If you are interested in applying for certification of a product category that we do not currently cover, we may be able to add it without releasing a new criteria document. The criteria document for TCO Certified, general can potentially be used to cover new product categories. Please contact manufacturers@tcodevelopment.com with information about the product
The manufacturer can handle the application process but the brand owner must also be involved. For example, it is the brand owner’s responsibility to submit the necessary documentation related to socially responsible manufacturing criteria on an annual basis. Both the brand owner and the manufacturer need to sign an agreement with TCO Development.
A new generation of TCO Certified is released every three years. When a new generation is launched, products can no longer be certified to the previous generation. A certificate has a limited validity period: it is valid for two years from the date of issue, with the option to extend for one year at a
We encourage you to use the TCO Certified brand in your communications related to certified products. The demand for more sustainable IT products is growing, and offering certified products will help you compete in this market.
Our brand book includes guidance on how to speak and write about TCO Certified and how and when you can
The brand owner must submit the following to an approved social verifier at one of the approved verification organizations:
We’re driving change where it is needed the most by categorizing factories depending on risk and requiring audits more often in high-risk factories than in low-risk factories. Risk category 1 factories are audited every 12 months, while risk category 2 factories are audited every 24 months, and risk category 3 every 36 months. For details,
No. Audits must be independent, conducted by organizations accredited to ISO 17021 and carried out by SA8000 or RBA lead auditors who are APSCA certified. An independent party is considered to be a person or body that is recognized as being impartial of the parties involved, regarding the issue in question. After the audit, the
Compliance with criteria is always independently verified. Each year, accredited experts spend more than 20,000 hours on product testing and supply chain assessments. Verification includes product tests, factory audits, brand owner assessments, and follow-up. This solid process ensures fair competition and helps you communicate your sustainability progress credibly.
Learn more about independent verification in TCO Certified
For most product categories, a representative product sample must be sent to an approved verification organization for testing. The social and environmental documentation must also be reviewed by an approved verifier.
Independent verification organizations
A certificate is valid for two years from the date of issue, with the option to extend for one year at a time. Once the generation of TCO Certified that your product model is certified to is no longer valid, the certificate will expire automatically, if it’s not upgraded to the latest generation.