HSINCHU, July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia / -- The world's leading display and solar solutions provider, AU Optronics (AUO)(TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), today announced its 46" TFT-LCD panel and solar module EcoDuo PM240P00 to have obtained the world's first ISO 14045 eco-efficiency assessment of product systems verification. The ISO 14045 system emphasizes that corporations can include the evaluations of environmental resources and protection when considering product values to further increase business performance and competitiveness. With ISO 14045 verification, AUO has once again set a new environmental benchmark for the industry.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO14045, "Environmental Management -- Eco-efficiency Assessment of Product Systems -- Principles, Requirements and Guidelines" on May 8, 2012. The essence of ISO 14045 is to encourage corporations to consider the eco-efficiency of products, lower environmental impact, and diminish resource usage of products' life cycle whilst increasing product competitiveness. Corporations could then adopt eco-efficiency as one of its sustainability indicators.
To fulfill the ISO 14045 eco-efficiency assessment of product systems verification, AUO has weighed in energy consumption, response time, and product carbon footprints of its 46" TFT-LCD panel. And BenQ Solar's PV module EcoDuo PM240P00 has evaluated its maximized power output, conversion rate, and product carbon footprints. In the future, AUO will take product efficiency and environmental protection into consideration for all of its products to optimize product eco-efficiency.
For a long time, AUO has committed itself to green innovation. After the announcement of "AUO Green Solutions" in 2008, AUO has pushing itself to achieve the targets that it has set. It is expected that its carbon footprint level will reduce 30% 2012 comparing to 2009. With the goal of sustainability, AUO will balance business development and environmental protection to create win-wins.
ABOUT AU OPTRONICS
AU Optronics Corp. (AUO) is one of the world's leading providers of display and solar total solutions. AUO offers a full range of panel sizes and comprehensive applications ranging from 1.2 inches to 71 inches. Based on its profound R&D and manufacturing experience, AUO continues to develop advanced display technologies of the next generation. AUO extended its market to the green energy industry in 2008. By building a vertically integrated high-efficiency solar value chain, AUO provides its customers with high-efficiency solar solutions. AUO now houses a staff of more than 45,000 employees, with global operations in Taiwan, Mainland China, the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Czech and Slovakia. Additionally, AUO is the first pure TFT-LCD manufacturer to be successfully listed at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). AUO has also been named to Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for two consecutive years from 2010 to 2011. AUO generated NT$379.7 billion (US$ 12.54 billion) in sales revenue in 2011. For more information, please visit AUO.com.
* 2011 year end revenue converted at an exchange rate of NTD30.27:USD1.
Safe Harbour Notice
AU Optronics Corp. ("AUO" or the "Company") (TAIEX: 2409; NYSE: AUO), a global leader of TFT-LCD panels, today announced the above news. Except for statements in respect of historical matters, the statements contained in this Release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements were based on our management's expectations, projections and beliefs at the time regarding matters including, among other things, future revenues and costs, financial performance, technology changes, capacity, utilization rates, yields, process and geographical diversification, future expansion plans and business strategy. Such forward looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that can cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements, including risks related to the flat panel display industry, the TFT-LCD market, acceptance of and demand for our products, technological and development risks, competitive factors, and other risks described in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in our Form 20-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27th, 2012.
