all have completed supplementary training on "preventing social engineering." Furthermore, all new employees must undergo one hour of cybersecurity training and pass a test; all new hires in 2024 have completed this training.
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social participation
The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation, upholding the belief of "becoming a force for social progress," is committed to reducing the urban-rural gap, supporting vulnerable groups, and focusing on three main philanthropic axes: "Caring for the Vulnerable," "Environmental Sustainability," and "Social Welfare Activities." In 2024, the foundation continued to deepen its efforts in the areas of "Caring for the Vulnerable" and "Social Welfare Activities," investing a total of NT$29,825,529, bringing a positive impact to society.
Manage and Respond
- The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation has been deeply committed to education in rural Miaoli County for the past four years. Collaborating with 15 schools in Toufen, Sanwan, and Nanzhuang districts, and expanding to one school in Taipei, the foundation strives to bridge the urban-rural resource gap and create a learning environment full of opportunities for children. The foundation provides diverse and enriching courses for low-income students in various fields, including sports, music, and arts. Examples include Taekwondo, Taiwanese Lion Dance, unicycling, orchestral music, violin, choir, seasonal drumming, traditional indigenous weaving, the Shennong Project, and sustainable ecological pond improvement. Through these diverse learning experiences, children discover their potential, build confidence, and find their own stage. The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation also offers the "Outstanding Hope Scholarship" to alleviate the financial burden on economically disadvantaged students, allowing them to focus on their studies without worries and bravely pursue their dreams. In 2024, the foundation invested a total of NT$4,670,852 in the diversified curriculum and scholarship program for elementary and junior high schools, benefiting 2,193 students and awarding scholarships to 69 outstanding students. The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation believes that every child deserves the opportunity to shine, and we will continue to accompany them as they grow, igniting hope for education in rural areas and adding more possibilities for their future.
- In 2024, the Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation continued its collaboration with several non-profit organizations, including the Care Foundation, the Care Association, and Home of Hearts, investing NT$11,669,893 to promote the "Optimization of Non-profit Organizations to Improve the Quality of Care and Education for Disadvantaged Children in Rural Areas" project. The aim was to build a more solid learning path for children in rural areas and accompany them as they grow up healthily and happily. We assist organizations in optimizing the quality of after-school tutoring and support their human resource development and training. A stable team of teachers and professional social workers forms the foundation for providing high-quality care, creating a warm and loving environment for children. Small class sizes allow children who are struggling academically to receive one-on-one individual guidance, while individualized learning plans help children build confidence and ignite their passion for learning.
- The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation has long collaborated with "Home of the Heart" to host "Storytelling Activities," opening a magical journey for children towards imagination and positive energy. Through carefully selected stories, the activities guide children to establish important values such as love and tolerance. In 2024, six storytelling events were held, inviting professional volunteers to vividly interpret stories, leading 100 children into a world full of wonder and warmth. Each listening session was a nourishment for the soul, subtly building correct values, cultivating a positive and optimistic attitude towards life, and bravely facing future challenges.
- To protect these seniors and allow them to enjoy their later years in familiar surroundings, the Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation and Shuangfu Foundation collaborated, investing a total of NT$3,595,551 in 2024. Through regular visits and care by social workers, they provided nutritious meals and home safety assistance, and thoughtfully offered accompaniment services to medical appointments. They meticulously cared for the physical and mental needs of the elderly, warming every lonely corner with love, and ensuring that every senior can feel the warmth and care of society.
- The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation also prioritizes the nutritional needs and mental well-being of elderly people in rural areas. Due to living alone or economic constraints, many seniors lack balanced nutrition, impacting their physical health. To address this, the Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation collaborates with the Shuangfu Foundation to provide "Nutritional Enhancement Services." Through regular visits by social workers, the foundation provides seniors with nutritious meals and health consultations, and assists in improving their home environment to reduce the risk of accidents. The foundation also focuses on the mental health of its seniors, regularly organizing reunions for elderly people living alone and health promotion group activities. These activities encourage seniors to leave their homes, participate in social activities, and thereby gain psychological support and emotional exchange, regaining hope and anticipation for life. In 2024, the Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation continued to invest resources, enabling 1,079 elderly people living alone in the Taoyuan area to benefit from "Nutritional Enhancement Services," ensuring that each senior enjoys a healthy body and a happy mind, allowing them to enjoy a fulfilling later life.
- The Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation, recognizing the needs of elderly people in rural areas, has partnered with the Shuangfu Foundation to continue its "Accompanied Medical Visit Program." This program provides several services, including transportation subsidies, professional medical escorts, and volunteer escorts to help seniors alleviate anxiety and stress associated with medical appointments. After each visit, social workers follow up to understand the senior's health status and needs, and assist in connecting them with relevant resources to provide more comprehensive care. Through the "Accompanied Medical Visit Program," 280 elderly people have already received medical care in 2024. The foundation hopes that seniors can seek medical attention promptly when they feel unwell, preventing their conditions from worsening and reducing subsequent medical expenses.
- To bridge the urban-rural gap and allow children in rural areas to experience the charm of art, the Taiwan Mask Corporation Charity Foundation launched the "Arts and Culture Train" project in 2024. The power of art can transcend distance and touch hearts, planting seeds of beauty in children's hearts. This train, filled with music and drama, traveled to rural areas such as Miaoli, Hualien, and Yunlin, bringing wonderful artistic feasts to children. In 2024, the "Arts and Culture Train" invested NT$1,810,500 to hold five drama and music performances, attracting 2,681 viewers. The children were immersed in the moving melodies and wonderful performances, their faces beaming with joy and emotion. We will continue to promote arts education, allowing the seeds of art to sprout and thrive in rural areas.
Occupational health and safety
Taiwan Mmask Group adheres to the requirements of safety and health laws and regulations, implements regulatory verification, and adjusts its occupational safety and health management plan in a timely manner to ensure compliance with the latest standards and regulations. We are committed to continuously reducing hazards, preventing occupational accidents, and promoting the safety and well-being of our employees.
Manage and Respond
- Taiwan Mmask Corporation considers employee safety a top priority. To prevent occupational accidents, it implemented the ISO 45001 system in 2023 and completed its regular certification in 2024. By thoroughly assessing hazards and risks in the work environment and integrating relevant regulations and guidelines into its internal occupational safety and health management system, the company minimizes potential risks in the environment, fundamentally preventing occupational accidents and ensuring that every employee can work in a safe environment.
- Taiwan Mmask Corporation is continuously improving its work environment to ensure safety, hygiene, health, and environmental protection, aiming to reduce the number of occupational injury incidents. In 2024, one occupational injury was included in the occupational injury index calculation. This incident occurred on April 3, 2024, when an earthquake caused a light steel frame and light fixture to fall from the ceiling of the factory's changing room, injuring a person's head. The factory management commissioned professional technicians to re-inspect and confirm that the building's safety was not significantly affected. If there is a risk of excessively high-lying items, these will be addressed gradually to prevent recurrence of such incidents. In 2024, one occupational injury was also included in the occupational injury index calculation for Xsense Technology Corp, INC. An investigation revealed that this was due to human error; a cleaning staff member did not wring the mop dry, making the floor too slippery, causing one person to fall and be injured. To prevent similar incidents from recurring, the human resources department has provided safety training to cleaning staff. Furthermore, to reduce traffic accidents, traffic safety awareness campaigns have been conducted quarterly since 2022, promoting a zero-injury workplace prevention program and moving towards a zero-accident goal. Taiwan Mmask Corporation has established an "Abnormal Incident Reporting Process," which classifies workplace accidents into Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, defining standards for each level, based on work-related injuries, illnesses, and other incidents. The responsible unit reports incidents according to their severity level, initiates investigations into the causes or potential causes of the incidents, and, after the investigation is completed, implements corrective measures according to procedures. The responsible unit then monitors and tracks these actions to improve the effectiveness of safety and health management.
- We proactively manage potential risks in the environment and have established occupational safety risk management procedures. We regularly conduct hazard identification and risk assessments for various work activities, equipment, and facilities, addressing physical, human-related, and chemical hazards. The results are recorded and archived as the basis for developing control measures. From these assessments, we identify potential risks and improvement opportunities, and implement risk control management measures. In the event of an occupational injury incident, we follow standard procedures, promptly report the incident, conduct a review, and continuously improve to ensure a safe working environment for all employees.
- To ensure the safety and health of employees and contractors, Taiwan Mmask Corporation continuously improves the working environment. Key projects include: • Upgrading lighting equipment: Replacing factory lighting with LED lights to increase brightness, avoid dim visibility, and provide employees with a safer working environment. • Enhancing chemical protection: Purchasing suitable personal protective equipment, such as protective clothing, face shields, gloves, and shoe covers, and requiring on-site operators to wear them to effectively prevent injuries from direct contact with chemicals. • Implementing contractor management: Before formal construction, contractors are specifically informed about their working environment, hazards, safety and health regulations, and related safety and health measures to be taken. Contractors must comply with factory access control regulations to effectively control the hazards and risks that may arise from their personnel, equipment, and materials entering the factory.
- Taiwan Mmask Corporation prioritizes the safety and health of every employee. To establish a robust safety, hygiene, and health culture, we have developed a comprehensive and diverse range of occupational safety and health education and training courses in accordance with regulatory requirements. These courses cover new employee training, continuing education for existing employees, general knowledge of chemical hazards, fire response and disaster prevention, emergency response training, and training in the wearing, use, and operation of personal protective equipment. To ensure employees can apply their knowledge in practice, we conduct real-world scenario simulations, allowing them to learn response skills in simulated situations and accumulate valuable practical experience.
- Taiwan Mmask Corporation also places great importance on the workplace safety of contractors and other non-employees. We provide contractors with detailed hazard briefings before they enter the factory and conduct relevant training to ensure that everyone working in the factory area can operate in a safe environment. In 2024, 300 employees participated in safety and health training, totaling 837 hours. 715 contractors participated in maintenance engineering training, totaling 715 hours. We will continue to review and optimize training content, adjusting course arrangements based on employee needs and operational risk assessment results to improve training effectiveness.
- Every year, occupational safety and health personnel and medical staff develop a new "Occupational Health Service Plan," which focuses on five aspects: prevention of human-caused hazards, prevention of illegal infringements, maternal health protection, management of abnormal workloads, and suitability assessment for middle-aged and older workers, to comprehensively protect the health of employees.
- Every month, occupational health service doctors are invited to the factory to provide professional consultation services to employees. For employees with abnormal health check results or concerns about their personal health, professional health guidance and advice are provided. To ensure that every employee enjoys health care exceeding regulatory standards, Taiwan Mmask Corporation regularly conducts free employee health checkups annually and provides subsidies for physical examinations for new employees. All employee health and safety information is properly kept by medical personnel and used only during personal consultations, ensuring the complete protection of employee privacy.
- We hold regular health promotion activities, including: • Collaborating with the Hsinchu Science Park Employee Clinic and Min-Sheng General Hospital to promote the "Computed Tomography (CT) Prevention Promotion Program," providing employees with free low-dose lung CT scans and coronary artery calcium analysis. • Promoting related preventative measures and helping employees relieve stress and maintain mental and physical balance through diverse health promotion activities. Starting in 2021, for three years, Taiwan Photomask will hold an annual weight loss and fat reduction self-challenge activity to encourage employees to reduce their Body Mass Index (BMI) and body fat through healthy eating and regular exercise, thereby improving their overall health. • Holding the "Mood Turnaround, Overcoming Low Spirits" health promotion activity. Through a variety of activities, employees are encouraged to actively participate in various activities during their spare time to relax and rejuvenate. Activities include company events (health lectures, clubs, welfare committee activities) and various sports and arts activities. Additionally, a competition in the main event cultivates employees' walking habits, contributing to their health. This year, participating departments covered the Hsinchu, Zhunan, and Tainan plants, with 207 participants. • We hold seminars on smoking cessation, cardiovascular disease, AED and CPR training, and crime prevention, providing employees with more diverse options and enhancing their awareness of self-health management. The average satisfaction score for these seminars is 4.9 out of 5. • Inside the factory has three Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). To improve employees' emergency response capabilities and to accommodate shift work schedules, we hold two AED+CPR practical drills, first aid knowledge training, and on-site first aid personnel training sessions annually. The employee participation rate is 96.5%, and the average employee satisfaction score is 4.95 out of 5.
- We offer a variety of recreational activities and sports classes for our hardworking colleagues, with professional coaches providing instruction in areas such as strength training, yoga, aerobics, and badminton. Colleagues can also book coaching sessions in advance for personalized one-on-one training.
Talent cultivation
Taiwan Mask Group upholds the values of diversity, fairness, and inclusion, and is committed to creating a positive and friendly workplace environment. It continuously develops and improves its education and training system, respects differences, embraces diverse cultures, and provides equal opportunities for development. The group encourages employees to develop their potential, build consensus, leverage team synergy, and create excellence together.
Manage and Respond
- To help new employees integrate quickly, we have designed a comprehensive "New Employee Development Training" system, including: ■ Mentorship Program: Senior employees provide one-on-one training to new employees, covering machine operation and related knowledge. Engineers assist in tracking training progress, ensuring machine operation certification is completed within three months. This system not only standardizes teaching methods but also improves learning efficiency and quality. ■ Educational Courses: Through systematic courses, we help new employees understand company culture, product knowledge, and occupational safety, quickly improving work efficiency. For production line personnel, we regularly hold refresher training courses annually to confirm correct operating procedures and review material to maintain high-quality work standards.
- We offer a variety of career development programs, such as professional skills training courses and career development consulting, to help employees continuously learn, improve their professional skills, find their own stage in the company, and achieve their career goals.
- Looking ahead to 2025, Taiwan Mask Corporation will formulate a more comprehensive "Management Regulations for the Education and Training of New Employees," planning new employee training courses for departments related to the production line. These regulations will clarify the learning direction and content for new employees and provide senior employees and instructors with training and assessment plans to follow, improving training efficiency and consistency, and further strengthening the talent development system.
compliance
Taiwan Mask Group upholds high moral standards as a core value, emphasizes compliance with regulations, and strictly adheres to all laws and regulations affecting its operations. With zero violations as its management goal, the company ensures integrity and transparency in its operations to achieve sustainable development. Each department regularly reviews relevant regulations based on its responsibilities, commits to compliance, reviews regulations, and ensures they are updated to avoid any potential violations.
Manage and Respond
- Taiwan Mask Group closely monitors regulatory requirements and regularly updates them. Company employees maintain integrity and adhere to all regulations, aiming to avoid any major violations in order to fulfill corporate social responsibility, gain stakeholder trust, and move towards sustainable operation. In 2024, the company did not incur any significant monetary fines or other non-monetary penalties, nor were there any cases handled through dispute resolution mechanisms. Note: According to the Taiwan Stock Exchange regulations, major violations exceeding NTD 1,000,000 must be disclosed on the public information website.
- The company provides relevant legal training based on different positions and departments. Through these courses, it ensures that all employees are familiar with and comply with various laws and regulations when handling business. The training sessions held in 2024 are as follows: ■ Honest business practices and trade secret promotion: 287 participants ■ Intellectual property rights: 39 participants ■ Prevention of workplace misconduct and communication skills: 86 participants
Integrity and anti-corruption
Integrity and honesty are core values of the Taiwan Mask Group. The company has zero tolerance for unethical practices such as corruption and bribery. All directors and employees of the Taiwan Mask Group abide by relevant laws and regulations and have established "Code of Conduct for Honest Business Practices," "Management Measures for Preventing Insider Trading," and "Anti-Corruption Standards," and are committed to implementing these principles in their daily operations.
Manage and Respond
- To prevent illegal profits and business risks, Taiwan Mask Corporation has established an effective process control mechanism. The audit, finance and legal departments strictly review the quoted costs and contracts, and the quality department monitors the product quality. This multi-layered control ensures that all operational aspects comply with laws and regulations and ethical standards.
- The company conveys its integrity-based business philosophy through online courses, new employee training, and promotion on its official website. New employees sign an integrity-based business code upon joining the company, and board members actively participate in relevant external training courses to strengthen the anti-corruption awareness of all employees. Implementation Status of the Integrity-Based Business Policy: ■ All operating locations have completed anti-corruption risk assessments. ■ Integrity-based business guidelines have been published on the company website and disseminated to all employees. ■ Every new employee is required to complete a professional ethics course. ■ Professional ethics clauses are included in procurement contracts signed with suppliers; the signing rate is 100%.
- To enhance employees' anti-corruption awareness, Taiwan Mask Corporation continues to promote anti-corruption education and training. In 2024, some production line personnel were unable to complete the training by the end of the year, resulting in a participation rate of 57% of all employees. However, we will continue to promote digital education and training courses to strengthen employees at all levels' awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures until the goal of all employees participating in the training is achieved.
- Adhering to the "Code of Conduct for Honest Business Practices," the company has established a comprehensive internal control system for business activities with a high risk of dishonest behavior, and is committed to continuous review and improvement to ensure the effectiveness of the system's design and implementation. Based on the results of the dishonest behavior risk assessment, the internal audit unit formulates an annual audit plan, covering the audit targets, scope, items, and frequency, and regularly reports the audit results and follow-up to the audit committee and the board of directors. No major corruption risks, violations of honest business practices, ethical or anti-competitive behaviors occurred in 2024.
- Taiwan Photomask has established a complaint mailbox and hotline for all stakeholders. Any instances of corruption, bribery, or other unethical conduct can be reported or complained about through the hotline. Furthermore, the company has a comprehensive whistleblowing system to ensure that whistleblowers are not mistreated in the handling, investigation process, or results of their reports. In 2024, there were no reports of breaches of business integrity submitted through the whistleblowing system.
risk management
Taiwan Mask Group adheres to relevant domestic and international standards, keeps abreast of changes in the internal and external environment, and continuously optimizes mechanisms such as risk impact assessment through the Risk Management Steering Committee. The Risk Management Executive Committee identifies, assesses, manages, and executes risk management work to effectively manage risks affecting the company's operations and achieve its commitment to sustainable operation.
Manage and Respond
- To comprehensively enhance risk management, Taiwan Mask Corporation has established a Risk Management Steering Committee led by the General Manager, under which a Risk Management Executive Committee has been set up. The Executive Committee uses a risk map to assess the probability of potential risk events and the severity of their impact on the company's operations across four dimensions: strategy, operations, finance, and hazard. For projects assessed as medium- or high-risk, the committee will develop and implement corresponding improvement measures, and submit a report on the improvement results of risk projects and follow-up tracking of high-risk matters to the Board of Directors for review in the fourth quarter of each year to ensure the effectiveness of risk control.
- In 2024, a total of 156 risk items were identified, of which 28 were rated as medium to high risk. The Risk Management Executive Committee develops corresponding improvement plans in the first quarter of each year based on the ISO system, following ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001 standards. Through the proactive implementation of these improvement plans, the number of medium to high risk items has been successfully reduced to 4, demonstrating significant effectiveness. For medium and high risk items, the Executive Committee continuously tracks the progress of improvements monthly and reports the results to the Risk Management Steering Committee quarterly, ultimately submitting the reports to the Board of Directors for review to ensure the effectiveness of risk control.
Supply chain management
Taiwan Mask Corporation selects high-quality suppliers through self-assessment data, including company profiles, business registration, and financial information. Social and environmental performance is also incorporated into the selection criteria for new suppliers; any suppliers with related negative or non-compliant records will not be considered for cooperation. To build a sustainable supply chain,Taiwan Mask Corporation has established a "Supplier Code of Conduct" and requires suppliers, especially those supplying key raw materials and equipment, to sign the "Supplier Code of Conduct" or an equivalent document. The company actively promotes this code of conduct to all suppliers, guiding them to integrate sustainability principles into their business operations. The code covers employee rights, environmental safety during production, product quality, and whether the products themselves and byproducts adhere to environmental protection principles. Taiwan Photomask works with suppliers to fulfill social responsibility and protect the environment, moving towards sustainable operations.
Manage and Respond
- The key materials used by Taiwan Masks Corporation are classified into three categories: photomask film, photomask boxes, and blank photomasks. To strengthen supply chain resilience and mitigate the risk of material shortages, the Company engages with multiple qualified suppliers and prepares materials in advance based on operational plans, ensuring stable and reliable inventory support. To enhance supplier management, all suppliers are categorized according to the three material types. Photomask film and photomask boxes are sourced locally to promote supply chain sustainability, improve transparency and understanding of upstream supply conditions, and reduce overall supply chain management risks.
- Upholding the principles of deep roots in Taiwan and giving back to society, we actively promote local sourcing. By prioritizing local suppliers, we not only increase supply flexibility and reduce operating costs, but also create local employment opportunities and promote domestic economic development. We are committed to increasing the proportion of locally sourced raw materials and establishing long-term, stable partnerships with suppliers to jointly build a green and sustainable supply chain.
- We conduct annual supplier audits to assess their sustainability performance. Only partners who commit to working with us to achieve our sustainability goals through a "Supplier Code of Conduct" are considered qualified suppliers. All key material and equipment suppliers have signed the "Supplier Code of Conduct" or equivalent documents, and in 2024, no supplier had any significant actual or potential negative impact on the environment or society.
- To ensure consistent product quality, Taiwan Masks Corporation has established a comprehensive supplier quality assessment mechanism. The Quality Assurance (QA) Department conducts regular evaluations and audits, and an annual “Supplier Delivery Quality Assessment” is implemented with a corresponding risk rating system. Economic, social, and environmental considerations are incorporated into the evaluation process to ensure that all supplier deliveries comply with regulatory requirements and the Company’s sustainability standards. Suppliers are categorized based on their assessment scores. For suppliers that do not meet the required standards, we mandate the submission of corrective action plans and continuously monitor their improvement progress. If performance remains below expectations even after corrective actions, the Company will terminate the business relationship and revoke the supplier’s qualification. To mitigate potential supply shortages and reduce operational risks, alternative suppliers are also identified and assessed. In 2024, Taiwan Masks Corporation conducted delivery quality assessments for 20 key raw material suppliers. Assessment results were graded from A to D, with A representing the highest performance. Only suppliers that meet the evaluation standards are retained on the approved procurement list. Suppliers scoring below 70 points are designated as requiring improvement, ensuring the effectiveness of supplier management. The 2024 assessment results indicated that no supplier received a grade of D; all suppliers met Taiwan Masks Corporation’s supplier performance requirements.
- To comply with the requirements of the Conflict-Free Metals and Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), Taiwan Masks Corporation requires its raw material suppliers to sign an Hazardous Substance Free (HSF) commitment letter and a REACH Substances of Very High Concern (SHC) investigation letter (M10-SR-08-0015) annually. They must also provide a third-party impartial inspection report proving that the product does not use any of the hazardous substances listed in RoHS and does not use any metals from illegally controlled warlord regions, thus ensuring a reduction in environmental impact and demonstrating responsible sourcing.
- To understand the extent to which the supply chain implements sustainability issues, Taiwan Masks Corporationk has been distributing a "Supply Chain Code of Conduct Questionnaire" to raw material suppliers since 2023, allowing them to conduct self-assessments. Suppliers are required to respond to the questionnaire regarding their implementation status across three main areas: governance, society, and environment. The self-assessment results will serve as the basis for subsequent sustainability risk management. In 2024, 24 self-assessment documents were sent to raw material and equipment suppliers, with 22 returned. The questionnaire assessment considers the potential impact on suppliers across these three areas: governance (hazardous substances/conflict minerals management, supplier management, integrity in business operations, and risk management); society (occupational health and safety management and potential human rights impacts); and environment (environmental management, carbon reduction measures, and energy resource management). Based on the suppliers' self-assessment results, the company analyzes and identifies high-risk vendors, providing them with communication and guidance for improvement. Analysis of the 2024 sustainability risk assessment questionnaire results shows that suppliers' performance in all areas has improved compared to last year. In terms of governance, the average score has reached over 80 points. Going forward, we will urge suppliers to improve their management of hazardous materials and conflict minerals, and to continuously strengthen sustainable governance. In terms of society, the average score across all aspects has reached over 95 points, and regarding human rights, 90% of suppliers have established relevant labor rights policies and provided complaint channels. In terms of the environment, 95% of suppliers have conducted inspections in Categories 1 and 2, and are planning to inspect Category 3, with 60% of suppliers having set waste reduction targets. For high-risk suppliers with a total score below 80 points, we have identified their potential risks and conducted sustainability document reviews and communications to confirm and understand their risk status.