Comprehensive sustainability criteria with direct impact

Comprehensive sustainability criteria with direct impactandreas.langer@tcodevelopment.com2025-05-26T12:01:16+00:00

Comprehensive environmental and social criteria with direct impact

Criteria in TCO Certified drive social and environmental responsibility in four key areas: climate, substances, circularity and supply chain. Our science-based criteria are continuously developed in line with our detailed and ambitious Roadmap for Sustainable IT. All criteria are mandatory and compliance is always independently verified.

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Scope 3 emission reductions beyond industry standards

IT brands are incentivized to implement emission-reduction activities that go beyond industry standards. Verified best practices are shared with other brands to speed up the pace of change.

Increasing the demand for renewable energy

To help increase renewable energy production, IT brands must purchase renewable electricity equivalent to 15% of their own consumption in final assembly factories. Purchases must be made using accredited systems.

Management systems for environment and energy

Final assembly factories and display panel factories must have management systems for the environment (ISO 14001), and energy management (ISO 50001).

5+ years of supported product lifetime

To significantly reduce annual emissions, products must be designed for a longer lifespan and supported with a warranty and free security and functionality updates for at least five years.

Energy efficiency of products and power supplies

Products must meet the latest energy efficiency standards of Energy Star® or equivalent, and external power supplies must comply with the International Efficiency Protocol.

Recycled packaging materials

Packaging containing more than 20% plastic by weight must include at least 50% post-consumer recycled content. All parts weighing more than 25 grams must be separable without using tools.

A dynamic list of safer substances

Substances are risk-assessed by independent toxicologists, and safer alternatives are presented on the publicly available TCO Certified Accepted Substance List.

Excluding the most hazardous substances

For more than 25 years, cadmium, mercury, halogenated flame retardants, lead and chromium have been banned from certified products and their packaging.

Banning substances until they are proven to be safer

Flame retardants, plasticizers and stabilizers can only be used if they have been independently verified as safer alternatives, and placed on TCO Certified Accepted Substance List.

Protecting workers from hazards

Cleaners and solvents used in manufacturing must be approved as safer and listed on TCO Certified Accepted Substance List. Workers must receive risk training and protective equipment.

Finding safer alternatives to new hotspot substance categories

We continuously gather information to find safer alternatives to additional high-risk chemical categories. Currently, IT brands must report their use of adhesives and lubricants in manufacturing.

5+ years of supported product lifetime

The IT brand must support the products it manufactures for at least five years by providing product warranties and free security and functionality updates.

Product durability

Products must pass durability and extreme temperature tests to ensure that they are designed for a longer life.

Battery longevity and replaceability

The battery must maintain good quality through many charging cycles and be replaceable using common tools, or tools provided for free with the product. Replacement instructions must be freely accessible.

Repairability index for mobile devices

An independently verified repairability score indicates how easy it is to maintain, reuse, and repair the product, covering disassembly, spare parts, repair instructions, and software updates.

Replaceable components

The IT brand must provide service manuals explaining how to carry out component replacements free of charge.

Secure removal of data

Software that removes data from devices must be available free of charge.

Products must be marked with a unique identifier

Certified products must be marked with a unique product identifier, enabling digital product passports and the transition to more circular practices.

Responsible e-waste management

Criteria promote the first steps toward a structured framework that expands the reach of take-back programs globally and ensures a more sustainable approach to reuse and recycling.

An incentive system for more responsible factories

Factories are categorized by risk level and high-risk factories are monitored more often. IT brands can select factories with a good rating, which is an incentive for factory owners to prioritize their work with sustainability.

Social supply chain responsibility

The manufacture of certified products must comply with local labor and health and safety laws, the ILO’s core conventions, and the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child.

Worker well-being and compensation

To improve worker safety and well-being, and promote raised wage levels, workweeks are limited to 60 hours.

Anti-bribery management system

Brand owners must have an anti-bribery management system (ISO 37001) to prevent all forms of bribery in their operations.

Supply chain transparency

To improve transparency, major sub-suppliers must be declared. Brand owners must appoint a Senior Management Representative to monitor and ensure compliance with supply chain criteria.

Audits and corrective action plans

To ensure steady progress in supply chain responsibility, factories are audited regularly. High-risk factories are audited more often, and all issues must be corrected within a set timeframe.

Responsibly sourced minerals

We are driving industry engagement to responsibly source 3TG and cobalt by creating a structured system that promotes the use of RMAP conformant mineral smelters and refiners.

Environmental and energy management systems

Final assembly factories and display panel factories must systematically manage environmental responsibilities in line with ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 50001 (energy management).

Explore our roadmap

TCO Certified evolves continuously to address the sustainability challenges of IT products. Our roadmap outlines detailed plans for the years ahead, driving progress toward more sustainable IT solutions.

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Get to know the criteria in TCO Certified

A description of all criteria included in TCO Certified and how they help you drive more sustainable practices.

Download summary

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Complete criteria documents

Displays

Criteria document

Notebooks

Criteria document

Tablets

Criteria document

Smartphones

Criteria document

Desktops

Criteria document

All-in-one PCs

Criteria document

Headsets

Criteria document

General

Criteria document

Currently, imaging equipment, projectors, servers, network equipment and data storage products are approved for use with the General criteria document.

Together toward sustainable IT

TCO Certified is the global sustainability certification for IT products, empowering both IT buyers and brands to make more responsible choices. Our comprehensive criteria are designed to drive social and environmental responsibility and are updated continuously to push sustainability where it matters most. Compliance with all criteria is always independently verified for every product.

Our Roadmap for Sustainable IT is the long-term plan for addressing issues in four key areas: climate, substances, circularity and supply chain. By using TCO Certified, you join a global movement for sustainable IT.

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