acer’s social responsibility
According to the World Business Council of Sustainable Development (WBCSD 2003), Corporate Social Responsibility is “a business' commitment to contributing to sustainable economic development, working with employees, their families, the local community, and society at large to improve the quality of life”.
After defining its management philosophy and recognizing the principles and values that discipline it, an ethical business must make socially responsible investments to reach a global balance that includes both human, environmental and community resources.
Acer’s Social Responsibility is expressed through an advanced responsible business model that considers social commitment as an instrument through which it can fully merge the organization, stakeholders and the surrounding environment. Furthermore, when integrated into the corporate mission, it can contribute to growth and create value, strengthening the corporation still further in an increasingly more competitive market.
Acer’ approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) embraces human assets, environmental protection, and relations with vendors and sales partners, customers and society as a whole.
Investing in human assets
“A socially responsible corporation dedicates resources to permanently train its employees and associates; it adopts solutions that permit them to find a good balance between work, family and recreation; it adopts salary and career polices based on equality; it adopts recruitment policies that promote the hiring of ethnic minorities, the elderly, women, the unemployed and those at a disadvantage in the job market: it protects health and safety in the work place”
Contributing to environmental protection
Acer contributes to protecting the environment, reducing resource consumption and pollutant emissions and limiting the environmental impact of its business through preventative environmental protection activities and by investing significant resources in implementing eco-sustainable procedures.
Supporting relationships with vendors and sales partners
Acer has adopted a management strategy based on the “Three ones and Three Multiples” philosophy which can be translated in "one company, one brand and one global team" and "multiple suppliers, multiple product lines and multiple channels" as shown in the choice of outsourcing R&D, production and distribution to professional suppliers.
As a socially responsible business, Acer has established relationships with its vendors based on shared efforts and intents, fully sharing environmental policies at all levels of the chain: all level one suppliers of Acer are ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified and are required to comply with the requirements of OHSAS 18000 and SA8000 requirements so as to ensure that no violation of the regulations on occupational safety, health and human rights is committed and the ideal of Acer's sustainable management is observed.
All corporate partners are required to adopt excellent environmental protection standards and comply with basic product design standards such as energy savings, easy recycling, low toxicity characteristics, as well as international directives.
Investing in customer relations
Acer provides its customers with highly professional products and services and is able to meet their needs and expectations thanks to its capacity to innovative, its ability to mix creativity and functionality, its ability to offer innovative technologies while still providing high quality and safety standards.
There is an intermediate phase between design and production in which all products are subject to a series of tests to check dependability, compatibility and regulation compliancy. To confirm product stability, all products undergo the On-going Reliability Test (ORT) during mass production and, after entering the market, we launch an Early Warning Program that monitors the status of products at all times to correct any defects when found.
To boost corporate competitiveness, in 2000, Acer adopted an indirect business model, which allows firm control of brand name, marketing, technology and products, global logistics, and service capacity. The model also permits better understanding of consumer demand and provides extensive local coverage to assist customers. Acer invests heavily in its certified channel and considers it a privileged communications channel with its customer base.
Acer partners can count on a series of customer care services, specifically designed and implemented to benefit both the point of sales and the end user.
Investing in the community
Business growth is strictly tied to the investments made for the same purpose. Acer has always set ambitious goals but is aware that its investments must be used responsibly to if these are to be reached.
Acer is therefore fully focused on creating high customer integration through its work team, a friendly organization and an impeccable product and service range that allow it exploit its skills to the full, increase market competitiveness and promote a stimulating environment that attracts ambitious international talent whose expectations are completely satisfied by Acer.
The Acer Fast Track Program for universities and postgraduates is a different and incredibly innovative way to join the corporation. This Program was, in fact, developed to promote the orientation and training of postgraduates with high market potential in order to acclimatize them to Acer’s multiethnic and dynamic environment. The goal of the program is to develop a pool of managers with high internationalization, with the mobility and cultural experience needed to work across various cultural borders and trained to share corporate values and principles. The Acer Fast Track Program is structured to provide graduates with 36 months of on-the-job training to guarantee high involvement in the Acer working world and is supported by extensive coaching, training, and learning activities.
As a socially responsible business, Acer actively participates in campaigns that support the poorer populations in the Asia Pacific through donations or by stimulating its employees to do volunteer and socially useful work.
Acer UK also supports the fight against cancer and promotes the charity campaign in favour of the Plymouth Association, which works with the blind, and deaf.
Acer Middle East organizes various charity activities over the year including blood drives.
Acer China works in close association with colleges and universities to provide scholarships to those students who are unable to pay school fees and supports them by offering part-time work opportunities.
