IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1497169
IPC COMMUNITY 86 SPRING 2023 We analyzed 61 sustainability reports pub- lished since 2020 by industry leaders (based on 2021 revenue estimates) using a custom Materiality Framework Tool to support both the consistent review of the reports and the compilation of data. PCB, EMS, and wire/cable companies, as well as OEMs, all from Asia, Europe, and North America, were represented in the study. We recorded data from each report, including: • Reporting frameworks and standards: The disclosure frameworks and standards reported on in the sustainability report included Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), Task Force on Climate- Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). • Stakeholders and stakeholder engagement tactics and methodology: The companies, organizations, or communities identified as relevant to the company's financial and nonfinancial success and the approach taken to survey or otherwise engage with those stakeholders. • Sustainability goals: Qualitative, quantitative, or time-bound targets established by the company. • Material topics and topic boundaries: The sustainability topics presented in the company's sustainability report and the terminology used to define or describe that topic. We found that there was consistent use of the four frameworks and standards (GRI, SASB, TCFD, CDP) across the four industry seg- ments (PCB, EMS, wire/cable, OEM) and across the three regions (Asia, Europe, and North America). GRI was strongly preferred and most used. Only 8% of companies evaluated did not reference any of the frameworks/standards. Six stakeholder categories were most repre- sented in the sustainability reports: • Customers (75% of companies in this survey mention this stakeholder category) • Investors and providers of capital (75%) • Policymakers (69%) • Employees (64%) • Suppliers (54%) • Communities (48%) We did find some consistency across sus- tainability reports, however. Investors were mentioned more frequently by PCB companies and EMS companies; customers were men- tioned more frequently by wire/cable compa- nies; and policymakers were mentioned more frequently by OEM companies. Most companies evaluated in this explor- atory study set sustainability targets: 54 of 61 companies published their goals in their sustainability reports, yet only 33 of those 54 companies set qualitative, quantita- tive, and timebound targets—an indicator of maturity in corporate responsibility and due