We know that getting to a sustainable IT ecosystem is a journey of continuous improvement. But with electronics, we can’t wait around, assuming progress will simply happen. We all have to make some moves. Reaching the big, audacious goal means setting targets, raising awareness and building commitment in our own organizations. As ESG priorities center on climate, circular economy and ethical supply chains, we need an“all-in” approach to influencing the way electronics are designed, made and moved through the life cycle.
And how do we take action fast? Because technology isn’t waiting. Neither should you. That’s why we’re proud to launch TCO Certified, generation 9.
One place to start is procurement. Procurement is like a secret weapon in the drive for more sustainable IT products – and a global shift to IT sustainability means that organizations need to make use of procurement even more.
Put simply, when organizations make their sustainable procurement intentions clear, their budgets and influence are leverage for change. From our multi-stakeholder dialogs, we know that sustainable procurement practices and customer requests are among the most powerful signals for industry to take action. Yet there are still many organizations not using their procurement for sustainability impact.
Your specifications are critical for driving progress toward a sustainable product ecosystem, where electronics are made for longer use, in a waste-free, responsible supply chain where workers and communities thrive. This is the vision for TCO Certified, and generation 9 makes it even easier for procurement to take direct action on climate, circularity and responsible supply chains.
Sound like utopia? It doesn’t need to be. Now might just be the perfect time for your organization to plug TCO Certified into your procurement language to show your commitment to greater environmental and supply chain social responsibility in IT hardware.
Let’s take a look at what’s new and why it matters now.
Getting deeper in the supply chain
TCO Certified generation 9 is all about taking critical next steps along the pathway to sustainable IT, such as taking our verification process deeper into the supply chain and expanding our ground-breaking work in safer chemicals to include manufacturing processes. We’re also building on our work to drive more circular product design.
Socially responsible manufacturing – bringing transparency further up the supply chain
TCO Certified, generation 9 requires industry to provide greater transparency about suppliers beyond final assembly – something which has been traditionally difficult to identify. This allows for improved factory risk assessment and insights into working conditions deeper into the supply chain. We’re also expanding our independent verification of responsible mineral sourcing, right down to the source of mineral extraction, and combatting corruption by requiring compliance with the ambitious ISO37001 standard for anti-bribery.
For purchasers this means when you use TCO Certified, you know that the IT products you buy are manufactured under conditions that verify worker impact and supply chain responsibility.
Hazardous substances – system for safer chemicals expands from product to production
In TCO Certified, generation 9, we’re also expanding our ground-breaking system for safer substances to also cover process chemicals used in manufacturing. Allowing only safer substances in production processes such as product cleaning helps protect the health and safety of workers, and reduces the environmental risk as well.
In this way, purchasers can specify certified products with confidence — knowing that chemical substances are verified as safer for workers and the environment.
Sustainability Performance Indicators (SPIs) – enabling data-driven decision making and support sustainability reporting
We’re also increasing transparency around certified products, by adding more than 40 new Sustainability Performance Indicators (SPIs) for every product model we certify. The SPIs will make it possible to distinguish best-in-class products that go beyond the requirements in TCO Certified. The data behind each SPI is independently verified for accuracy.
For purchasers, this scientific independently verified data will enable even better product decisions, and support robust measurement and impact reporting directly connected to the computers and other electronics you buy. You’ll be lowering your reliance on unverified product claims and risk for greenwash too!
Getting procurement’s influence directly into the supply chain
An estimated 70-90% of a computer’s lifetime sustainability impact is embedded in the supply chain – including 80% of lifetime emissions. That’s before it ever even reaches your desktop! So we need to stop perpetuating this cycle and find a way for purchasers to have a stronger influence on manufacturing, supply chain and product design, so that we’re not perpetuating the same, linear take-use and waste approach.
TCO Certified makes this possible.
TCO Certified helps get your voice directly into the IT supply chain, where our comprehensive criteria and independent verification ensure progress.
The bottom line is – when you mention TCO Certified in your procurement, you get the 3 critical cornerstones that are essential for driving impact in the IT supply chain: leadership environmental and social responsibility criteria, mandatory independent verification of products and supply chain and importantly, a system of ongoing monitoring and industry accountability.
So why wait? TCO Certified is your tool to use – for more sustainable IT.
Clare Hobby is our Americas regional lead and occasionally writes for the TCO Certified Blog. Clare is a wonderful mix of Australia, Sweden and the US. Clare is also an excellent chef and mediocre golf player.
