Gregory Woods, leader of the San Diego-based Green ASML employee group, stands with the tree-planting team at the Santiam State Forest site in Oregon, October 2023.
Photo Credit: Dave Laegen, veritree
 A tree-planter is geared up for a day of restoration, a result of the public-private partnership with American Forests and the Oregon Department of Forestry. |
Overview
Forests hold the natural world together…. They are the ecosystem engineers that create the conditions for other forms of life to exist, on every level.
— Jim Robbins, “The Man Who Planted Trees”
Climate-driven events like fire and smoke events are becoming increasingly common along the Pacific coast, from British Columbia to California. In the wake of the 2020 “Labor Day” wildfires that devastated large parts of Oregon, a US employee network group at ASML, a leading player in the semiconductor industry, sought an innovative way to contribute to restoring the environment and sequester carbon. This commitment led to a partnership with veritree, a technology-driven reforestation organization, resulting in a groundbreaking initiative — starting with 40,000 trees.
The Challenge
During an interview for this story, Markus Matthes, former Site Lead at ASML San Diego, current Head of ASML Germany and Chairman of the Berlin Management Team and sponsor of the local employee-led network, noted that in light of the semiconductor industry’s energy consumption and chemical inputs, “I was pleased to support this proactive approach from the local employee network group. At ASML, we feel it is important to play our part in addressing key environmental and social concerns that we share with our stakeholders.” Over the last 3-5 years, companies in the semiconductor value chain have strived to collaboratively identify critical steps on the path to net zero emissions through industry alliances like the SEMI Climate Consortium.
Green ASML San Diego, an employee network group (ENG) led by Gregory Woods, Senior Systems Industrialisation Engineer and Chair of Green ASML San Diego, decided a proactive approach to giving back could be to help restore the forests that Oregon lost 4 years ago. But they wanted to make a meaningful environmental impact, ensuring transparency and accountability while also advancing carbon sequestration efforts. With reforestation as the focus, the challenge was identifying a partner capable of delivering measurable, long-term results while providing visibility into the process. This was a sticking point for Matthes, who affirmed that “we do not want to do window dressing in terms of planting trees … we also want to have evidence that it’s really working, that trees are really growing, that they are storing CO2, etc.”
The Solution
The idea to plant ‘one tree per employee’ began with Woods and Green ASML San Diego before quickly gaining executive sponsorship. Matthes expressed pride in the San Diego Green Team and attributed the success of the program to their persistence. Where he and Martin Reinecke, Head of Cymer Business Planning and Operations, Cymer Light Sources San Diego, came into play as the executive sponsors in guiding how to get the project funded: “typically we know the folks in the headquarters. We know how to approach them. And then we can also perhaps help in making a catchy story.”
More than just a catchy story, partnering with veritree made for a sound pitch. They stood out among other reforestation providers due to their innovative assemblage of GIS, blockchain, and sensor technologies. This approach ensures every tree planted is verified, monitored, and accounted for over time. With support from ASML’s leadership, Green ASML San Diego partnered with veritree to restore 40,000 trees — one per each of ASML’s 40,000 employees — to an area near ASML Hillsboro, that was heavily impacted by Oregon’s Labor Day fires.
By leveraging this technology, veritree provides real-time updates on the health of the ASML forest and its long-term project outcomes. ASML has benefitted from access to real-time project data, which have reinforced trust and engagement among stakeholders while setting a high standard for nature-based carbon removal projects. As Matthes put it, “here Mother Nature is doing most of the work. We are just observing and checking ... we really have evidence that it’s really doing something good.”
Results
This partnership is not only bringing back life to the fire-damaged landscape but also demonstrates how technology can enhance transparency in environmental initiatives. For SEMI companies with similar aspirations, Matthes highlighted one benefit of supporting ENGs is that their success “radiates back into the organization itself.” He said initiatives like this act as an “intrinsic motivator.” Woods added that it creates a positive sentiment within the company that “ENGs with the right ideas, with the right enthusiasm ... can actually make a difference.”
Through their collaboration with veritree, Green ASML San Diego turned a spark of inspiration into a powerful movement, offering a replicable model for other corporations. To achieve these results, Matthes recommended that fellow SEMI companies should “trust your ENG” and “try to place it … as a combination of a grassroots initiative with some strong executive support.” Starting with a simple ‘one tree per employee’ concept, ASML was able to scale the idea into a significant environmental initiative. With Woods’ vision of growing the ASML forest from 40,000 to 3 million trees over the next few years, the movement continues.
Key Project Metrics
- All data related to the trees is accessible via ASML’s Impact Hub
- 2 public partners: Oregon Department of Forestry and American Forests
- 40,000 trees planted: Douglas-fir, Noble Fir, Western Red Cedar
- Carbon sequestration: 23.1k tons of CO2 over lifetime of trees
- Ecological impact: 26.68 hectares restored
- Economic impact: 160 work days provided
“The How”: Recommended action steps for achieving broad buy-in
- Carbon removal highlighted as a focus area for Green ASML San Diego throughout 2022
- Green ASML (Employee Network/Resource Group) met with potential partner veritree to learn about planting methodology, sites and how to start partnership
- Green ASML San Diego chapter presents the project to local executive sponsors and global Green ASML sponsor (ASML Executive Committee member). Received unwavering support to move forward and “ASML pledges to plant 40,000 trees for holiday season ’22, planting one tree for every employee and celebrating its drive to pioneer sustainable semiconductor manufacturing.”
- Post-fire restoration project in Oregon, USA chosen as planting site for local community engagement (ASML Hillsboro and Intel Corporation)
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by ASML Procurement team and veritree in Oct-Nov 2022
- In April 2023, the 40,000 trees were allocated to ASML from a 200,000 initial planting round
- Restoration initiative recommended to be communicated as US-driven project, instead of a global ESG initiative, since it did not meet certain carbon offsetting criteria
- Impact data, GPS coordinates and field reports (Survivability Assessment) provided for verification from veritree
- Green ASML San Diego board visited Oregon planting site with veritree team, American Forests (NGO) and Oregon Department of Forestry in Oct. 2023
- Impact Hub showcases ~716.10 tons of CO2 sequestered from year 1 (Dec. 31, 2023)
- Green ASML continued prioritization towards restoration/reforestation projects throughout 2024 and how to expand with veritree
- In 2024, an additional 7,452 trees were funded to be planted in Oregon, USA plus 5,000 mangrove trees were funded in Kenya
About the Author:
Nat Mengist is a PhD student in Learning Sciences at the University of Washington. He recently earned a master’s degree in Human Centered Design and Engineering and he serves on the executive board of the Society for Literature, Science, and the Arts. As a storyteller, Nat has created multimedia science fiction about the future of climate justice. This article was a team effort, written on behalf of veritree and the SEMI Sustainability Initiative.
