System and governance

TCO Certified is a global sustainability certification for IT products. Since 1992, TCO Certified has been used by IT purchasing organizations and the IT industry as a trusted, independent system of criteria and verification, specifically of sustainability in IT products. TCO Certified addresses environmental and social impacts of products and their supply chains. TCO Certified enables technology buyers to make more informed, sustainable product choices.

TCO Certified is a program of TCO Development, a non-profit organization owned by TCO, the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees.

Organization registration information

In line with our commitment to accuracy and consistency, TCO Certified is governed in accordance with the principles in ISO 14024 for Type 1 Ecolabelling, and assessed by the Global Ecolabelling Network as part of the GENICES peer review process.

Information about TCO Certified, including complete criteria, detailed verification requirements, the certification process and listings of certified products, is publicly available on our website, www.tcocertified.com. Also available online and in our newsletters, is information on the criteria development process and opportunities for stakeholder input.

A selection of online resources:

• Complete criteria documents, test and verification methods
• List of independent verifiers accredited to ISO 17025
• All documentation required for the certification process, including templates, fees and resources such as our listing of safer chemical substances accepted for use in certified products – TCO Certified Accepted Substance List
• Product Finder – a public listing of all certified products

Criteria in TCO Certfied are divided into four main areas: climate, substances, circularity and supply chain. All certified product models must meet all criteria for the product category, as specified in the TCO Certified criteria documents.

Complete criteria documents and certification guidance resources are available on our website.

Information on legacy generations of TCO Certified is available on our website.

A new generation of TCO Certified is published every three years. Our public roadmap, available on our website, outlines medium-long term sustainability goals and publication timelines for upcoming generations. Workplans and timelines are announced both on our website and newsletters.

On-demand – upcoming roadmap and engagement opportunities.

The criteria development process offers multiple opportunities for stakeholder engagement and input. Drafts are announced publicly on our website and in newsletters, and all interested parties are invited to submit comments and ask questions. In the development of each generation, a minimum of two draft rounds are offered before final criteria are published. Each draft is open for public comment for a minimum of 30 days.

We actively involve a wide variety of stakeholders in the criteria development and review process, including purchasers, subject matter experts, academia, industry representatives, NGOs, among others.

Summary feedback on draft consultation processes is provided in our newsletters.

TCO Certified is developed through processes where no single interest group can dominate decision-making. Instead, decision-making is carried out by the non-profit certification body, TCO Development, which ensures a transparent, balanced approach by carefully considering feedback from a wide range of stakeholders, including purchasers, experts, academia, industry representatives, NGOs, and others.

This inclusive and fair approach ensures that all perspectives are thoroughly evaluated and that the resulting criteria drive real sustainability impact. This includes environmental and social impact, balanced with the IT industry’s ability to meet the criteria. By preventing any single group from having undue influence, the criteria remain robust, credible, and achievable.

In summary, to apply for TCO Certified product certification, the IT product brand owner follows these steps:

• Criteria review
• Agreement with TCO Certified
• Product testing with approved verifier
• Supply chain / factory assessments with approved verifier
• Submission of relevant verification reports
• Apply for TCO Certified

A step-by-step guide to the certification process can be found on our website.

A list of certification fees is available on our website.

Eligible product models must meet all criteria in TCO Certified through product testing and verification for compliance by independent, accredited verifiers. This applies to environmental criteria and socially responsible manufacturing. Full details on our website.

List of independent verifiers accredited to ISO 17025 available on our website

TCO Development carries out a quality assurance program following certification, including follow up testing of certified products and assessment of factory compliance.

In cases of continued non-compliance of products or factories, TCO Development reserves the right to withdraw a product certificate. In such cases, information is published on our website.

Stakeholders and the public can submit a comment or complaint through our website. All comments and complaints are discussed internally and responded to typically within one week.

In the case of a complaint or dispute about a certification or verification result, TCO Development will resolve the issue either through existing processes or appoint an independent third party accredited to assess test results and reports.

Complaints and comments can be submitted via email through our website.