United Microelectronics Corp. (NYSE: UMC; TWSE: 2303) has become the first semiconductor foundry globally to have its 1.5°C-aligned net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), marking a significant milestone in the industry’s decarbonization efforts.
The Taiwan-based chipmaker said that SBTi approved its near-term, long-term, and net-zero commitments following a rigorous review. The validation confirms that UMC’s climate goals are consistent with the Paris Agreement’s ambition to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
“UMC has been committed to climate action for more than two decades, laying a solid foundation for a net-zero future,” said SC Chien, Co-President and Chief Sustainability Officer. “SBTi’s validation affirms our unwavering commitment to decarbonization and reflects our alignment with global efforts to address climate change.”
The company, which joined the RE100 initiative in 2021, aims to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Based on a 2020 baseline, UMC’s approved targets include eliminating Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 2050, reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 95%, and Scope 3 emissions by 90% over the same period. By 2030, the chipmaker plans to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% and Scope 3 emissions by 25%.
To meet these goals, UMC is expanding renewable energy use, improving energy efficiency, and deploying low-carbon manufacturing processes. For Scope 3 reductions, the company launched a Supply Chain Greenhouse Gas Inventory Initiative in 2022, providing more than 400 suppliers with measurement tools, carbon hotspot analyses, and tailored decarbonization guidance.
The SBTi, founded by the United Nations Global Compact, CDP, World Resources Institute, and WWF, offers companies a science-based framework to cut emissions in line with climate science. Its 1.5°C pathway represents the most ambitious standard currently available.
UMC, the world’s third-largest contract chipmaker, supplies logic and specialty technology IC fabrication services to major electronics sectors. The validation of its climate targets could set a higher benchmark for sustainability commitments across the semiconductor supply chain, where energy-intensive production has long posed a challenge for emissions reduction.
