ASUS Receives Social Return on Investment Certification for Non-profit Initiatives

Taipei, Taiwan (16th February, 2017) — ASUS today announced that its first Social Return on Investment (SROI) report has been approved and certified by Social Value International, a global network specializing in social impact and value. This makes it the first consumer technology company in Asia to receive this certification, with Social Value International Senior Researcher Adam Richards scheduled to present ASUS Chief Sustainability Officer Sandy Wei with the certification in March. This certification allows ASUS to better assess the impacts of its corporate social responsibility programs, and to ensure that non-governmental organizations (NGOs), volunteer groups and digital learning centers are making the most out of the company’s efforts. The company’s Computer Recycling and Education Project-Social Impact 2015-2016 Social Return on Investment (SROI) Report is the first official social value report and will serve as a model for other initiatives. "Social value reporting not only enables us to associate our corporate sustainability projects with a social value — which allows us to better gauge their effectiveness and impact on the local communities — but also provides us with an alternative measurement that we can use to improve our management of these projects targeted at bridging the digital divide,” said Sandy Wei, ASUS Chief Sustainability Officer.

ASUS Computer Recycling and Education Project

ASUS first started recycling and refurbishing computers as part of the Computer Recycling and Education Program in 2008, which was and continues to be a part of a greater mission to introduce technology to communities that are lacking computing resources, empower their current and future lifestyles, and decrease the digital divide that is often found in less developed cities and regions. The recycling programs eventually expanded into larger scale operations such as computer donation programs, digital center establishments, and digital education curriculum. These latter programs were created to assist disadvantaged communities gain access to digital learning opportunities and enhance their digital skill sets and capabilities to provide them with better opportunities. In a bid to better assess the impact of these initiatives, ASUS adopted analytical methodologies and worked closely with PricewaterhouseCoopers to collect, verify and present the statistical and financial information as it pertains to the social value model. This approach allows for better understanding of the impact of these initiatives and goes beyond a traditional price value; taking factors such as stakeholders’ self-confidence, independence and contentment into consideration. The collection process involved quantitative data analysis such as the number of devices donated, their market value, and the number of organizations or personnel to receive the donated devices. It also involved qualitative data collection through stakeholder interviews, questionnaires and workshops. A social value formula was then used, generating a monetary value or social value for the project.