We control operational processes via our integrated management system (IMS). The system describes workflows and responsibilities, and defines groupwide standards for quality, the environment, and health and safety. It is based on customer demands, statutory regulations, our own sustainable business principles, and national and international standards.

WACKER’s voluntary commitments regarding the Responsible Care^® and Global Compact initiatives exceed legislative requirements. In the future, we intend to use the IMS to control additional sustainability-related topics more closely, for instance the effective use of resources such as energy in our production processes. We have our Group management system evaluated by an international certification organization in accordance with ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental protection) standards. At Siltronic, every site is certified to ISO/TS 16949 (quality), ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 (plant safety and occupational health and safety), due to this subsidiary’s specific processes and customer requirements.

Our Group certification ensures that customer-driven specifications and our corporate standards are implemented at all WACKER sites. In the period under review, we expanded our Group certification to include the new polysilicon plant in Nünchritz and our Norwegian site in Holla (certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) as well as our sales regions (certified to ISO 9001). In addition, we had our Jena site certified to GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) and ISO 14001. Almost all our production sites are now included in the Group certificate. Not yet included are the sites in Brazil and India, as well as Jincheon (South Korea), which have corresponding individual certificates.

In the years ahead, we intend to add another international standard – OHSAS 18001 – to our Corporate Management System. OHSAS describes requirements for processes and standards relating to occupational health and safety and plant safety. WACKER intends to carry out internal audits as per this standard at all its sites worldwide by 2015. Our Siltronic subsidiary and our Jincheon site already have an OHSAS certificate.

In 2012, WACKER obtained certification to the ISO 50001 energy management standard for its sites in Germany for the first time. This stimulates further reductions in our energy consumption and costs.

As a representative of the entire Siltronic subsidiary, the Freiberg site underwent inspection in accordance with Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC) requirements in 2012. The EICC is similar to the UN’s Global Compact initiative. The audit thus focused on labor-law issues, compliance with social and ethical values and the implementation of environmental and health protection specifications. The auditors found no critical deviations.

During the reporting period, the following two Chinese WACKER companies passed their Clean Production Audit: Wacker Chemicals Fumed Silica (Zhangjiagang) Co., Ltd., and Wacker Polymer Systems (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. The Environmental Protection Bureau and Economic & Information Commission certify corporate environmental protection in the course of their audits, which assess, for example, savings in electricity, raw materials, fresh water, and waste.