Standards of Integrity Management & Business Conduct

Passion, user-centric, innovation, teamwork, balance of interests, and integrity are our core values, which lead us to consistently strive to create value by being pioneering, fast and effective. These core values also drive us to constantly deliver what customers want in an ethical and caring manner.。    

This is reflected in all that we do, in every decision and every action taken by each and every one of us. We continue to build on our reputation for trust, integrity and honesty, both internally and externally, by embracing people, diversity and different culture. As a responsible corporate citizen, we respect human rights, involve ourselves with local communities as well as comply with laws, environmental regulations, ethics, safety standards and social norms.    

Inspired by these values, we have formulated the Standards of Integrity Management & Business Conduct (SBC) document to guide us on how we interact with each other, our customers, our business partners, our shareholders and the communities where the Acer Group does business. 。    

We have completed the revision of SBC in November 2020, and submitted it to the Board of Directors for approval and promulgation. The revised version of SBC provides a more comprehensive treatment of the applicable business codes and regulations in a more structured and useable manner.

The reputation and success of the Acer Group depends on the individual and collective integrity of each one of us. Adherence to the guidance in this document shall be required by all Acer Group members around the world.

The Mechanisms to Assure Implementation of Standards of Integrity Management and Business Conduct (SBC)

REGULATE

• Policy Formulation In compliance with the new amendments to the "Ethical Corporate Management Best Practice Principles for TWSE/GTSM Listed Companies" and "Procedures for Ethical Management and Guidelines for Conduct" enacted by Taiwan's governing authority of Stock Exchange and Futures Trading, Acer has formulated the Standards of Integrity Management and Business Conduct (SBC).
• Commitment at all Levels-- All level managers have the responsibility to strictly enforce the SBC.    
  -- The managers should ensure that all employees understand these standards and embed the SBC into the performance appraisal system.     
  -- The managers should promote the importance of complying with the SBC to business partners and monitor the effectiveness of implementing the SBC.     
  -- The managers should lead by example and demonstrate behavior that aligns with the behavior standards set forth in the SBC.

PREVENT

• In order to comply with the "Ethical Corporate Management Best Practice Principles for TWSE/GTSM Listed Companies" and "Procedures for Ethical Management and Guidelines for Conduct," Acer has established a dedicated emailbox, whistleblower.acer@acer.com, for individuals to report any concerns or complaints, allowing employees, customers, business partners, shareholders, and other stakeholders to report any violations of ethical standards or inappropriate behavior.
• Dedicated Ombudsman: At Acer, the Corporate Auditor Office serves as our dedicated ombudsman. The Office is responsible for investigating and resolving complaints or disputes, providing guidance and advice, and monitoring our business's compliance with standards and regulations.
• Communication, Awareness and Training: We have robust training programs, such as general Standards of Business Conduct, Anti-trust, Anti-Bribery and anti-Corruption, Information Security Awareness, Personal Data Protection Training.

DETECT

Step 1-- Raising Concerns: An Information regarding an incident shall be reported to the department head and Corporate Auditor Office.    
Step 2-- Verifying Facts: The responsible unit and the department head shall immediately verify the facts. The third party (e.g., police unit) will be requested to get involved if required.

RESPOND

Step 3-- If a violation of Acer Group's Standards of Business Conduct (SBC) is confirmed, the violator will be required to cease the conduct immediately and appropriate action will be taken.     
Step 4-- If an incident is confirmed, Acer Group will conduct a management review in collaboration with relevant third parties, if required. The review will aim to identify the root cause(s) of the incident and propose appropriate corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

Making Continuous Improvements

• Regular Review and Assessment: Regular review and assessment of the standards of business conduct can identify areas for improvement and ensure that they remain relevant, effective, and up-to-date.
• Get Accountability Mechanisms Stronger: Strong accountability mechanisms are essential to ensure that employees are held responsible for adhering to the standards of business conduct. This involves establishing clearer policies and procedures for reporting and investigating violations, as well as consequences for non-compliance.

For the enforcement of the compliance system, which includes breach reports, investigations, tracking and review of the internal control system, as well as implementing corrective measures to prevent recurrence, all these processes have been verified by the third party.