EHS supply chain management at Advanced Micro Devices, Inc

The EHS programs of suppliers and service providers have long been overlooked in the supplier evaluation and approval process. The fast pace and tight production schedules of semiconductor manufacturing leave little room for interruptions in operations. In addition, the significant use of chemicals in the manufacturing process requires strict management to avoid accidents and spills. While the company has strong programs in place to manage these types of risks within the company´s own facility walls, AMD recognizes the potential risk that the company´s suppliers and service providers pose. Suppliers with poor EHS programs are more likely to have an incident that could leave AMD open to liability or cause a significant interruption in the delivery of supplies. To address these potential risks, AMD has developed an EHS supply chain management program. The program targets waste management service providers, chemical suppliers, construction contractors for large projects, and foundries and contract manufacturers to manage a variety of potential business risks. AMD uses a combination of audits and self-assessments to evaluate the EHS performance of these suppliers. AMD benchmarked the audit and assessment programs used by industry associations and other companies when developing the program. AMD´s own internal EHS standards were also used to carefully evaluate the specific potential risks posed by each type of service provider. Audit protocols anti self-assessment questionnaires were developed to address risk areas identified for each supplier group. The program has evolved into an active part of AMD´s relationships with suppliers. AMD has used the information gathered from suppliers to offer assistance in improving supplier EHS programs and to better manage the potential risks that certain suppliers may pose