TCO Certified covers a wide range of environmental and social sustainability aspects throughout the IT product life cycle, but it does not include every possible impact related to IT products.
Scope of criteria
TCO Certified focuses on areas where criteria can be clearly defined, independently verified, and followed up over time. It does not cover impacts that cannot be measured or verified in a reliable way.
Criteria level
Criteria are designed to be ambitious but achievable, to drive continuous improvement in the IT industry. Requirements that are too difficult to meet would not lead to progress, as they would not be implemented in practice.
Continuous development
The scope of TCO Certified is continuously updated to address new sustainability challenges and technological developments. Each year, criteria are reviewed and updated, and every three years a new generation is launched.
Validity of certification
TCO Certified applies only while a product is certified. During this period, compliance is continuously monitored through independent verification. Once a certificate expires or is withdrawn, TCO Development is no longer involved in managing issues related to that product or its manufacturing.
User responsibility
TCO Certified supports more sustainable IT products and procurement, but it does not cover how products are used or managed within an organization. To achieve full impact, responsible use and IT management are also required.