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Water Resource Management

WNC is part of an R&D and technology intensive industry. Water for everyday use comprises the majority of water usage, with a small part comprising of water used by factory equipment and special manufacturing processes. WNC sites in Taiwan, China and Vietnam all use tap water. To manage water usage, we implement water management goals through monitoring water usage and implementing water conservation measures. Additionally, we conduct internal and external audits to ensure compliance with ISO 14001 standards.

Water Resource Risk Assessment

To understand the level of water resource risk at WNC’s owned or leased assets, we utilize the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) to identify baseline water stress levels at each site and assess overall water resource risk. At the same time, we also conduct a further examination of the physical water risks at each production and supplier site. Following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changeā€™s (IPCC) definition of climate risk, we consider three dimensions: hazard, vulnerability, and exposure. We assess the risk levels faced by these sites in extreme rainfall and drought scenarios and evaluate the impact of risks under different climate conditions. Finally, based on the comprehensive assessment results, we develop emergency response measures, disaster recovery actions, and regular drill plans for each factory. We integrate the risk analysis findings into supplier negotiations and recommend that suppliers strengthen their disaster response measures. In 2023, the water usage at key production sites of WNC was significantly less than 1% of the available water supply in their respective regions. Regarding water stress risks, only the facility located in Kunshan, China, falls within a high water stress area. Its water usage was 194.317 megaliters, accounting for 28.43% of the total water usage, with water consumption of 97.159 megaliters, representing 29.74% of the total water consumption. For detailed information on water resource risk analysis, please refer to WNCā€™s 2023 TCFD Report.

Impact of WNC water usage in 2023

Country Main source of water Water stress risk levelNote Water treatment plant Discharge destination
Taiwan Hsinchu Touqian River, Baoshan Reservoir and Baoshan Second Reservoir Low (<10%) Hsinchu Science Park sewage treatment plant Koya River
Tainan Zengwen River, Zengwen Reservoir, Nanhua Reservoir Low (<10%) Southern Science Park sewage treatment plant Yanshui River
China Kunshan Yangtze River and Kuilei Lake High (40–80%) Kunshan water treatment plant Wusong River
Nanjing Yangtze River Low (<10%) Nanjing Jiangning Economic and Technological Development Zone sewage treatment plant Yangtze River
Vietnam Ha Nam Red River Low (<10%) Third Dong Van sewage treatment plant Pearl River
  • Note: According to the global water stress data published by the World Resource Institute (WRI), water stress risk levels are classified as Low (<10%), Low-Medium (10–20%), Medium-High (20–40%), High (40–80%), and Extremely High (>80%).

Water Resource Management

For Taiwan sites, both S1 and S3 comply with local water standards. These sites have a high level of control over internal water usage. They not only develop water balance diagrams and inventory water resource uses but also regularly monitor and identify improvement plans to enhance water resource utilization. Currently, the S1 plant consistently meets the water standards set by the Hsinchu Science Park Management Center each year. Additionally, its process water recycling rate exceeds 85%. In 2023, significant water withdrawal and usage points within our sites in China were gradually upgraded from mechanical water meters to smart water meters. This upgrade not only significantly reduces manual meter reading tasks but also enhances monitoring efficiency. It allows us to monitor water usage in real-time, promptly identify leaks, and effectively manage water resources. Additionally, through data collection, we gain a better understanding of water usage patterns, enabling more efficient water resource management.


In 2023, WNC’s water withdrawal and the water withdrawal intensity were higher compared to the previous year due to the establishment of new sites in Tainan and Vietnam. However, overall water resource management was significantly effective. The water withdrawal intensity (excluding recycled water) decreased by 26.87% compared to the base year of 2020, achieving the goal of a 12% reduction in consumption. Recycled water accounted for 25.86% of the total water withdrawn by WNC, which saved NT$7.52 million in water withdrawal costs.

WNC's water usage amount and intensity in the most recent four years (excluding recycled water)

Amount of water recycled at WNC in the most recent four yearsNote 1 (Unit: megaliters)

Item 2020 2021 2022 2023
Tap water 16.657 28.445 17.413 36.415
Groundwater 0.657 0.62 0 0
Surface water 27.4 30.813 28.608 99.125
Other 10.2 23.469 26.556 41.221
Total 54.914 83.347 72.577 176.761
Water recycling rateNote 2 (%) 11.44 17.19 13.68 25.86
  • Note 1: Tap water recycling includes drinking fountain RO, wastewater recycling, and water recycled from production processes; surface water recycling includes water recycled from air conditioning systems and rainwater recycling (estimated using the volume of water in the rainwater tank, as well as daily rainfall statistics provided by the Central Weather Administration); and other recycled water includes cooling water.
  • Note 2: Water recycling rate = Total amount of water recycled divided by total water usage.

Waste Management

WNC’s waste sources include raw materials used in production (such as electronic parts, mechanical parts, and packaging materials), wood, plastics and paper generated during the production process, etc. In order to realize resource recycling and reduce environmental impact, WNC promotes green product design to reduce waste generation. At the same time, through cooperation with the supply chain, we promote the recycling of incoming packaging materials, and continue to optimize the resource classification management procedures in the factory to ensure the effective use of resources. In terms of waste disposal, WNC continues to look for legal reuse methods to achieve the goal of reducing waste and realizing resource utilization.


In order to effectively manage waste generation and comply with the environmental management system ISO 14001, WNC has set up waste management indicators at each site, and manages and tracks the waste situation through the environmental data platform. If it is found that the standards are not met, the composition ratio of waste from each process or production source will be analyzed to check whether there is still room for improvement in waste resource recycling within the organization, or whether there is abnormal waste generation.


In 2023, 6,615 tonnes of waste from operations were produced. Although the overall waste production has increased with the increase in production capacity, the waste generation intensity in 2023 has been successfully reduced to 0.060 tonnes/million NT$ through regular analysis and improvement of waste hotspots. At the same time, the resource recovery rate has also increased to 87.30%, showing that our continuous efforts in waste management and resource recycling have achieved clear results.

WNC waste generation and waste generation intensity in the most recent four years

Waste generated by WNC in the most recent four years (Unit: tonnes)

Category/Handling process 2020 2021 2022 2023
General business waste Waste recycling Reuse 0 0 0 55.50
Recycling and reuse 3,672.37 3,456.62 4,899.55 4,053.59
Other recycling methods 0 0 0 1,354.86
Subtotal 3,672.37 3,456.62 4,899.55 5,463.94
Waste disposal Landfill 0 26.49 0 -
Incineration (with energy recovery) 0 145.17 112.51 636.79
Incineration (without energy recovery) 614.15 604.76 766.78 121.65
Other disposal methods 0 0 0 0
Subtotal 614.15 776.42 879.29 758.44
Subtotal (general business waste) 4,286.55 4,233.04 5,778.84 6,222.38
Hazardous operations waste Waste recycling Reuse 0 0 0 0
Recycling and reuse 232.41 248.89 171.18 177.80
Other recycling methods 0 0 6.74 132.72
Subtotal 232.41 248.89 177.92 310.52
Waste disposal Landfill 0 0 0 0
Incineration (with energy recovery) 0 0 0 16.44
Incineration (without energy recovery) 48.62 94.91 108.56 65.46
Other disposal methods 7.89 6.36 6.69 0
Subtotal 56.51 101.27 115.25 81.90
Subtotal (hazardous operations waste) 288.90 350.16 293.17 392.42
Total 4,575.45 4,583.20 6,072.01 6,614.81
  • Note: The scope of waste weight calculations covers WNC headquarters, S1, S3, WNC (Kunshan), Wistron NeWeb (Kunshan), WebCom Communication (Kunshan), and the Vietnam plant. Statistics are rounded to the second decimal place.

Waste Reduction Hotspot Analysis and Resource Recycling Project

WNC regularly tracks and manages the waste output structure and improves waste raw material removal methods. In terms of process waste, we continue to promote off-site reuse plans for solder dross, solder paste plastic containers, epoxy resin, and printed circuit board metal scraps. In terms of raw material packaging materials and containers, such as plastic trays, outer packaging cardboard boxes and styrofoam boxes are negotiated with suppliers, requiring manufacturers to reuse them to achieve waste reduction, and the scope of negotiations is gradually expanded. For production consumables and test equipment, use and waste management are strengthened to create higher recycling benefits. For waste materials that cannot be reused, such as electrostatic bags, we promote the conversion of waste heat into energy. In 2023, the resource recovery rate reached 87.30%, and recycling revenue reached NT$53.05 million. It is estimated that this can reduce the emissions of approximately 1,323.18 tonnes of COā‚‚e in the value chain. In order to continue to improve resource recycling and reduce the impact of waste on the environment, the Vietnam plant has introduced the UL 2799 Zero Waste to Landfill in March 2024 and is expected to obtain certification in 2025. At the same time, the Vietnam plant will serve as a demonstration site to display the results and benefits to sites around the world.

2023 WNC circular economy promotion results

Category Measures Waste recycling (tonnes) Waste recycling benefits (thousand NT$) Carbon reduction (tonnes CO2e)Note
Solder waste Recycle solder waste generated during production processes for recycling vendors to turn into electroplated plates. 53.76 28,386.3 19.35
PCB trim scraps Provide PCB trim scraps generated during production processes to recycling vendors for them to recycle heavy metals (such as copper and gold). 253.16 13,369.7 91.14
Used pallets Provide unusable pallets to recycling vendors to remanufacture into fuel balls. These are used by cogeneration plants as combustion aids. 714.29 230.1 257.14
Empty solvent barrels and solder paste plastic containers Provide empty plastic containers to recycling vendors for washing and processing. The containers are then broken up into plastic pellets which can be remanufactured into other plastic items. 14.77 30.5 5.32
Waste paper and waste cardboard boxes Cooperate with recycling vendors to produce recycled pulp from waste paper. 2,176.20 7,227 783.43
Scrap plastic trays Scrap plastic trays from production lines are sent to recycling vendors for sorting and recycling. 282.46 3,809.4 101.69
Scrap styrofoam Scrap styrofoam packing material is sent to recycling vendors and turned into styrofoam balls for reuse. 1.84 - 0.66
Waste activated carbon Waste activated carbon is sent to recycling vendors for desorption procedures to regenerate activated carbon materials. 30.42 - 10.95
Epoxy resin Epoxy resin is sent to waste disposal vendor as raw material for wood-plastic board production. 3.58 - 1.29
Other Waste packing tape and other mixed plastics are sent to recycling vendors to produce solid renewable fuels. 145.03 - 52.21
Total 3,675.51 53,052.9 1,323.18
  • Note: The amount of carbon reduction achieved through waste recycling is calculated based on the waste incinerated services (Gangshan Refuse Incineration Plant) coefficient announced on the Carbon Footprint Information Platform (this coefficient was 360 kgCO2e/tonne in 2020). The calculation formula is recycling volume (tonnes) Ɨ 0.36.

Participation of All Members in Environmental Protection and Waste Reduction

In 2023, through the online training platform, a total of 910 training hours were completed, and a total of 2,183 employees participated and completed the training assessment. The annual training course covers various environmental protection and waste reduction topics such as Green Design, 5Rs of Waste Reduction and Waste Composition and Classification. It aims to assist all employees to implement company policies from source design to classified disposal.

Biodiversity

WNC Biodiversity and No Gross Deforestation Commitment

WNC aims to achieve a Net Positive Impact on the environment and No Gross Deforestation by 2050.
  1. New manufacturing sites and office areas all avoid being located in biodiversity-sensitive and important habitats and nature reserves. We adopt the best feasible low environmental impact practices to promote biodiversity measures. These measures are complemented by biodiversity risk assessment and monitoring to mitigate the impact of our operations on the environment.
  2. Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to support biodiversity conservation initiatives, and continuously enhancing stakeholders’ awareness of the importance of biodiversity and forest conservation.
  3. Assessing the lifecycle of green products, promoting and requiring the use of paper materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or other environmentally friendly forest sources, as well as recycled eco-friendly paper and environmentally-friendly ink printing.
  4. Collaborating with academic and research institutions to promote afforestation projects, prioritizing native species in Taiwan, to enhance ecological resilience, biodiversity, and increase the natural carbon sequestration capacity.
  5. Implementing paperless initiatives across all manufacturing sites and office areas.
  6. Promoting environmental and biodiversity education helps build eco-friendly awareness, fostering harmonious development for humans and the environment.

Supporting Biodiversity

In 2023, WNCā€™s President signed the WNC Biodiversity and No Gross Deforestation Commitment. The commitment also calls on suppliers and partners in the value chain to join in responding to the UNā€™s SDGs, taking responsibility to mitigate the overall impact on the ecological environment.

In 2023, in order to stay abreast of international environmental trends and respond to global goals, WNC responded to the Taiwan Nature Positive Initiative (TNPI) launched by the World Business Council For Sustainable Development (WBCSD). The company aims to utilize the international resources and tools provided by this organization to examine its own operational impact on the environment. Additionally, WNC plans to organize workshops, providing a platform for employees to exchange ideas and discussions, in order to build consensus within the Group on ecological conservation.

NTU Conservation Forest Adoption Campaign

WNC has paid greater attention to biodiversity issues in recent years. In 2023, it began to implement an industry-academia partnership program with National Taiwan University. This not only mobilizes employees to participate in practical social participation actions such as tree planting and ecological surveys, but also develops forest carbon sinks. WNC also conducts an annual species survey in its adopted forest land. We hope to track the positive impact of this project on the environment through long-term monitoring, while also raising employees’ awareness of ecological conservation and achieving the purpose of environmental education.

Introduction of Biodiversity Risk Assessment

Business operations rely on the ecosystem services provided by nature, but at the same time, business activities or other external factors may also generate driving forces that alter the natural environment, thereby impacting the normal functioning of ecosystems and giving rise to potential risks and opportunities for businesses. Therefore, corporations need to establish assessment processes to regularly review dependency and impact on natural ecosystems.

Ā 

We first used the Biodiversity Risk Filter (BRF), a tool developed by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), to conduct preliminary assessments, giving priority to 15 owned or leased assets at home and abroad. Based on the operational status, significance, and geographic location of each site, we evaluated the dependency- and impact-related biodiversity risks these sites pose on the natural environment, identifying 33 items of biodiversity-related physical and reputational risk in the following eight categories: Provisioning Services, Regulating & Supporting Services – Enabling, Regulating Services – Mitigating, Cultural Services, Pressures on Biodiversity, Environmental Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, and Additional Reputational Factors.

Ā 

According to the BRF tool analysis results, WNC’s current comprehensive assessment of biodiversity all falls within the moderate to low-risk category. Among physical risk items, the impact of the Tropical Cyclones item under the Regulating Services – Mitigating category is the greatest. Among reputational risk items, the impact of the Media Scrutiny item under the Additional Reputational Factors category is the greatest. In the future, WNC will continue to strengthen governance on environmental issues and provide education and training for employees. Nature-related risks will be integrated into decision-making considerations, and a comprehensive system for managing natural risks will be developed. Additionally, methodologies consistent with international standards will be formulated.

Locate

Collate operational sites (including owned or leased assets) and identify their interaction with natural ecosystems.

Evaluate

Assess the dependence and impact of each operating site on natural ecosystems.Ā 

Assess

Identify significant nature-related risks and opportunities.

Prepare

Report on important nature-related issues and formulate response measures based on the analysis results.

WNC Biodiversity Comprehensive Assessment Results

Top 10 Risk Indicators Category
1 Tropical Cyclones Physical Riskļ¼Regulating Services - Mitigating
2 Landslides Physical Riskļ¼Regulating Services - Mitigating
3 Pollution Physical Riskļ¼Pressures on Biodiversity
4 Extreme Heat Physical Riskļ¼Regulating Services - Mitigating
5 Media Scrutiny Reputational Riskļ¼Additional Reputational Factors
6 Labor/Human Rights Reputational Riskļ¼Socioeconomic Factors
7 Fire Hazard Physical Riskļ¼Regulating Services - Mitigating
8 Water Scarcity Physical Riskļ¼Provisioning Services
9 Water Condition Physical Riskļ¼Regulating & Supporting Services - Enabling
10 Air Condition Physical Riskļ¼Regulating & Supporting Services - Enabling