Sustainability

Within the context of integrated environmental protection, one of Siltronic AG’s primary concerns is safe and resource conserving production. In order to accomplish this, we continuously work on optimizing our production processes. We close material cycles and return secondary products to other production steps. This allows us to reduce raw material use, energy- and water consumption and waste amounts.

We underscore our demand for sustainable and economic production with concrete figures. To reach our company-wide long-term goals each Siltronic production site defines annual target savings in the emissions, waste, and water consumption areas. Therefore our factories conduct individual programs tailored to each location’s specific conditions.

In manufacturing our hyperpure silicon wafers, we observe criteria regarding environmental and health protection as well as safety during all stages in the product life cycle. Although we are under no legal obligation to provide safety data sheets for our products, we do so for our customers upon request.

Since 2007, the REACH chemical regulation has regulated the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals in the European Union (EU). All of the raw materials and auxiliary agents that Siltronic uses and all of the Siltronic products fulfill the REACH regulation requirements and contain no Conflict Materials or Substances of very high concern. Moreover, our hyperpure monocrystalline silicon products do not contain any substances that are subject to prohibitions and/or restrictions pursuant to EU Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS). Our products furthermore comply with Sony Standard SS-00259.

With the objective of making processes and machines even safer in order to avoid endangering people and the environment, we operate a comprehensive safety management system throughout the group. This system is aligned with the international occupational health and safety standard ISO 45001 in order to evaluate hazards on a regular basis and monitor the work areas in this regard. In order to guarantee safety in manufacturing, we analyze the risks inherent to our systems from their design through to commissioning. We also ensure the safe storage and transportation of products and auxiliary agents.

Siltronic attaches special importance to the training and continuing education of its safety experts, and trains all employees in the safety issues relevant for their particular workplaces on a regular basis.

In line with our sustainability strategy and our future-oriented actions, we attach great importance to personnel development. After all, it is our dedicated employees who make us economically successful, innovative, and competitive. We provide an extensive range of internal training and development programs which the framework that allows all employees, from trainees to top managers, to develop their potential and continue to grow.

We offer apprenticeships and continuing training and also develop our employees around the world based on their strengths and specific target groups and motivate them to a lifetime of learning.

As a global player, Siltronic is active in an international markets and multicultural environments. We need the abilities and dedication of each and every employee. We regard the diversity of our people as a genuine asset. We adamantly oppose unequal treatment or disparagement based on sex, race or ethnic origin, religion or ideology, disability, sexual orientation, or age. These principles apply throughout the company and, as a part of our corporate culture, are anchored in our Code of Conduct.

For these reasons, in the summer of 2017, we also appointed a Diversity Officer and signed the Diversity Charter. This is an internationally recognized commitment to the economic benefits of diversity and tolerance, fairness and appreciation in the workplace and society. Both measures underscore the importance of diversity for Siltronic AG.

Siltronic hires new employees and managers exclusively on the basis of their qualifications. Women and men at Siltronic enjoy equal opportunities. At Siltronic, the the equal treatment of male and female employees is a matter of course.

At Siltronic, sustainability also means transparency and openness in the meaning of Corporate Citizenship. A good relationship with our neighbors is of great importance. At Siltronic, this means speaking openly about what goes on behind the factory gates and addressing the public’s questions globally. This is the only way to build society’s trust, which is essential for companies if they are to economically successful. This is why Siltronic takes on societal responsibility, particularly in plant location areas. In addition to a sound education for young people in the natural sciences and technology (which is particularly close to our hearts), long-term social projects for children and young people are also important pillars of our social involvement. As a member of the WACKER RELIEF FUND foundation, we support the victims of natural catastrophes and contribute to rebuilding destroyed regions.

Openness also characterizes our contact with international universities, where our researchers are regularly invited to presentations and guest lectures. In return, we offer university groups inside views at an industrial company’s work at our sites and offer students an opportunity to complete bachelor and diploma projects and dissertations at Siltronic - or to work as interns and student workers.

With regard to political parties and non-government organizations, we are also committed to conscientious, ethical behavior in compliance with our principles of conduct. We advocate our political interests in accordance with the positions that we express publicly. Our dealings with the political arena are based on substantive positions, whereby we are open to dialoging with all democratically-minded parties.