The final day of COMPUTEX 2023 got off to a flying start – or better yet, a racing start – with Chairman and CEO of Acer Jason Chen addressing the audience from atop a bike desk, one of the company’s latest product offerings. It was a fitting enough entrance, for the topic of the morning’s Keynote presentation was sustainability, and Chen brought a palpably athletic energy to his discussion.
Beginning with the observation that Acer has continually met its sustainability commitments to use 100% renewable energy by 2035 and to reach net zero emissions by 2050, Chen outlined how the company is taking a three-pronged approach to improving sustainability for the planet, for businesses, and for human wellbeing.
Addressing sustainability for the planet, Chen invited Emmanuel Fromont, President of Acer EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) to the stage. “Sustainability is really about the entire lifecycle of products, from design to retirement,” Fromont said.
That’s why the company is choosing to ship its products almost exclusively by sea, rather than air, and working with partners to increase the sustainability of its logistical operations by maximizing the use of biofuels.
The company’s European stores likewise make use of 100% recycled paper for their promotional materials, and after-sales services are provided to refurbish and extend the lives of its products.
Vice President of Acer Pan America Richard Black then took the stage to introduce several new consumer and business offerings, including the desk bike from which Chen had begun the presentation, as well as e-bikes, power systems, and charging stations.
Key to the company’s thinking about sustainability, Chen said, is the goal of “making sustainability sustainable” and therefore cost effective and value creating.
Acer is promoting sustainability for businesses in two ways: by helping them to strengthen their cybersecurity, and adopting a diverse portfolio of subsidiaries to extend corporate resilience.
Rex Wu, CEO of Acer Cyber Security, explained how business continuity is essential for maintaining sustainability. To that end, the company offers its customers a suite of security tools to protect them against hacks and cyberattacks.
Lastly, sustainability has to be implemented at the level of wellbeing by extending and improving human health.
Chen invited Dr. Allen Lien to share his experiences of how technological developments are changing the way healthcare systems are administered and delivered.
Speaking of his years as a healthcare worker in Burkina Faso, Dr. Lien said that “20 years ago, you’d deploy doctors,” to run initiatives, but that “10 years later, you deploy programmers” to build and operate effective health systems.
“This time, you deploy AI”, Dr. Lien said, referring to the technology’s abilities to analyze patient data and images at scales and speeds beyond the humanly possible.
