Today GEC, in conjunction with NSF, launched the 2nd public consultation for the Draft Criteria on Responsible Supply Chains (formerly Corporate ESG Performance) for the EPEAT ecolabel. These criteria address the responsible sourcing of materials, fair labor practices and worker health and safety in the electronics supply chain.

The 2nd public consultation period is open from December 1, 2023 and closes on January 16, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET3.  For public commenters, the 2nd consultation is limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

Please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org with questions.

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact areas. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview provides revised timeframes for the 2nd public consultation periods for Sustainable Use of Resources, Chemicals of Concern, Corporate ESG Performance (now titled Responsible Supply Chains) and Imaging Equipment Consumables.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact criteria, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

 

GEC has revised and extended the timeframe for the 2nd public consultation for the Draft Criteria on Corporate ESG Performance (now titled Responsible Supply Chains) for the EPEAT ecolabel, based on stakeholder feedback. The 2nd public consultation period will now open on December 1, 2023 and close on January 16, 2024.  For public commenters, the 2nd consultation is limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

GEC will notify stakeholders when the 2nd public consultation opens via a special edition of this newsletter. The announcement will also be posted on the EPEAT Announcements page.  

Please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org with questions.

GEC is scheduling monthly Conformity Guidance Group meetings for 2024. These meetings will be used to address any technical issues that come up for both the current and updated criteria from the sustainability impact modules. The first meeting is scheduled for January and monthly thereafter on the second Thursday of every month. GEC will share topics for each meeting as they are established. Meetings may be cancelled if no topics are raised.

Participants may register for all 2024 meetings using the link below. Currently, each meeting is scheduled in one timeslot to bring together all attendees, however, additional timeslots may be added to a monthly meeting depending on the topic(s) to be discussed.

·    Zoom registration link (7am Pacific/10am Eastern/4pm Germany/10pm China)

As a reminder, the CGG is not a standing committee and there are no standing members. The EPEAT Program seeks technical guidance and expertise from the CGG. The purpose of the CGG is to provide input about specific technical issues about the criteria that EPEAT uses in its various product categories, including when and how updated criteria should be implemented in EPEAT.

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact areas. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview provides revised estimates on the publication dates for the remaining criteria, reflecting our experience with the Climate Criteria and the reality that the Technical Committees need additional time to work through criteria and reach consensus.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact criteria, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to update EPEAT criteria to align with priority sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, and to ensure the criteria: meet purchaser demands with an increased focus on climate change and supply chains, address sustainability impacts consistently across product categories, and respond to rapid changes in both technology and market trends.

The priority sustainability impact areas include Climate Change, Circularity and Sustainable Use of Resources, Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, the updated criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, starting with Computers and Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Servers, and Televisions.

In January of 2023, GEC released the implementation plan and timeline for the transition to the updated criteria. Since that time, we’ve continued to receive feedback on the plan and timeline. In addition, implementation topics were addressed during monthly CAB Calibration meetings and monthly Conformity Guidance Group meetings. From June through August 2023, we also engaged with key stakeholders specifically on the implementation timeline, taking into consideration modifications to the criteria development schedule.

Based on the above, GEC is pleased to announce a revision to the implementation plan and timeline.

This document identifies revised dates for implementation and provides additional details on other key activities that will support an efficient and successful transition, including the EPEAT Climate+ designation for manufacturers who adopt the required Climate Criteria early.

We deeply appreciate the ongoing engagement and feedback we’ve received, and believe we’ve reached the right balance for a fair and credible path to implement the updated EPEAT criteria in the coming years. We remain committed to supporting all stakeholders during this transition process.

Please let us know if you have any questions about the revised implementation plan and timeline by emailing us at EPEAT@gec.org.

July 26, 2023

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact modules. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview provides revised estimates on the publication dates for the remaining criteria, reflecting our experience with the Climate Criteria and the reality that the Technical Committees need additional time to work through criteria and reach consensus.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact criteria, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

In January, GEC released an Implementation Schedule for the updated EPEAT Criteria. GEC is considering revisions to the implementation schedule due to delays in the completion of criteria. In a Stakeholder Engagement webinar that took place on July 10, GEC presented proposed revisions to the implementation schedule along with the rationale for the adjustments.

GEC is currently accepting stakeholder feedback on the proposed revisions until August 7, 2023, and will publish a revised Implementation Schedule for Updated EPEAT Criteria by August 21, 2023.

Please contact epeat@gec.org for a copy of the meeting materials that were presented on July 10. Feedback should also be directed to epeat@gec.org.

Feedback Solicited on Revision to Implementation Schedule for Updated Criteria

In January, GEC released an implementation schedule for the updated EPEAT Criteria.  GEC is considering revisions to the implementation schedule due to delays in the completion of criteria. In the Stakeholder Engagement webinar on July 10, GEC will present proposed revisions to the implementation schedule along with the rationale for adjustments to the schedule. Stakeholders can provide feedback in the webinar or provide feedback following the webinar. Feedback is due no later than July 28.  GEC will release its final plan for implementation of the Updated Criteria no later than August 15.

Registration is required for the webinar —please use the registration links at the bottom of this article to sign up.

Currently Accepting Feedback on EPEAT Policy Revisions

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is dedicated to the continuous improvement of the EPEAT Program and is constantly looking for opportunities to strengthen the rigor and credibility of the program. To this end, GEC monitors industry trends, regulatory changes, and market drivers which may impact the EPEAT Program, and responds accordingly. Although GEC has mechanisms in place to monitor these broader external factors, we believe stakeholder input is of paramount importance to ensuring that EPEAT continues to be the leading global Type 1 ecolabel for electronics.

Stakeholder feedback and insights are already an integral component of GEC’s management of the EPEAT Program and are particularly important during the annual policy revision process. Typically, feedback on the annual revisions is received during the public stakeholder comment period every October. However, GEC seeks to have stakeholder feedback also inform the development of annual revisions and is hosting a new stakeholder engagement opportunity over the coming months on a series of key EPEAT Program topics to do so.

This year, GEC will solicit feedback from stakeholders on the following topics:

• Refinement/improvement of current CAB-related processes
• EPEAT Program technical guidance and requirements
• GEC Criteria revision process

GEC hosted an information session on June 14, 2023, to identify specific issues and discussion questions for stakeholder consideration. The presentation materials are now available, and a recording of the webinar will be made available soon.

GEC is currently accepting stakeholder feedback until July 5 on the topics, specific issues, and discussion questions identified in the June 14 webinar. Feedback can be submitted via email to EPEAT@gec.org

GEC is hosting a second Stakeholder Engagement session on July 10, 2023. In this session, GEC will present proposed approaches for addressing each of the key issues. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for each session. Registration is required—please use the registration links below to sign up.

Please direct any questions to EPEAT@gec.org

In January 2023, GEC released an Implementation Plan to guide the transition to the updated EPEAT Criteria. On May 16, 2023 GEC issued a slightly revised Implementation Plan to reflect the fact that publication of the Climate Change Criteria were delayed. 

Changes were only made to some of the dates pertaining to the Climate Change Early Adopter schedule on page 5 of the document. All changes are identified in red font. No changes were made to any other sections of the document. 

Should you have any questions about the Implementation Schedule, please email us EPEAT@gec.org 

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to revise its EPEAT Criteria to align with priority sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, and to ensure the criteria:

• Meet purchaser demands with an increased focus on climate change and supply chains,
• Address sustainability impacts consistently across product categories, and
• Respond to rapid changes in both technology and market trends.

The priority sustainability impact areas include Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources (or Circularity), Reduction of Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, the updated criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, starting with Computers and Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Servers, and Televisions.

After extensive stakeholder consultation throughout 2022, GEC recently finalized the implementation plan that will guide the transition to the updated EPEAT Criteria. The Final Implementation Plan for Updated EPEAT Criteria identifies key dates in the transition process and provides additional details on other key activities that will support an efficient and successful transition, including recognition for manufacturers who adopt the Climate Change Mitigation Criteria early (called ‘Early Adopter Status’).

GEC held three information sessions for stakeholders on February 22, 2023, to highlight key aspects of the implementation plan and answer any questions. Three sessions were held throughout the day to accommodate worldwide locations, and each session covered the same topics. A recording of the webinar, as well as the presentation materials, are now available.

Please direct any questions about the implementation plan to EPEAT@gec.org.

GEC provides a quarterly update on the development schedule for the updated EPEAT Criteria by sustainability impact area. These criteria will be applied across all EPEAT ICT product categories, starting with Computers & Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Televisions and Servers. Of note this quarter, we’ve made some updates to the development schedule and added information on the implementation plan for the updated EPEAT criteria, which was released in January 2023. The Final Implementation Plan for Updated EPEAT Criteria identifies key dates in the transition process and provides additional details on other key activities that will support an efficient and successful transition, including recognition for manufacturers who adopt the Climate Change Mitigation Criteria early (called ‘Early Adopter Status’). For convenience, this quarterly update also provides links to the most recent public drafts of criteria and supporting State of Sustainability Research.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the updated EPEAT Criteria by sustainability impact or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to revise its EPEAT Criteria to align with priority sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, and to ensure the criteria:

• Meet purchaser demands with an increased focus on climate change and supply chains,
• Address sustainability impacts consistently across product categories, and
• Respond to rapid changes in both technology and market trends.

The priority sustainability impact areas include Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources (or Circularity), Reduction of Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, the updated criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, starting with Computers and Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Servers, and Televisions.

After extensive stakeholder consultation throughout 2022, GEC is pleased to announce that it has finalized the implementation plan that will guide the transition to the updated EPEAT Criteria. The Final Implementation Plan for Updated EPEAT Criteria identifies key dates in the transition process and provides additional details on other key activities that will support an efficient and successful transition, including recognition for manufacturers who adopt the Climate Change Mitigation Criteria early (called ‘Early Adopter Status’).  

Some of the key transition dates are outlined below, however Participating Manufacturers and GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies are strongly encouraged to read the entire document.

 GEC thanks all stakeholders who engaged in the development of the plan. Stakeholder feedback was a crucial element in developing a balanced implementation plan, especially considering the diverse range of views expressed on key transition issues.

GEC believes the implementation plan outlines a fair, credible, and transparent path to guide the successful transition to updated EPEAT Criteria in the coming years, and remains committed to supporting Participating Manufacturers, GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies, and EPEAT Purchasers during the process.

GEC is holding three informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight key aspects of the implementation plan and answer any questions. Since the implementation plan is considered final, no further feedback will be accepted during these sessions.

To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call. If you are interested in participating, please use the registration links below.

 Please direct any questions about the implementation plan to EPEAT@gec.org

GEC provides a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development and implementation for EPEAT’s new criteria by sustainability impact modules. Of note this quarter, we’ve made some updates to the development schedule, including notification that at this time we do not plan to develop additional product-specific energy efficiency criteria beyond the criteria in the Climate Change Mitigation module. We’ve also added a new section that provides links to all the current drafts of criteria and supporting State of Sustainability Research. In addition, we note that release of the implementation plan is delayed until early 2023 as we continue to solicit stakeholder feedback. For more information, please see the updated GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

Today GEC releases its draft Corporate ESG Performance criteria for public comment. The public comment period -- open for 60 days -- is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide technical comments on the draft criteria. These criteria are intended to address the life cycle sustainability impacts identified in the State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance and represent leadership and international best practices in reducing the identified impacts. These criteria are one of 4 sustainability impact modules that will be applied across EPEAT product categories in 2024.

NSF International manages the public comment process on behalf of GEC. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on January 9th, 2023 using the NSF Online Workspace, available here. Instructions on submitting comments are provided on the NSF Online Workspace. To support openness and transparency, the NSF website displays all public comments and their resolution.    

Coming Soon: Public Comment on Draft Corporate ESG Performance Criteria

GEC’s draft Corporate ESG Performance criteria will be released for public comment on November 10th. The public comment period, open for 60 days, is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft criteria.  These criteria are one of 4 sustainability impact modules that will be applied across EPEAT product categories, starting in 2023. A notice will appear in these EPEAT Announcements and in a GEC Newsletter when the public comment period opens.

Upcoming Webinar: Draft Criteria on Corporate ESG Performance

Join our webinar on November 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm U.S. Eastern for an overview of the draft criteria for the Corporate ESG Performance, including the rationale for the criteria and the requirements. The webinar also will review the process for submitting public comments on the criteria. Please click this link to register for the webinar.

Corporate ESG Performance Technical Committee

NSF International, the partner GEC selected to manage the voluntary consensus process for its sustainability impact modules, released the roster for the Technical Committee for the Corporate ESG Performance. The Technical Committee serves as the voluntary consensus body in the GEC Dynamic Criteria Development Process. GEC’s process requires balanced stakeholder representation including manufacturers, purchasers, government policy and sustainability advocates, and other industry in the electronics supply chain, as well as geographic and product representation. One open seat remains on the Technical Committee for a purchaser and ecolabel criteria user. If you are purchaser who is interested in actively supporting the development of this new criteria, please reach out to Greta Baragar (gbaragar@nsf.org).  

For more information on the Corporate ESG Performance criteria, see the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact. Please contact Rachel Simon (rsimon@gec.org) with questions.

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact modules. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview also includes information on the second public consultation and schedules for the development of product-specific criteria for imaging equipment consumables and additional product energy efficiency criteria.  

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

Technical Committee launching for Corporate ESG criteria for EPEAT ecolabel – now is your opportunity to get involved!

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is developing criteria to address corporate ESG performance, throughout the life cycle of electronic products. These criteria will be leveraged across all EPEAT ICT product categories, initially including computers and displays, mobile phones, imaging equipment, servers, and televisions. This Call for Participation is to notify stakeholders of the opportunity to participate on the multi-stakeholder Technical Committee that will evaluate and reach consensus on sustainability leadership criteria to promote responsible social and environmental performance, particularly in the upstream electronics supply chain. GEC is partnering with NSF International, an organization with extensive expertise in managing voluntary consensus processes, to convene and manage the Technical Committee.

The criteria will address best practices for mitigating social and environmental risks, inclusive of criteria addressing labor and occupational health and safety, social supplier audits and transparency, responsible mineral sourcing, and corporate environmental management systems.

Applications for Technical Committee membership are due by midnight U.S. Eastern Time on August 31, 2022.  See the Call for Participation for additional information on Technical Committee membership and the application form.

Corporate ESG Performance is one of four criteria modules currently under development that will be applied across all EPEAT product categories. Other criteria modules include Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources and Chemicals of Concern. See the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact for more information on these criteria modules, GEC’s criteria development process, participation options, and anticipated schedule.

Questions about Technical Committee applications should be directed to Greta Baragar at NSF (GBaragar@NSF.org). If you have questions about the Corporate ESG criteria or the criteria development process, please contact GEC at: Criteria@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org.

GEC is pleased to release its final State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance, which reflects stakeholder comments and data-supported recommendations submitted during the public consultation process. This State of Sustainability Research serves as the evidenced-based scientific foundation for EPEAT criteria development.

The research provides an overview of key labor and workforce concerns and current practices in social auditing in the electronics supply chain. This research then provides thoughtful and practical strategies to improve social audits and performance in the sector. Strategies include increased supply chain transparency, improvements in factory monitoring and reporting, and meaningful remediation of non-conformance findings during audits.

The State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance is the fourth analysis in support of GEC’s initiative to develop modular criteria that will apply across all EPEAT ICT product categories. Additional analyses include State of Sustainability Research for Climate Change Mitigation, State of Sustainability Research for Sustainable Use of Resources and State of Sustainability Research on Chemicals of Concern.

If you have questions about the Corporate ESG criteria or the criteria development process, please contact GEC at: Criteria@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org.

GEC invites stakeholders to participate in the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT sustainability impact module for Corporate ESG Performance.

GEC anticipates forming Expert Ad Hoc Groups to address the following criteria topics:

1.     Labor and Occupational Health and Safety Performance in the electronics supply chain

2.     Responsible Mineral Sourcing, covering 3TG + cobalt

3.     Corporate Environmental Management Systems

Expert Ad Hoc Groups will provide technical feedback on draft criteria and definitions, and draft criteria text as needed. The work of the Expert Ad Hoc Groups will start in late June 2022 and is expected to continue for 2-4 months depending on the topic. The Expert Ad Hoc Groups will meet by teleconference and provide offline review and comment on drafts.

Stakeholders with expertise in the above topics are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, government policy, purchasers, non-governmental organizations, academics, and component and material suppliers.

If you’d like to participate in any of the above Expert Ad Hoc Groups, please send an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by June 2, 2022. Please identify the Expert Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience with the topic.

Please contact the project lead, Erica Logan (elogan@globalelectronicscouncil.org), with any questions.

GEC provides a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development and implementation for EPEAT’s 4 sustainability impact modules. In 2023 these criteria will replace the existing criteria in EPEAT ICT product categories. This  quarter we’ve updated the EPEAT criteria implementation plan to reflect the current status of criteria development. The revised schedule in the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview, page 5, shows the public launch of the EPEAT Registry with the new criteria in September 2023, followed by a 12-month transition period. During the transition period, the old criteria and the new sustainability impact criteria will be available for product conformance to EPEAT.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

Today GEC released its draft State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance for a 60-day public comment period. This report, which will guide the upcoming revision of EPEAT criteria, provides an overview of key labor and workforce concerns and current practices in social auditing in the electronics supply chain. The report then provides thoughtful and practical strategies to improve social audits and performance in the sector, including increased supply chain transparency, improvements in factory monitoring and reporting, and meaningful remediation of non-conformance findings during audits.

To produce this report, GEC was pleased to partner with Electronics Watch, an independent human rights monitoring organization with extensive global field experience that helps public buyers address and protect the rights of workers in electronics supply chains.

GEC welcomes stakeholder review and comments on this State of Sustainability Research. Comments must be submitted using the Public Comment Form and submitting it via e-mail to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org no later than 11:59 PST on May 14, 2022.

This State of Sustainability Research is part of GEC’s initiative to revise criteria across all EPEAT ICT product categories, focusing on 4 sustainability impact areas. See the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact for more details on GEC’s criteria development process and anticipated schedule. If you’re interested in participating in criteria development for criteria on Corporate ESG Performance, please send an email expressing interest to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

GEC provides a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development and implementation for EPEAT’s 4 sustainability impact modules. In 2023 these criteria will replace the existing criteria in EPEAT ICT product categories. The schedule in the attached update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview, now includes a schedule for product-specific criteria.  

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

At the request of stakeholders, GEC will provide a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development for the 4 sustainability impact modules. The schedule in the attached update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview, reflects the current public comment period for Climate Change Mitigation criteria (closes December 7) and the upcoming public comment period for the State of Sustainability Research for Chemicals of Concern (opens November 10). We’ve also now included in this overview document the proposed implementation schedule for the sustainability impact modules that was previously shared on public webinars.  

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

Earlier this year, GEC launched a multi-year initiative to revise its EPEAT criteria to align with sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, including Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources (or Circularity), Reduction of Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, these “modular” criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, including computers and displays, mobile phones, imaging equipment, servers, televisions and network equipment. This GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview includes a summary of the criteria development process, opportunities to engage, and an update on the anticipated project implementation schedule. Stakeholders are encouraged to send questions to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.