EHS

Cameron Burks, head of Global Security, Enterprise Business Resiliency and Health, Environment Safety with Adobe Systems, and a member of the White House Task Force for COVID-19 response, briefed members of SEMI’s IT Leadership (ITL) and Environment, Health Safety (EHS) groups on April 20, 2020, on enterprise resiliency principals specific to the current COVID-19 crisis. Burks has spent over 20 years in the global security, crisis management and business continuity fields for public and private global companies. In the meeting, he noted, “This is all new. No one has had to respond to a crisis of this magnitude and impact. Ever.” On top of all of the learning and responding that teams are doing in real-time, it is helpful to have a strong business continuity plan (BCP). The following is a recap of insights that Burks shared on best practices for business continuity with examples from Adobe’s BCP.The Long-Term Picture: How to Plan for Business ContinuityBurks emphasized that the first step in any crisis is identifying risks and ensuring the safety of all human life. Once human safety is assured, the next part of the plan must form a strong foundation for escalation, operation evaluation and response. A solid foundation also creates the business factors to restart operations efficiently. The foundation of the Adobe pandemic plan was laid during the summer of 2019 while the global team was updating their infectious disease plan and rehearsing with headquarters and regional offices. That plan includes six main sections:1. Crisis Management Plans – escalation, roles and responsibilities, team operations2. Crisis Communication Plans – internal and external stakeholder communications3. Incident Management Plans – site or regional management response4. Emergency Response Plans – immediate local response to events5. Business Recovery Plans – business and facility recovery6. Disaster Recovery Plans – IT and technology recoveryThis format has worked and scaled well over the past few months, and the company is now in the stage of evaluating how to help offices recover and repopulate. Response Team Structure – Global and LocalAlthough it is critical to have plans and leadership coming from headquarters when it comes to a crisis, LOCAL teams are on the front lines since most crises start and evolve quickly. In the planning process, the local teams need to know and be trained on plans for a wide range of incidents and events including: People- and product-related Security – both external and internal Operational (e.g. cyberattacks) Natural disasters Health-related, such as this pandemic The severity of the event will determine the corporate impact and activation of appropriate plans. Low-impact events include those where stability is quickly reached and response plans have effectively contained the incident. High-level events will cause severe disruption for employees and customers and require an efficient and coordinated response. Regardless of the severity level of the event, all response teams need to be prepared to quickly activate and then to thoroughly coordinate on crisis management and communications. It is critical to have established actions to implement based on the severity level of an event. Table 1 provides an example of Key Trigger Levels for implementing specific actions depending on the severity of an event. Table 1 – Key Trigger Levels X = phase to consider first implementing controls The team needs to understand what the staff requires to maintain business continuity. Burks recommended aligning with ISO 22301, the Business Continuity standard. The standard will lead a company to understand what redundancies need to be in place to keep essential operations running. In Adobe’s case, this includes keeping data centers running and providing essential gear to the 90+ members of the response and global security teams. Adobe tests the plans every month and addresses the bugs – every time.Repopulating Business Facilities During COVID-19 While COVID-19 infection and death rates are currently flattening in many locations, there remain a significant number of new infections, limiting the ability to repopulate business facilities without threatening the health of the workforce and their families. Adobe is using multiple indicators to calculate when the virus is contained, the threat is reduced, and employees can return to workplaces. For now, Burks recommended maintaining social distancing as much as possible while keeping operations running. He believes summer may see some abatement due to weather. However, most experts expect to stay hyper-aware and responsive well into 2021.Although Adobe tries to provide actual dates for return to their employees – and did early on with best estimates – they have had to change to a “until further notice” statement. Repopulating is going to be much more complicated than the original decisions to work from home. The Adobe operations team is providing much larger conference rooms, enhanced cleaning regimens, and new norms of interacting at the workplace for everyone. The goal is to bring people back in small groups on a site-by-site basis. The first group will be only 7-10% of the workforce. That group includes the cleaning and facilities crews to support the professional staff, who would return to reap the benefits of a collaborative environment. Many people want to come back to the office. They are suffering in isolation, and productivity is dropping in those cases.Adobe is planning to create a manual on interacting at the workplace and will require training and adherence to new social constructs. Security officers will be “ambassadors,” helping the workforce remember and adhere to the new rules. The company will use footprint stickers to provide visual clues to employees on walking single file and avoiding groups. Stickers will designate desks that can and cannot be used. To provide a more open office plan, they will remove desks and arrange movable white boards to accommodate the collaboration employees want.The situation is complex and dynamic and requires decision-making based on a definitive set of criteria. The following is a summary of information that Burks shared on Adobe’s criteria for returning to work after COVID-19: Indication of health and safety assurance utilizing risk assessment criteria – locally assessed and qualified for a minimum of six weeks. Travel prohibitions and local/external meeting guidelines to be modeled separately utilizing case-by-case risk assessment criteria. Assessment of the case fatality rate, infection peak and downside projections – curve must be flat. Management team decision on how much risk to assume, as this disease is durable Assessment of infection vector and prevalence vis-à-vis relaxation of nonpharmaceutical interventions; assessment of local healthcare capacity Government shelter-in-place restrictions fully (or partially) lifted; declarations by public leaders that the virus has been contained at some level (city, state, country) Assessment of facilities to physically distance employees and/or staggered shift schedule; assessment of security capability/resource availability Assessment of public transportation and infrastructure, including parking garage Assessment of school closures, childcare and/or adult-care Assessment of nonpharmaceutical intervention awareness campaign, medical surveillance program, and/or onsite medical or clinical support No visitor program until approved by global security staff when office repopulation program begins. Create exceptions list. Emergency plans formally in place Site capacity identified; Emergency Response Team (ERT) skeleton crew part of the repopulation Full plan in place to close offices for a period of no less than three weeks if one employee or vendor tested positive for COVID-19 during repopulation exercise; plan includes informing workforce within “return population” of circumstance and having the facilities team execute a deep clean. The plan would then activate communications for the crisis management remediation phase, which includes full workforce transparency via town halls, webinars, emails, etc. Burks noted that contact tracing has moved from an unthinkable invasion of privacy to a likelihood for most workplaces, taking into consideration privacy laws predominant in Europe and U.S. If anyone falls ill or tests positive for the virus, they will automatically be sent home and everyone who has been in contact with them will need to enter a 14-day quarantine before returning. Burks’ presentation, and his thoughtful approach to planning and the current situation with COVID-19, allowed the attendees to consider their positions and paths for bringing their workers back to the offices and facilities. A lively question and answer session enabled members to further clarify points and get immediate feedback on their plans and strategies. Burks finished with a request to industry members to continue the dialogue and send industry data for him to report back to the White House Task Force. For additional resources from SEMI, visit our COVID-19 response website, which provides best practices and the opportunity to submit company stories.About the AuthorHeidi Hoffman is Senior Director of Corporate Marketing for SEMI. She is currently serving on the SEMI COVID-19 Response Team, coordinating multiple inputs from across the industry to assist all SEMI members in responding to the crisis. To submit your company response story, visit our COVID-19 News and Blogs webpage and scroll down to the green submit bar below the news.

Part 2 of 2Read Part 1.While companies navigate the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, corporate leaders should be evaluating a number of key business continuity issues as well as steps they can take to not only react to business disruptions but also reshape their business and recovery plans.We spoke with Dan Steele, Senior Director and the APAC Head of Environmental, Health, Safety, and Security (EHS S) at GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) Singapore, via teleconference for insights into the best practices he and his team have implemented from their Business Continuity Plan (BCP) to guide them through the health crisis.SEMI: How can SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) afford BCP, as they are often quite costly?Steele: BCP is not something you afford. Rather, it is essential to good management. Every business is about managing risks and every manager’s responsibilities include risk mitigation. Regardless of their size, companies often pay a higher price for survival in a crisis because they are ill-prepared. All companies owe it to themselves, their employees and other stakeholders to conduct ongoing business continuity planning. No one knows what or when the next crisis will be, and no plan is perfect in mitigating crisis impacts.However, it is critical to plan for potentials, institutionalize EHS and security best practices, ensure the supply chain has both redundancy and robustness, train employees to adopt additional skills, and work with customers in advance. Companies that continue to ask themselves what if are the ones that will be the best prepared. And, if BCP is done right, businesses can avoid huge losses. Dwight Eisenhower said, "Planning is everything, the plan is nothing." I think too many companies spend far too much time creating exacting plans when instead they should be planning. Since planning the survival of the company is every manager’s daily responsibility, BCP should not be purely looked upon as a cost, but also as an expected deliverable from the management team.SEMI: Companies have rolled out mandatory work-from-home (WFH) policies and it has become a new normal for many of us. What other measures can GF take should this WFH period be extended?Steele: Our work-from-home policy seems to be working quite well at this point. However, WFH will only be effective if the right tools are provided to employees – we give our employees access to our system so they can work remotely. WFH also offers opportunities to drive new and innovative ways of working, and accelerates some of our automation efforts such as Augmented Reality (AR).At the same time, mental health is just as important and we conduct weekly check-ins with employees to assess their anxiety levels by asking two basic questions: How is the team’s morale and has it impacted productivity in our operations? For us at GF, WFH is not a disintegration of the team. It is important to our operations to continue the social aspects of working as ONEGF. That means online meetings should require face-to-face interactions. It is important for people to connect. Additionally, we maintain the same quality expectations for remote work as we do when employees are on-site. If this WFH period is extended, we need supervisors and managers to reach out and ensure that we stay connected with our employees.SEMI: What BCP lessons have you learned during the outbreak and will the learnings change any of your business or operations strategies when normalcy returns?Steele: I am not sure we learned anything new about BCP. As stated, our approach to BCP is to spend less time on exact plans and more time on planning, asking ourselves what if and mentally walking our way through potential solutions. This crisis reinforces the premise that we must be prepared. We did not have a plan on our shelf for working-from-home, but we had visualized it, knew what we would have to enact and now have employees managing highly sophisticated, technical and skilled manufacturing operations from home, and some of them reside in Malaysia. BCP must be a conscientious, concerted effort even when normalcy returns – it helps us better prepare. Additionally, BCP is not the responsibility of a single person or department. Just like our daily business, BCP is an integrated effort across many functions. Good and great ideas come from anywhere in a time of crisis. Listening is extremely important.SEMI: If there is one takeaway from this unusual and uncalled experience, what will it be?Steele: What we walk away with is the fact that we are dealing with a pandemic that is highly unpredictable, and that we need all types of employees with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. This inclusion has made us successful all along, and that is what is helping us ride through this crisis today and into tomorrow. We are glad that we have a diverse and proactive BCCM team that is able to quickly adapt and respond to the many challenges of a crisis. SEMI: What advice would you offer to stay productive while WFH?Steele: We acknowledged that it is difficult for the WFH policy to be effective in the manufacturing sector. Although we do not see any productivity loss thanks to automation, we’ve seen a slowdown in our engineering activities.My advice: First stay healthy, monitor your health, and follow the government’s hygiene advice for yourself, your families and the communities you live in. If you socialized before, there is no reason to stop. Stay connected with your co-workers and team. Personally, I don’t believe WFH now means you are always on. Just as you did when working on-site, you still need your personal time. You have to strike the balance that works best for you.Dan Steele has over 25 years of experience in environmental, health, safety and security operations. He has also held other leadership roles in facilities engineering, quality, reliability and assurance, and risk management.Bee Bee Ng is president of SEMI Southeast Asia.

Hello SEMI members:First and foremost, I hope this finds you all healthy and safe. With new developments emerging every day on the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, we want to make sure you’re aware of the resources that SEMI is making available to your business, and many others in the electronics manufacturing and design supply chain, to help you navigate through these tumultuous times. Our SEMI Responds webpage lists best practices for company policies, communications and working from home, based on recent calls with members led by our Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and Information Technology Leadership (ITL) groups. The EHS section provides tips on facilities and meetings, employee policies, business travel and communications, while the ITL section lists insights on computing hardware for staff, licensing, networks, security and employee policies. SEMI greatly appreciates the invaluable member input. Our goal is to help our member companies make informed business decisions during these highly challenging and uncertain conditions, and your contributions to this effort will benefit the industry as a whole. I am pleased to announce that SEMI has partnered with McKinsey Company to provide an additional source of information: a joint-webinar – COVID-19 Insights: Microelectronics Industry Impact and Best Practices – on Thursday, March 26 at 4pm PT. We will present insights gathered through SEMI member surveys and other industry outreach along with the latest expert data from McKinsey Company to help guide your business continuity plans. Click here to register.The SEMI Global Advocacy team has been evaluating how government responses to the outbreak will impact the industry. In the U.S., the team sent letters to 16 state governors last week to request the classification of the semiconductor industry as an “essential business” so that operations can continue if states institute “shelter-in-place” orders. The letters note that SEMI members are “employing all measures necessary to maintain the health and safety of their employees as they maintain continuous operations critical to the industry” based on the input of participating companies.As for SEMI events, I want to reassure you that SEMI continues to make the safety of our members, exhibitors, visitors and employees our top priority. We continue to track COVID-19 developments worldwide and advisories from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We are also working with our regional offices to engage with industry contacts for inputs, and SEMI has postponed or cancelled several of our major events including: Canceling SEMICON Korea 2020, which was scheduled for February 5-7 Postponing SEMICON China 2020 from March 18-20 to June 27-29 Postponing ISS Europe 2020 from April 1-3 to September 1-3 Postponing ASMC 2020 from May 4-7 to the week of August 23 (still finalizing) Postponing SEMICON Southeast Asia from May 12-14 to August 11-13 If plans for any other upcoming events change, SEMI will immediately notify event exhibitors, visitors and speakers. You can find the latest information on changes to our event schedule on our Coronavirus Status Updates webpage. SEMI is working to help our members continue to connect and do business in the interim. For example, our Standards team is hosting virtual meetings for task forces, and we are exploring other virtual events and ways to keep the lines of communication open. I have challenged the SEMI team to think outside the box and will keep you posted as we make new services available.In the meantime, SEMI continues preparations for later events with laser-sharp focus and determined intent to help spark the industry to reignite business growth and meet pent-up demand. The first major rescheduled event is our largest, SEMICON China in Shanghai. You have probably heard news on some of the positive signs coming out of China. You can read about some of these developments in this blog post from the SEMI China team, which has been in close contact with key exhibitors, domestic suppliers and large multi-national corporations that have confirmed that they will participate in SEMICON China based on the current outlook. We are determined to help the industry return to growth. For the first time we will feature an IC Design Pavilion at SEMICON China to help our traditional semiconductor manufacturing members form more connections across the microelectronics supply chain.In the U.S., this year is proving how quickly everything can change. While the immediate future is steeped in uncertainty, we are diligently assessing current conditions while planning for SEMICON West 2020 in San Francisco from July 20-23, though the event dates are subject to change. SEMI is monitoring the COVID-19 containment efforts closely, and we will keep you informed of any changes in plans.In closing, I want to provide a brief reminder that SEMI members should be proud of the roles your companies have played in enabling the technology that will beat the COVID-19 coronavirus. The most powerful supercomputers in the world are helping in the push to develop a vaccine, and these machines would not exist without countless innovations from SEMI members over our 50-year history. The team at SEMI is proud to serve you all and is absolutely committed to doing all that we can to help the industry rise to meet this newest challenge. Sincerely yours,Ajit ManochaPresident and CEO, SEMI

The U.S. Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cost-share risk assessment fees for 20 chemicals designated as high priority across all U.S. manufacturers (including importers) that produce or import at least one of the chemicals including Formaldehyde, Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and Dibutyl phthalate (DBP). Providers of the substances must self-declare as manufacturers or importers under a 5-year look-back requirement.The SEMI EPA TSCA working group formed to assess the potential impact of the self-declaration requirement has uncovered two points of primary concern: 1. Of the 20 substances, about 10 are commonly found in electro-technical components such as capacitors, resistors, transformers and power supplies.2. Companies that import articles (e.g., components and parts) containing any level of these substances, even unintended residue from a production process upstream in their supply chain of imported articles, must self-identify. Manufacturers and importers that self-identify will be required to share the $1.4 million risk-assessment cost per substance. Small business concerns qualify for an 80 percent discount, with larger businesses covering the balance.The EPA has identified a preliminary list of companies that provide each chemical. The number of companies on the lists ranges from two to 525.On January 27, 2020, the EPA opened a 60-day period for organizations to submit comments to the EPA and self-identify as a manufacturer (or importer). SEMI plans to submit comments prior to the March 27 deadline, in part to request an extension.More information is available by visiting the Federal Register or contacting Olivier Corvez. This EPA webpage contains a February webinar transcript that is also a helpful resource.Olivier Corvez is senior manager of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at SEMI.

Global and regional forces shaping the $2 trillion electronics industry have intensified more in the past few years than at any other time I can recall. The uncertainty bred by trade wars, corporate tax changes, new environmental regulations, immigration issues and STEM talent shortages is vexing the global microelectronics supply chain as companies shift investments and operational strategies to adjust to the unrelenting change and new realities with heightened urgency.In our industry, an increasingly dynamic world requires a more determined and strategic approach to advocacy. To meet the industry’s rapidly evolving needs, SEMI is transforming its global advocacy initiatives and programs. In the past 18 months, we have honed the focus of SEMI Global Advocacy to better serve member interests and needs, respond more quickly to fast-moving geopolitical developments, and deliver more value to help spur growth across the end-to-end electronics supply chain.Most importantly, SEMI Global Advocacy is now much more forward-looking and proactive. We have expanded our focus from primarily U.S. and independent regional issues to global affairs, allowing us to better leverage the power of our worldwide platforms. Organizationally, SEMI continues to add specialized staff advocates and calibrate its operational and member-driven engagement models to increase their involvement. There will be more to come, and with your continued support, we’ll be in a stronger position to meet your needs. Thank you!Strengthening the industry’s voiceThe rapid shift to a more proactive advocacy approach across all our initiatives was triggered by one disruptive action a little more than a year ago – the buildup and onset of the trade war between the United States and China. From the outset, SEMI formed strong member coalitions to intensify our lobbying efforts, met frequently with policymakers, submitted written comments to government panels, and issued public communications, all aimed at amplifying our collective voice. SEMI has taken a principled approach to advocacy, publicly stating its positions based on its trade pillars of free and fair trade/open markets, supply chain growth, respect for IP and national security.That approach was on full display as Japan tightened controls on exports to the Republic of Korea, sending shockwaves through the microelectronics industry. To minimize the industry impact, we leveraged our global reach and the counsel of our International Board of Directors to engage with both governments early on and ensure that Japan took into account our members’ interests in developing and implementing the new rules. In general, SEMI opposes the use of tariffs and limiting market access as levers to correct trade imbalances and other structural issues. Instead, we support dialogue and negotiations that lead to multilateral agreements aligned with our members’ interests and global trade principles.This year in the U.S. alone, SEMI advocates have met with more than 70 policymakers in Washington, D.C., including members of Congress and representatives from the White House, federal agencies and the Trade Representative’s office. We have also spoken with representatives from European and Asian government delegations. Since the trade war erupted, we have met with more than 220 policymakers worldwide, giving SEMI a seat at the table – a louder voice for our members – as we are increasingly seen as the voice of the end-to-end electronics manufacturing and design supply chain. SEMI Global Advocacy has also broadened its focus beyond public policy to address other areas of strategic importance to the industry such as the talent shortage.Expanding Advocacy’s global influenceSEMI’s public policy efforts now reach well beyond Washington, D.C. to all seven major manufacturing centers worldwide where we have regional offices, with SEMI advocacy staff in every location. This has created a network multiplier effect that allows us to rally our collective strength around common member interests. It’s no coincidence that our member-driven advocacy initiatives and programs have improved in parallel with expanded global participation by our member companies on our various policy and advocacy committees.Our Trade Advisory Committee, for example, has grown from 16 to 60 active members in the past year alone. This year, we have also formed working groups with SEMI members around the world to address talent pipeline challenges. The upshot is that we are now much more focused in attacking regional issues. Thank you once again.Despite changes in the strategic approach of SEMI Global Advocacy, we remain squarely focused on critical issues affecting industry growth and our members’ interests. In a nutshell, we call these the four T's: Tax – We strive to encourage rates that are fair to all companies, leveling the playing field globally Technology – We seek government investment in technology and innovation (R D) Trade – We advocate for open markets, free and fair trade as we promote our 10 Principles for the Global Semiconductor Supply Chain in Modern Trade Agreements worldwide Talent – We support education investments and immigration policies that provide opportunities and build the talent pipeline In addition, SEMI has long been a leading voice in promoting Environment, Health and Safety regulations that enable industry growth and demonstrate environmental stewardship – and we continue to make investments at this critical juncture as new technologies are driving changes in the regulatory landscape.Maintaining laser focus on member priorities amid shifting geopoliticsThe only way for SEMI Global Advocacy to navigate the cauldron of geopolitical disruption is to remain laser-focused on our members’ top priorities including trade, tax, technology and talent. And we will stick to what SEMI has done best for almost 50 years – facilitate public-private collaborations and more investment on behalf of our members.In workforce development, SEMI is taking bold steps to develop a robust talent pipeline, as much a growth and innovation driver for SEMI members and the industry as any technology. Announced earlier this year, SEMI Works™, our landmark talent development initiative, is already gaining steam with U.S. government investment and our rapid progress in laying its foundation with a database of standardized competencies for technical jobs as well as a certification and credentialing process for curriculum, education and training programs.The future for SEMI members and the industry is brimming with possibility. The strides SEMI Global Advocacy has made over the past year have only been possible through your support and involvement. As we broaden our scope beyond policy, we recognize that more progress needs to be made. We look forward to your continued participation as, together, we help our industry fulfill its great potential.Mike Russo is Vice President of Global Industry Advocacy at SEMI.

This article is the fourth in a series highlighting the vital importance of SEMI Standards to commemorate the publication of the 1000th SEMI Standard in July 2019. Find the entire series here.Computer prices have plunged over the years even as desktop and laptop PC performance has skyrocketed thanks to the semiconductor industry, giving users much more bang for their buck. The chip industry stands in a stark contrast to healthcare and education with their exponentially rising costs.What distinguishes the semiconductor industry from healthcare and education in the capacity to deliver so much for so much less over time? After all, even in other parts of the technology sector that are heavily regulated, such as cable television, we have not witnessed the same price decreases as in microelectronics.Some pundits claim that the difference among sectors is tied to their degree of regulation. Does greater regulation somehow degrade product value? The reality is far more nuanced. But one thing is clear: Smart self-regulation (i.e. standards) in the semiconductor industry has contributed mightily to its success.The recipe for success has been simple. Standards have been rocket fuel for competition, which in turn has sparked innovation, driving down device prices while boosting performance. Computer prices fell dramatically between 1997-2015 while the cost of cable TV and internet services rose. Myth of unregulated competitionA semiconductor fab might actually be the most regulated place on earth. Fabs hew to a much higher standard of air quality and cleanliness than even uber-sterile hospital operating rooms. Manufacturing processes are voluntarily regulated not to millimeters, but to nanometers. While some standards are proprietary with limited reach, others span the supply chain. Regulation has worked so well in this sector that the semiconductor industry isn’t moving toward less standardization. It’s moving toward more. Secret is smart standards The gap between regulation and self-regulation is more like a chasm. We typically view regulation as a series of top-down directives that more often focus on the interests of the producer than the consumer. Healthcare regulation, for example, may improve quality of care, but it’s often insurers, big pharma and hospitals that benefit most from regulation, rather than consumers.The semiconductor industry, on the other hand, uses self-regulation to improve business operations and make better products for consumers. Falling prices and rising performance are natural byproducts.Semiconductor industry self-regulation is an ecosystem-wide effort, where input isn’t just top-down, but also bottom-up or even side-to-side. The first SEMI Standard, which specified wafer sizes, exemplifies this approach.The SEMI Standards Committee formed in 1973 to address silicon wafer dimensional specifications. At the time, wafer specifications proliferated. Numbering more than 2,000, the various specifications led to major inefficiencies just when the industry was just getting underway. Wafer suppliers banded together under SEMI to solve this problem and rapidly developed consensus specifications for 2- and 3-inch wafers. By the mid-1970s, over 80% of wafers conformed to these new standards.Standardized wafer sizes freed equipment companies to focus on innovations that reduced cost and increased performance. It also allowed manufacturers to focus on product differentiation without having to worry about device fabrication process and cost. Since that first SEMI Standard made possible the modern semiconductor equipment industry, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have competed to deliver amazing innovations. For example, lithography systems routinely use light to design chips with feature sizes smaller than the wavelength of light.SEMI’s 1000th standard on energetic materials demonstrates how smart standards are also pragmatic. This standard is not about banning materials or assigning blame when things go awry. It is about creating practical guidelines that companies will follow, enabling them to realize greater innovation. Guidelines that reduce accidents and risks will spur more, not less, energetic materials’ exploration. Industry suppliers will be the big winners.The 1st to the 1000th SEMI standard all represent examples of cooperation making more sense than competition.Standards for the real worldCreating a business-friendly standard that still gets the job done is a process. As SEMI Standards Task Force and Committee members, materials, equipment and manufacturing companies take part in defining best practice guidelines that support safe and practical use of materials and equipment. Task force and committee members assign particular responsibilities and associated costs to the most logical segments of the supply chain. They also develop information-sharing practices around competitive process recipes and purity standards.Andy McIntyre, CIH, a member of the energetic materials task force and an executive vice president and managing principal at BSI EHS Services and Solutions, summarized what makes SEMI standards smart.“SEMI standards are pragmatic,” said McIntyre. “They take into account the need for implementation in a real-world business environment. They embrace an engineering approach to problem-solving to create practical solutions, and they define specifications and performance goals in ways that allow engineers — in collaboration with EHS professionals — to identify practical solutions for reducing risk in R D, pilot line and manufacturing operations.“SEMI standards employ a holistic process that considers all the important points of view throughout the supply chain, from materials selection, installation, use, recycling and/or disposal,” said McIntyre. “The breadth of SEMI EHS Guidelines, for example, is also very comprehensive as the SEMI EHS Committee and task forces work to ensure that standards keep pace with dynamic technology developments. Energetic materials is a prime example where the industry recognized the need for a new safety guideline to document safe usage of pyrophoric, water-reactive and unstable reactive materials, which have become increasingly important in semiconductor and advanced materials R D and manufacturing.”This is the real secret to the success of the semiconductor industry. Smart self-regulation allows industry players to cooperate in the development and implementation of standards that are pragmatic, comprehensive and dynamic. Participants in SEMI Standards have a voice in the semiconductor industry because they are the voice of the semiconductor industry.While innovation in semiconductors may not always keep pace with Moore’s Law, we can depend on one truth: As long as collaboration and cooperation are the rule and not the exception, we will continue to advance technology in amazing and unprecedented ways. You, me and all other consumers will continue to reap the rewards of innovation. Use your voice to affect standardization in and around the semiconductor industry. Learn about SEMI Standards – and become part of the solution.Heidi Hoffman is senior director of technology communities marketing at SEMI. Hoffman and her team shine a spotlight on the work of the more than 20 technology communities under the SEMI electronics manufacturing supply chain collaboration platform. Actively engaging community members in marketing programs that showcase their unique value, Hoffman’s team helps companies to grow and prosper through the power of connection, collaboration and innovation.

On behalf of its global membership, SEMI is actively addressing a variety of environment, health and safety (EHS) dossiers impacting the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain. Together with its dedicated working groups (WGs), SEMI educates regulators globally on semiconductor manufacturing technology and advocates a balanced policy framework supporting innovation, growth and sustainability.Perfluorooctanoic acid and related compounds and salts (collectively known as PFOA) have been on the radar of the SEMI PFOA WG and EHS Advocacy Program for several years. PFOA is reported to cause severe and irreversible adverse effects to the environment and human health. PFOA is very stable and will last for years in the environment, and so it is considered a Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP). As such, PFOA is in scope of the Stockholm Convention and meetings to consider revisions to the Convention take place regularly. During these consultative meetings, Parties to the Convention are invited to provide observations and propose amendments. SEMI participated in the ninth meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) in Geneva in late April and early May to provide the position of the semiconductor manufacturing industry.Among the many substances used to manufacture equipment components, fluoropolymers and fluoroelastomers (together known as fluoromaterials) have been produced sometimes with PFOA as a processing aid. To reduce hazardous effects to the environment and human health and to meet regulatory obligations, many (but not all) fluoromaterial manufacturers worldwide have been eliminating PFOA from their processes. Over the past several years, the WG has been studying equipment components – as well as related supply chains – that might contain fluoromaterials made with PFOA. The WG has learned that if PFOA is present in fluoromaterials, it is only as an unintentional contaminant or impurity. The WG has also confirmed that PFOA serves no intended purpose or performance function in the fluoromaterial-containing components that might be present in semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Although more testing is needed, the WG also believes PFOA that might be present in fluoromaterials does not move freely out of the material into the surrounding environment. In this light, the WG reviewed a draft of exemption recommendations from the Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) to the full Stockholm Convention. The exemptions in the draft recommendations addressed new and legacy equipment, fabrication plant-related infrastructure and related refurbishment parts for the manufacture of semiconductors and related electronic devices, and it imposed a commitment to remove any ‘PFOA residue’ from equipment components in five years (10 years for legacy equipment and refurbishment parts). Additionally, there was also an exemption in the draft for PFOA related to photo-lithography and etch processes, which the WG fully supported to maintain, as the presence of PFOA in process chemicals is fairly well understood, but viable substitutes have not yet been found for some applications.The outcome of the WG review was a concern because the equipment-focused exemptions introduced the concept of a ‘PFOA residue,’ and the Stockholm Convention already contains an exemption for ‘Unintentional Trace Contaminants’ (UTCs). The WG concluded that the existing UTC exemption was already sufficient. Additionally, although the WG does have spot information that PFAO can be present in fluoromaterial components, there is no comprehensive data about PFOA presence throughout the deep and complex equipment component supply chain, particularly regarding older parts in storage.Additionally, the WG has seen that very low levels of PFOA can be unintentionally created by some fluoromaterial post-processing steps such as processes intended to control PTFE polymer chain length in fluoro-lubricants that unintentionally create small quantities PFOA (note that PFOA is roughly a very short PTFE chain with a ‘carboxyl’ ending). Also, the WG has learned that PFOA can, in some cases, be accidentally created from fluoropolymers, adding to doubts as to whether ‘PFOA free’ can be determined or achieved. Therefore, the commitment contained in the draft exemption to have all ‘PFOA residues’ removed in five or 10 years was not based on a well-defined action timeline.Therefore, the WG in its discussions with governments around the world, prior to and during the Stockholm Convention COP meetings, requested the removal of specific exemptions related to equipment used in semiconductor manufacturing. The WG also requested that the specific exemption related to photolithography or etch processes be maintained. SEMI appreciates that its recommendations were accepted by the COP. This will help avoid country-specific regulations based on the Convention that are not fit-for-purpose. SEMI and its WG will continue to study PFOA and its elimination from the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain, and educate regulators globally on semiconductor manufacturing technology, underpinning sustainability, innovation and growth in a balanced manner.

SEMI’s Environment, Health Safety (EHS) Advocacy program has been helping the semiconductor manufacturing supply chain collectively address common challenges for over 20 years. Now, as national and regional governments worldwide increasingly weigh legislation that could impact the industry, SEMI continues to ensure that microelectronics industry understands the potential impact and provides an effective platform for taking collective member-led action.Olivier Corvez recently joined SEMI to focus exclusively on shaping SEMI’s EHS Advocacy program to meet escalating demands on the industry. He recently sat down with SEMI’s communications team to discuss SEMI's evolving EHS Advocacy program. SEMI Communications: As senior manager of EHS Advocacy, based at SEMI’s Milpitas, California, headquarters, what do you see as the major issues impacting EHS Advocacy for electronics manufacturing worldwide?Corvez: EHS is a vast topic that cuts across many different types of issues such as regulatory compliance obligations, management systems performances, as well as sustainability related public disclosures. SEMI’s global members are engaged on all these fronts, while creating advanced materials, sophisticated tools and managing a complicated and extensive supply chain.On the regulatory side, there has been exponential growth in the number of EHS laws considered and adopted by legislatures worldwide. Often these new regulations generate shockwaves across the globe as member companies are required to adapt to new requirements that spread across the entire manufacturing supply chain.Many new regulations are originating from Europe and demand much of my attention. We are paying especially close attention to the Stockholm Convention on eliminating persistent organic pollutants. A chemical called PFOA has been a subject of much effort at SEMI for years now and we are heartened by the reception of our position by the European Commission.SEMI Communications: What do you find most interesting about operating the EHS Advocacy program at SEMI?Corvez: The first word that comes to mind is “variety.” This role involves a blend of strategy, regulatory interpretation skills, project management, communication and even accounting. There is always something new to learn and positions and strategies to develop.SEMI, as a member-driven, collaborative platform, needs a high level of knowledge sharing and communications. I am working to establish a workspace where members can share previously-created analyses and minimize “recreating the wheel.” We have ambitious plans to deploy additional tools and a redesigned website that will improve our knowledge-sharing capabilities and best serve our members.We also plan to renew collaboration with other industry associations such as SIA and SESHA. Partnering with other associations means our voice is stronger, our messaging is reinforced, and our efforts are coordinated. Last but not least, I believe that maintaining a sense of geographical proximity for SEMI’s worldwide efforts is important. SEMI’s local advocacy efforts are facilitated by SEMI regional staff and I look forward to collaborating with them as they maintain ongoing dialogue with our local members and their local, state and national governments. SEMI Communications: What is the most challenging part of your role?Corvez: The most challenging aspect will be to reinvigorate participation in all of our EHS activities and find ways to create a state of fruitful collaboration among members worldwide. Secondly, establishing a new EHS governance structure is a significant challenge, but it is incredibly important to have a strong leadership group and decision-making mechanism that will efficiently help define our vision and priorities.Our new direction will require members to lead our activities at all levels. We believe there is a strong ROI for companies to dedicate resources to address the issues or topics we need to pursue to keep them and their products, accepted, profitable and the industry to grow. While SEMI provides the platform for collaboration, we must supplement our efforts with members providing the manpower to ensure our activities are a success.SEMI Communications: Tell us about your background. Corvez: I bring 20 years of diverse experience as a consultant, auditor and corporate EHS program management across most economic sectors on a global scale. Recently, I managed an EHS team distributed across 10 countries, dedicated to providing EHS compliance support to Cisco facilities worldwide.In addition to compliance experience, I have worked on implementing EHS Management systems at ABB or Total while in France (primarily) in the late 1990s. While at KPMG in Paris I was involved in over 400 due diligence projects for transactions services for electronics, chemicals, auto industry, aeronautics, etc. On the sustainability reporting side, I was lucky to be involved with large corporations and spent five years verifying EHS and social performances disclosed in sustainability annual reports. I received my formal training and received a Masters of Science in Environmental Sciences from Universite de Rouen, France, and my Bachelors of Science in Environmental Geology from Northeastern University in Boston. I also trained as an ISO 14001 auditor at DNV Sweden.All of these experiences have led me to this current position at SEMI, where I look forward to making effective and meaningful impact.Have questions or suggestions for Olivier? He can be reached at [email protected] or at +1.408.943.6957. To learn more about the EHS advocacy program at SEMI, please click here.Heidi Hoffman is senior director of Technology Communities Marketing at SEMI.

Last year the industry posted another remarkable double-digit revenue growth year. IC shipments eclipsed one trillion units for the first time and continued to enable an ever-expanding array of silicon intensive-applications.2018 was also a pivotal year of transformation at SEMI. Setting our sights firmly on building more value for SEMI members, we doubled down on priorities I established this time last year. We advocated intensively on global trade policies, industry talent needs, and critical environment, health and safety (EHS) concerns. To underpin our efforts around talent, we took the bold step to reinvigorate the industry’s identity with a dynamic image campaign. Above all, we targeted critical industry-wide issues to help us realize the ambition of becoming a trillion-dollar industry in the next decade. Workforce DevelopmentRedefining our approach to talent development in 2018 was and remains a top priority. A diverse, highly skilled workforce is crucial to the industry’s ability to innovate. Last year we ramped up a number of SEMI High Tech U (HTU) programs to inspire young people and attract them to careers in high-tech manufacturing. To date, more than 130,000 students have been touched by HTU – through student or teacher programs.Over the past year, we designed a new university outreach program and established partnerships with 100 institutions. We established Workforce Pavilions at SEMICON events in Southeast Asia, the U.S., Taiwan, Europe and Japan for students to explore career opportunities and meet with recruiters. We thrilled at seeing sponsors hire young talent at SEMI events. This year, all SEMICONs worldwide will feature Workforce Pavilions.SEMI also formalized its commitment to Diversity and Inclusion (D I) with the establishment of a D I council to shape new programs including the recently launched Spotlight on SEMI Women. To localize and fully optimize our D I programs, we established regional workforce councils in every region we serve. We unveiled the SEMI Mentoring Program to support students and young professionals on this journey by facilitating one-on-one mentoring relationships with industry professionals. Hundreds of mentees have enrolled. But we still need more mentors. I urge you to join the program. During the year, SEMI also expanded its workforce staff and developed a comprehensive workforce strategy with programs that engage students as early as elementary school and inspires them through high school and college. The program provides pathways to professional careers, building a pipeline to fill the short-term and long-term talent needs of the industry. Industry Image CampaignAs we developed the comprehensive workforce development program, we knew we had to refresh the industry’s image and appeal to the next generation through contemporary media and communications channels. So we recently launched a bold, innovative campaign to raise industry awareness and attract students and recent graduates to careers in semiconductor manufacturing.Our You’re Welcome campaign is a novel, creative approach that blends entertainment, media and storytelling to excite students about the industry. The campaign went viral immediately and within weeks had more than 5.5 million social media impressions and 2.3 million video views.Trade Policy AdvocacyRising trade tensions between the U.S. and China catapulted global trade policy to the forefront of industry concerns in 2018. Since the tariffs have taken force, semiconductor companies have faced higher costs, greater uncertainty, and difficulty selling products abroad. The tariffs have forced many SEMI member companies to pause or rethink their investment strategies.SEMI quickly engaged U.S. policymakers and provided resources for SEMI members. We formed a member trade task force, staged trade compliance seminars in China, and convened meetings with over 110 U.S. congressional, agency and administration officials, and provided testimony on the importance of the free trade to the industry.SEMI continues to educate policymakers about the critical importance of free and fair trade, open markets, and respect and enforcement of IP for all players in the global electronics manufacturing supply chain. As part of this initiative, we distributed “10 Principles for the Global Semiconductor Supply Chain in Modern Trade Agreements” and encouraged their adoption in various trade negotiations. These principles outline the primary considerations for balanced trade rules that benefit SEMI members around the world, strengthen innovation and perpetuate the societal benefits of affordable microelectronics.Environment, Health and SafetyEnvironmental regulations are proliferating globally even as advanced semiconductor manufacturing technology relies increasingly on a host of new materials. With dozens of new fabs and fab line upgrades, our industry must align on best practices, sensibly respond to materials restrictions, and renew efforts toward sustainable manufacturing.That’s why the revitalization of SEMI EHS efforts became another priority in 2018. Two months ago, we hosted the inaugural EHS Summit at SEMI Headquarters. Fully, 70 EHS professionals and company executives met to form the basis for the future SEMI EHS program.The Year AheadDespite a softening in the market, compounded by Apple’s first-ever announcement of a revenue decline in 16 years, a geopolitical whirlwind on trade and an extended shutdown of much of the U.S. government, the future is bright.At SEMI’s annual Industry Strategy Symposium (ISS 2019) in Half Moon Bay, Calif. in early January, the sense of optimism was palpable. In her keynote address, Dr. Ann Kelleher, Sr. VP and General Manager, Technology and Manufacturing Group, at Intel, observed that data is powering the fourth industry revolution and the expansion of compute. With customers expecting continual improvements in applications, Kelleher highlighted the tremendous opportunity for the chip industry to meet these expectations.At ISS 2019, we announced a Memorandum of Understand between SEMI and imec. The MOU will enable us to accelerate our members’ engagement in SEMI’s Smart vertical market platforms, in particular Smart MedTech and Smart Transportation. Our partnership with imec will also allow us to boost SEMI Standards activities in non-CMOS technologies, deepen technology roadmap efforts and augment our SEMI Think Tank initiative in thought leadership at a global level.Over the course of this coming year, will we begin our global rollout of key building blocks of our comprehensive workforce development program to engage schoolchildren as young as 10 and learners all the way to veterans who return to the workforce. We are now able, with the invaluable help of our Workforce Development Council and the passionate engagement of many SEMI member companies, to offer a solution to the talent crisis in our industry.We will continue to be the leading voice for our members and the end-to-end semiconductor supply chain across Talent, Trade, Tax and Technology as we work to ensure free, fair trade that protects IP while preserving vital access to markets to grow the supply chain. Vertical Market PlatformsOur vertical market platforms are an important part of this growth. For example, in Smart MedTech, SEMI looks forward to working with the Nano-Bio Materials Consortium to advance human monitoring technology for telemedicine and digital health after winning $7 million to fund the renewed program. In Smart Transportation, we will leverage the Global Automotive Advisory Council (GAAC) we formed last year to represent the full automotive supply chain and the Smart Transportation and Smart Automotive forums featured at all our SEMICON events to enable the industry to identify and seize opportunities in autonomous driving. At ISS 2019, Sujeet Chand of Rockwell Automation noted that “digitization will grow faster in the next 10 years than it did in the past 50,” a trend calling for semiconductor fab architectures that transform data into business value. We will continue to bring the industry together at our Smart Manufacturing venues to help uncover ways to deploy deep learning, edge computing and other Smart technologies to deliver this value and meet the challenges of automation as artificial intelligence’s (AI) sprawling influence reshapes industries including manufacturing.I am filled with optimism and thrilled about the opportunities I see on the horizon for our members as we build on our 2018 accomplishments to enable your prosperity in 2019 and beyond. My heartfelt thanks to all of you for your participation in our programs and events.I look forward to another successful year as we connect, collaborate and innovate together!Ajit Manocha is president and CEO of SEMI.

Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) has steadily evolved to become a key element within SEMI’s Advocacy and Standards activities. On November 29th, 2018, nearly 60 members representing equipment, materials and device manufacturers gathered at SEMI’s Milpitas headquarters for our first EHS Summit. The main agenda for the day was related to discussing the new “EHS 2.0” strategy – and priorities – to better align with the current landscape facing members in various parts of the world. “SEMI will not compromise our commitment to EHS,” said SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha in is kickoff speech at the Summit, calling on members to rise to the challenge. “We also understand the importance of EHS for our industry. SEMI EHS staff is here to facilitate a program that achieves the highest priorities of our members – but we need you, our members, to be clear on your priorities.” SEMI’s EHS program has had many successes globally, including a strong suite of safety standards, since it launched in the 1980’s. Since then, exponential growth of EHS regulatory requirements worldwide has intensified pressure on members to become more transparent on environmental and social issues. The pressure to disclose on EHS performances has become more visible and challenging for members to manage across the entire supply chain. During facilitated breakout sessions, members were invited to share their views on various industry issues. Some of the most pressing raised related to changes in the REACH European Regulations, or implications from the Stockholm Convention that will affect what products or hazardous chemicals can be used. Some of the topics identified throughout the day included: Circular economy/green/sustainability Global RoHS and REACH regulations Used equipment machine safety Current and future prohibited substances tracking such as Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) After the summit’s success, SEMI is now planning three EHS summits in 2019 and other events to further address the various issues facing members. To receive invitations and stay abreast of SEMI’s EHS activities, please join our EHS interest list by clicking here. Olivier Corvez is senior manager of Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability at SEMI.