Dutch-based ASM International rejects the factual basis of the company profile written by SOMO, commissioned by GoodElectronics. The company listed its objections and vision in a letter dated 9 May.
- The health and safety of workers at ASMI and ASM PT is our priority.
- The SOMO report is based on a single incident involving an employee of ASM PT in China who fell ill with leukemia in 2009, allegedly as a result of exposure to benzene during his employment with ASM PT.
- As a result of the aforementioned incident, ASM PT investigated the matter and also commissioned an independent third party to conduct an investigation.
- These investigations did not establish any use of benzene at ASM PT. No link between the disease of the employee and his work for ASM PT could therefore be established.
- To this day no other cases of ASM PT employees with (supposed) benzene related diseases are known; the alleged incident remains an isolated case.
- ASMI profoundly regrets the illness and death of ASM PT’s employee. However, ASMI believes that ASM PT is erroneously associated with cases of disease caused by the use of benzene in the semiconductor industry.
The letter is available at the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre website: http://business-humanrights.org/media/documents/company_responses/asmi-re-somo-report-may-2014.pdf
Read the company profile: http://goodelectronics.org/news-en/dutch-microchip-firm-needs-to-address-health-risks-at-chinese-factory
Sign up
Stay up-to-date with the GoodElectronics Newsletter
