TCO Certified manages hazardous substances by taking a proactive approach, where chemicals are treated as a risk until they have been independently assessed and approved as safer alternatives.
Substances are evaluated by independent toxicologists, and only those verified as safer can be used in certified products and manufacturing. Approved substances are listed on the publicly available
Yes, TCO Certified includes comprehensive criteria designed to support circular IT solutions and extend the lifespan of IT products.
The criteria promote a circular approach by requiring durable product design, the ability to repair and upgrade products, and access to spare parts and service information. IT brands must support products for at least five years, including
Yes, TCO Certified includes comprehensive criteria to reduce the climate impact of IT products throughout the product life cycle.
IT products contribute to greenhouse gas emissions at every stage, with most emissions occurring during manufacturing. To address this, TCO Certified includes criteria that go beyond product energy efficiency and focus on reducing emissions across the full
The criteria in TCO Certified are updated every three years, with a new generation of the certification launched to address emerging sustainability challenges and technological developments.
Each new generation includes new and updated criteria designed to take the next step in environmental and social responsibility. Verification methods are also adjusted, to ensure that compliance with the
The criteria in TCO Certified are developed by TCO Development in a structured process based on scientific evidence and stakeholder dialog.
The development process includes input from experts, researchers, industry representatives, and other stakeholders to ensure that the criteria are relevant, effective, and practical to implement. To stay ahead of legislation and adapt to technical developments,
TCO Certified includes comprehensive criteria covering four key sustainability areas: climate, substances, circularity, and supply chain.
The criteria address environmental and social risks throughout the product life cycle, from raw material extraction to end-of-life. They are designed to reduce climate impact, ensure safer substances, support longer product lives and circular flows of products and materials, and
TCO Certified is developed and managed by TCO Development, an organization with over 30 years of experience in driving sustainable development in the IT industry.
TCO Development works globally with a mission to ensure that IT products have a more sustainable life cycle. The organization develops the criteria and verification methods, and launches a new generation
You can find all products certified according to TCO Certified in Product Finder, an online tool where you can search, filter, and compare certified product models across categories.
Each listed product comes with independently verified data and information about how it meets the criteria in TCO Certified, helping you make informed purchasing decisions.
If the product models
TCO Certified covers four key sustainability areas: climate, substances, circularity, and supply chain.
TCO Certified addresses the most critical environmental and social risks connected to IT products throughout the product life cycle. The criteria are designed to reduce climate impact, ensure safer substances, extend product lifespan and enable circular use, and improve working conditions and environmental
A sustainability certification is needed for IT products because the industry is associated with complex environmental and social risks that are difficult for individual purchasers to manage on their own.
Key challenges include climate impact, hazardous substances, linear methods for manufacturing and use, as well as environmental and social risks throughout the IT product supply chain.