Texas Instruments releases 2008 Corporate Citizenship Report

Report details social responsibility, environmental performance and goals

DALLAS .- “Building a Better Future,” Texas Instruments’ third annual corporate citizenship report, is now available online at www.ti.com/csr. The complete Citizenship Report, which details the company’s annual social and environmental activities, performance in 2008 and future goals, is a companion to TI’s 2008 Annual Report of financial performance. The report underscores TI’s continued commitment to corporate citizenship and a better future.

“At Texas Instruments, there are two things that didn’t change in 2008: our commitment to corporate citizenship and our passion for building a better future,” said Rich Templeton, TI’s chairman, president and CEO. “We believe being a good corporate citizen is a competitive advantage --and a sustainable business model.”

The importance of transparency
The comprehensive citizenship report, available exclusively online, is used by a variety of stakeholders, including customers, analysts and shareholders, to understand TI’s social responsibility and environmental performance, as well as future risks and opportunities.

Readers of the report can learn more about TI’s operations globally, the company’s citizenship and performance in product development, energy use, human rights and governance, and its goals for the future. They can also follow TI’s social and environmental progress through Twitter (TICorpCitizen).

Defining corporate citizenship
Corporate citizenship is defined in the report as “the commitment of each and every TI employee to accountability for the company’s social, environmental and economic impact around the world.” Citizenship, as outlined in the report, addresses six key areas of operation:

* Product stewardship
* Environmental responsibility
* Employee well-being
* Community commitment
* Responsible advocacy
* Corporate governance

According to Trisha Cunningham, TI’s director of worldwide corporate citizenship, the company’s commitment to citizenship isn’t new but TI has been more transparent about its social responsibility in recent years.

“These values were instilled by TI’s founders almost 80 years ago and one of the reasons I believe we’re still thriving today,” Cunningham said. "The value in reporting on our progress is to maintain our legacy as a responsible company -- a supplier of choice among customers and a good citizen and neighbor of choice within the communities
where we operate"

Progress in citizenship performance
Some of TI’s 2008 citizenship successes highlighted in the report include:

* The unveiling of Kilby Labs, a new research center dedicated to inventing technologies several generations ahead of today’s business. The labs are a way to generate new ideas, open new markets and create opportunities that lead to business growth.
* The implementation of 159 energy, water and other efficiency projects globally that saved $5.1 million and prevented 32,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
* Decreases in TI’s total energy use, amounting to 5 percent, and total water use, adding up to 7.3 percent. TI recycled 1.4 billion U.S. gallons of water or about 16 percent globally. TI also recycled 88 percent of its nonindustrial waste and 91 percent of its total waste in 2008.
* Recognition for constructing the first LEED® Silver certified building in the Philippines and the first semiconductor manufacturer to be LEED Gold certified at TI’s fabrication facility in Richardson, Texas. TI announced its goal to be LEED certified at all its major existing buildings globally by 2011.
* The best safety rate among U.S. Semiconductor Industry Association member companies for the sixth consecutive year.
* Expansion of TI’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy to include not only sexual orientation and gender, but also gender expression and gender identity.
* TI’s commitment to education and the contribution of more than $13 million to support science, technology, engineering and math research and education programs around the world through TI and the TI Foundation.
* Contributions of $5 million to United Way to better TI’s communities, including a $200,000 challenge grant from the TI Foundation and $2.9 million pledged by TI employees.
* Spending 4.61 percent of all purchases on outsourced goods and services in the U.S. with direct and sub-tier minority or women business enterprises (MWBE), which helps grow and strengthen local economies. TI required third-party certification of MWBE status to ensure credibility of these metrics and engagement with qualified suppliers.
* The launch of TI’s first political engagement report as an extension of the company’s comprehensive corporate citizenship report.
* The successful expansion of the company’s citizenship strategy to better meet changing business and community needs. This progress is driven by TI’s Citizenship Strategy Team, a cross-functional group of company leaders which works periodically to refine the company’s citizenship principles.

TI’s stakeholders can help shape the company’s citizenship strategy by reading and sharing thoughts on the report.

“We report our results to show our commitment to doing what’s right,” Cunningham said. “Texas Instruments values the feedback we receive from our employees, customers, investors and communities as we strive for continuous improvement as a good corporate citizen.”