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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.