ASUS Empowers Sustainable Development Through Digital Inclusion

Digital inclusion contributes to the sustainable development of our society because it bridges digital inequity and enables more individuals to participate in our digital economy. As a leading technology company, ASUS is committed to empowering people everywhere through digital inclusion. Read on to learn how ASUS is empowering sustainable development through digital inclusion.

Apr 24, 2024

According to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA), a U.S. nonprofit organization formed to help close digital divides, “digital inclusion” refers to “the activities necessary to ensure all individuals and communities have access and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)”. United Nations defines “digital inclusion” as “equitable, meaningful, and safe access to use, lead, and design of digital technologies, services, and associated opportunities for everyone, everywhere.”

Digital inclusion has many positive impacts. Access to digital resources and developing skills using online tools and internet-enabled hardware enhances a person’s chance of succeeding in the modern world. Equipped with digital skills, an individual can contribute unique viewpoints and express their talent through technology, promoting innovation and creativity. In today’s world, most jobs require digital skills which speaks for how digital inclusion is crucial for more people to contribute to the economy. People stay informed through internet access and are able to express their opinions which promotes social cohesion. All these factors facilitate sustainable development of our society and makes digital inclusion critical.

As a global tech company, ASUS has worked to enhance digital inclusion worldwide since 2008. Our efforts were evident during the recent pandemic when the demand for digital resources surged.

Taiwan

Taiwan is home to ASUS headquarters where many local digital inclusion programs are supported by ASUS, such as the Refurbished Computer and Digital Training Program. Laptops, phones, and other peripherals brought to ASUS service centers to be discarded are refurbished by being fixed and loaded with the latest software in this program. Extending the lifespan of these discarded laptops and electronics reduces waste, and the devices become crucial tools for students lacking digital resources.

ASUS also continuously works with the Taiwanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contribute to the ADOC (APEC Digital Opportunity Center), an initiative raised by Taiwan to benefit all member countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which is an economic alliance consisting of 21 countries. Digital learning centers that provide training for digital literacy are established in areas lacking digital resources. Thanks to ASUS’s collaboration with ADOC, talent and digital equality are cultivated through these projects. For 14 years up until 2022, ASUS has helped 39 countries establish digital opportunity centers. These digital opportunity centers contain more than 500 computer classrooms equipped with more than 20,000 computers and tablets. To date, 550,000 people have benefited from these centers supported by ASUS and this amount steadily increases as our digital opportunity centers continue to operate.

Many ASUS volunteer programs include activities related to digital inclusion. For example, in the i-Taiwan Digital Volunteer project college students are encouraged to volunteer in rural areas to promote technological education and provide support for teacher shortages. In 2023 as countries gradually opened their boarders after the pandemic, ASUS hosted 6 international volunteer crews headed for various Asian countries to promote digital inclusion. Digital learning centers were built from local materials, coding competitions were held, and digital computer courses were introduced to beneficiaries in these overseas volunteer projects. The ASUS Foundation also continues to host Digital Fun Learning Camps for ASUS employees to help bridge digital divides domestically and overseas.

United States

In addition to making computer donations, establishing digital learning centers, holding digital training programs, and deploying international volunteer programs in the U.S. to fight for digital equity, ASUS also partnered with Endless OS Foundation to provide affordable hardware access from 2021 to 2022. Endless OS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing accessibility to education, and their Endless Laptop Program currently operates in the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. People who do not have the financial resources or credit to purchase laptops can get one for an initial payment of only $25 US dollars. This “pay-as-you-go” program drastically reduces barriers of access to digital resources. ASUS has distributed hundreds of state-of-the-art ASUS laptops to people in need over the course of supporting the program and has benefited many immigrants and American Indian communities.

China

ASUS has joined efforts with the joined efforts with the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), the largest non-governmental scientific and technological organization in China, to bring IT knowledge and hardware innovations to rural areas since 2009. ASUS has conducted over 40,000 digital literacy courses across more than 5,000 villages in 33 cities from 2009 to 2022. Over 80 million people have benefited from ASUS efforts to help people in China further develop digital skills.

Vietnam

During the pandemic ASUS donated 35 ASUS BR110F laptops to VinaCapital Foundation (VCF), a non-governmental organization founded in 2006 to promote healthcare and education for minorities in Vietnam, to help children in resource-lacking homes continue their studies online. ASUS also donated 24 laptops, supported establishment of computer classrooms, and helped with the setup of online courses in Vietnamese primary schools through collaboration with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam during 2022.

As technology advances and AI capabilities develops, promoting digital inclusion will become more important than ever. Today, approximately 20% of children worldwide are not digitally included, and approximately 19 million people over the age of 16 experience some form of digital poverty, according to the Digital Poverty Alliance. In this environment, ASUS is committed to continuing to provide internet-enabled devices, digital literacy training, and initiatives to help close digital divides. Sustaining an incredible future is a primary goal for ASUS – one which we have taken action on for almost 20 years. Click the link below to learn more about ASUS ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) endeavors.