Environmental success for SGS-THOMSON

Saint Genis Pouilly, France - May 9, 1996

SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics announces that its plants in Crolles, near Grenoble, and Rennes, France and Rancho Bernardo, California, USA have been approved to the European Union Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) Regulations. Reinforcing SGS-THOMSON's firm commitment to environmental programs, the three sites are among the first in their respective countries to be approved under the EMAS guidelines.

Fabio Borri, Environment Strategies & International Quality Programs Corporate Director, said "We are delighted that our sites in Rennes and Crolles were among the first three industrial sites to be registered in France, and Rancho Bernardo was the first plant in the US to be approved to EMAS and certified to the ISO 14001 standard..

"SGS-THOMSON places a high priority on environmental policies and we are one of the first companies to develop corporate policies for the environment. The approval of these sites is a clear recognition of the efforts of both the company and its staff,"he added. "We now have five sites across America, Europe and Asia approved to the EMAS Regulations, and we are on target to achieve our goal of having all its sites worldwide approved before the end of 1997." .

In 1995, SGS-THOMSON's sites in Kirkop, Malta and Toh Payoh, Singapore were approved to EMAS. This goal of having all sites approved before the end of 1997 is one of the company's 10 environmental commandments, which were issued last year by senior SGS-THOMSON executives as an 'Environmental Decalogue'..

By maximizing the use of recyclable or reusable materials and progressively reducing the consumption of resources and the amount of waste generated, the corporation's ecological aim is to eliminate pollution and waste, and use as much as possible resources that can be replenished. In addition to its own actions, SGS-THOMSON encourages ecological concern through its products. For example, integrated circuits for automotive engine management systems, telecommunications and low power, portable computers all contribute to reducing energy consumption or pollution. .

The SGS-THOMSON plants in Crolles, Rancho Bernardo and Rennes have been operating since 1993, 1980 and 1967 respectively. They produce semiconductors, which are used in audio and video products, telecommunications systems, consumer products, computer peripherals, industrial systems and high-reliability systems for aerospace applications..
SGS-THOMSON Microelectronics is a global independent semiconductor supplier listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:STM) and on the Bourse de Paris. It designs, develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and discrete devices used in a wide variety of microelectronics applications, including telecommunications systems, computer systems, consumer products, automotive products and industrial automation and control systems.

Notes to Editors.
The EMAS scheme is described in European Council Regulation 1836/93. The scheme and its objectives are:
- A Community scheme allowing voluntary participation by companies performing industrial activities for the evaluation and improvement of the environmental performance of industrial activities and the provision of the relevant information to the public.
- The objective of scheme shall be to promote continuous improvements in the environmental performance of industrial activities by:
- the establishment and implementation of environmental policies, programmes and management systems by companies, in relation to their sites;.
- the systematic, objective and periodic evaluation of the performance of such elements;
- the prevision of information of environmental performances to the public.
The scheme shall be without the prejudice to existing Community or national laws or technical standards regarding environmental controls and without prejudice to the duties of companies under those laws and standards.

The draft International Standard ISO/DIS 14001 are intended to provide organisations with the elements of an effective environmental management system which can be integrated with other management requirements, to assist organisations to achieve environmental and economic goals. The International Standard is applicable to any organisation that wishes to:
- implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system;
- assure itself of its conformance with its stated environmental policy;
- seek certification/registration of its environmental management system by an external organisation;
- make a self determination and declaration of conformance with standard.

The SGS-THOMSON Environmental Decalogue was distributed at the Environment Day held at the company's corporate headquarters in September 1995. It has not been included with this press release, but if you would like to receive a copy, please contact your local press relations officer.

Top