Green Initiative - Message from CEO Mark Thompson

As the leading supplier of power semiconductors to the world, Fairchild Semiconductor is dedicated to protecting the environment, providing a safe and healthy workplace, and utilizing industry leading manufacturing practices for environmental responsibility and sustainability. By nature our products optimize system power thereby helping our customers and end-product consumers reduce energy consumption and reduce their global environmental footprint. Energy efficiency is our business.

We at Fairchild Semiconductor are dedicated to being good corporate citizens. We have been an industry leader in lead-free and RoHS compliance. Currently all products manufactured by Fairchild Semiconductor are RoHS compliant. Now we are going Green.

Sincerely,
Mark Thompson - President and CEO

What does Green mean?

Green refers to devices that are RoHS compliant as listed in table #1 plus meeting the additional requirements as stated in table #2:

Awards and Recognition

2005 - Maine Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. Company honored in pollution prevention category for invention and use of environmentally-friendly detergent used in the manufacturing of wafers. Member of Maine's STEP-UP Program. Also reduced energy usage by nearly $15,000 annually, lowered the amount of material used and waste generated, and reduced Green House Gas emissions.

2005 - Awarded for Environmental Preservation in South Korea. Commendation received for contributing to overall environmental preservation and water protection.

2004 - Cited for Environmental and Safety Leadership by Samsung Electronics. As an ECO-Partner, Fairchild was lauded for environmental management systems, production processes and manufacturing facilities.

2003 - Receives Sony Corporation’s Green Partner certification. The certification recognizes that Fairchild has successfully established a worldwide environmental management system meeting the standards of the Sony Green Partner Program.

2002 - Receives Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award for Excellent Achievement. Environmental award is the highest recognition by Malaysian Government and recognizes Fairchild's commitment to the protection of the environment is driven by the deployment of ‘3 Rs’, - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

2002 - Maine Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award, for outstanding efforts to make Maine’s environment and workplaces cleaner and safer.

1998/1999 and 2000/2001, The Malaysian Prime Minister’s “Hibiscus Award” for Exceptional Performance and Excellent Performance in environmental protection.

Active participation in the U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association’s (SIA) and Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) partnership to reduce global warming gas emissions.

Fairchild’s Maine facility selected for EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track program to recognize top environmental performers and organizations that voluntarily go beyond their required environmental regulations.

Other Malaysia awards and environmental initiatives include:

• Organizing a state level environmental art competition for primary school students.
• Working in partnership with Malaysia’s Department of Environment and the State Education Department in a State Secondary Schools Environmental Management System commitment project – The Chief Minister’s Green Award.
• Launching of a Green Bus Stop for general public appreciation of the importance of environmental protection.
• Eliminated the use of Halon for their fire protection systems.
• Reduced waste consumption by 40 percent.
• Reduced water consumption for 36 percent.
• Reduced energy consumption by 25 percent.

FAQs

Q. What is the Green Initiative?

A. The Green initiative is a customer driven program to promote the use of ‘green' material in supplier's products. This is voluntary program and is not currently driven by legislative mandate, as was the lead-free movement. Customers supporting the green initiative are driving their suppliers to provide green product alternatives.

Many suppliers of the electronics industry are developing product roadmaps calling for exclusive use of “green” materials in their products as a demonstrated measure of their commitment to the global environment.

Fairchild is committed to protecting the environment by reducing the use of hazardous substances in our products. Our green packaging is defined as being free of lead (ROHS compliant), halogenated compounds and antimony oxides.

Q. Is this part of RoHS?

A. The Green Initiative complements the spirit of RoHS in that it is systematically removing compounds identified as harmful to the environment. RoHS is legislation banning six specific substances. The Green Initiative is in response to customer's requests to remove Chlorine, Bromine and Antimony from electronic components.

Q. How can I tell which Fairchild products meet the Green Initiative and which do not?

A. Fairchild's ‘green' products will be identified by date code with no change to marking, labels and part numbers

Q. What constitutes “green material”?

A. Green material refers to products that are RoHS compliant, and that also do not use Chlorine, Bromine and Antimony.

Q. What Is the governing body over the green initiative?

A. At this time, there is no governing body, but the materials in question are well understood and defined.

Q. Will all of Fairchild's products convert to use green materials or will these green products be offered as alternatives to existing non-green products?

A. Fairchild is planning to convert all of its products, by package, to conform to the green initiative.

Q. Will the Green products have unique part numbers?

A. Fairchild's products that meet the green initiative will not have unique part numbers. The identification of green products will be made by their date code.

Q. How will customers be notified regarding Fairchild's green product roadmap and product offerings?

A. Fairchild plans to provide a Product Change Notice (PCN) at approximately six month intervals, to notify customers as products convert to meet the green initiative.

Q. How will Fairchild manage products manufactured at subcontractors?

A. All assembly sites, both internal to Fairchild and at subcontractors, will be converted by package at the same time.

Q. What is Fairchild's target timeline for full compliance?

A. Fairchild expects to complete the targeted qualification by the end of 2008

Q. What are the selected packages?

A. Fairchild Semiconductor expects to convert all its package types, but the exact timing for each package type will vary.

Q. Are there other considerations such as material, reliability or safety?

A. Fairchild will adhere to all company reliability, safety and technical requirements.

Q. Have your Halogen-Free products been tested for their flame retardant properties, per UL94 standard?

A. Yes, Fairchild's products meet the UL94 V-0 requirements. At this time there is no change to the current UL94 V-0.

Q. What non-halogenated flame retardant substances are used in your products?

A. Green flame retardants based on metal hydrate, nitrogen and metal oxide are under consideration by Fairchild. We may also use green EMC with no flame retardants.