– Frequently asked questions

Answers to frequently asked questions

Find answers to questions about using TCO Certified, the criteria and verification methods. If something isn’t covered, please contact us and we’ll gladly help you. Another way to stay up-to-date is to subscribe to our newsletters.

About TCO Certified

IT products come with a number of sustainability challenges throughout their life cycle:

  • Human rights violations occur in the factories.
  • Hazardous substances are used both in products and their manufacture.
  • Products can often have a shorter life span because of poor ergonomics, low quality and when they are not able to be repaired or upgraded.

TCO Certified is the world’s most comprehensive sustainability certification for IT products. Criteria in TCO Certified drive social and environmental sustainability throughout the IT product life cycle and compliance is independently verified, both pre and post certification. TCO Certified is available for 12 product categories: displays, notebooks, tablets, smartphones, desktops, all-in-one PCs, projectors, headsets, imaging equipment, network equipment, data storage products and servers.

The purpose of TCO Certified is to drive progress toward more sustainable IT products. Organizations that buy IT products can use TCO Certified as a tool for specifying relevant and current sustainability criteria. The certification also helps the IT industry structure their work with sustainability and offers a platform for continuous improvement.

It means that the criteria in TCO Certified cover both environmental and social responsibility criteria throughout the product life cycle, and that the certification meets the requirements of an ISO 14024, Type 1 Ecolabel. Independent verification organizations review and verify that products meet all criteria in TCO Certified. Criteria and verification methods are science-based and are developed in an open process with our international network of stakeholders.

Learn more about TCO Certified

We certify specific product models. Brands cannot be certified.

The certification system in TCO Certified is regularly reviewed, both internally and externally, for accuracy and consistency with the principles in ISO 14024 for Type 1 Ecolabelling. The system has also been assessed by the Global Ecolabelling Network as part of the GENICES peer review process.

All verification of criteria is handled by independent verifiers accredited in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025. Each test and verification body is reviewed regularly, both by TCO Development and independent accreditation organizations.

No. As TCO Certified is a complete sustainability certification, all certified product models have been verified to meet the full set of criteria for that category. TCO Certified Edge is a supplemental certification that can be added to certified models, for those leading edge products showing superior performance in select sustainability criteria.

No. The correct name of the certification is “TCO Certified”. This name should be used consistently wherever the certification is mentioned. “TCO label” refers to earlier generations and is obsolete. Our brand book offers guidance on how to use the TCO Certified brand correctly, including terminology and general facts.

The organization behind TCO Certified is TCO Development. We have worked with independent certification of IT products since 1992, and are based in Stockholm, Sweden with regional presence in other parts of Europe, Asia and North America. Our purchaser support team offers help on all markets globally, in eight different languages. TCO Development is owned by TCO, a non-profit organization.

Learn more about us

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Criteria in TCO Certified

TCO Certified includes a comprehensive set of sustainability criteria that cover social and environmental responsibility in the supply chain and throughout the product life cycle. Criteria go beyond legislation and industry standards and cover hazardous substances, circularity, socially responsible manufacturing, environmentally responsible manufacturing, and much more. To drive incremental change and push sustainability where it matters most, a new generation of criteria is released every three years. All criteria are mandatory — certified product models must meet all criteria.

Learn more about the criteria in TCO Certified.

To create long-term sustainability benefits, criteria must be up-to-date, challenging and possible to meet and verify. We regularly evaluate which criteria are most important for driving real sustainability progress. A new generation of TCO Certified is released every three years, to meet new sustainability challenges and keep pace with advances in technology.

Learn more about the criteria in TCO Certified.

Criteria cover local labor laws, ILO’s core conventions, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Energy Star’s energy efficiency requirements and go beyond RoHS to regulate hazardous substances.

Criteria and verification methods are science-based and are developed in an open process with our international network of stakeholders that includes users, buyers, brands, manufacturers, researchers, NGOs and subject matter experts.

Subscribe to our newsletters to stay up to date with our criteria development process.

To make it possible for purchasing organizations to help drive incremental change and push sustainability where it matters most, a new generation of TCO Certified is released every three years. This allows us to address the most pressing sustainability challenges and stay current with the latest technology developments.

TCO Certified, generation 9 was launched in December, 2021. The next generation of criteria and verification methods will be ready three years after this launch, by the end of 2024.

Use in in purchasing

IT products come with a large number of sustainability risks from raw material extraction to final assembly and throughout the life cycle. The majority of the sustainability impact happens in the supply chain where it is hidden from the purchaser’s view. TCO Certified is an easy-to-use tool that helps get your voice directly into the IT supply chain. By using TCO Certified, you can address the most important sustainability challenges connected to electronics, such as climate, circularity, hazardous substances and supply chain responsibility in a way that is resource-efficient for your organization.

Specify TCO Certified in your purchasing contracts and request that the vendors show valid product certificates as proof of compliance.

Make your sustainability focus clear for vendors by including it in the contract name, eg: “Procurement of more sustainable notebooks”. In case your preferred models are not yet certified, give your vendor a qualification period (e.g. 6 months) to apply for TCO Certified.

To get started, follow our step-by-step guide or contact us for free tips and support.

Our certificates are valid globally and allow organizations around the world to stand behind the same requirements to form a clear, unified voice that more effectively pushes the industry towards more sustainable practice.

TCO Certified covers office IT products and data center products. In total, the certification is available in 12 product categories: displays, notebooks, tablets, smartphones, desktops, all-in-one PCs, projectors, headsets, imaging equipment, network equipment, data storage products and servers. A number of criteria are common for all products, with the addition of product-specific criteria where relevant.

The majority of the IT product’s sustainability impact happens in the complex supply chain where it is hidden from the purchaser’s view. Both extensive resources and a high level of expertise are needed to set relevant product criteria. Verifying compliance with set criteria is even more challenging. While independent proof is needed to avoid false claims in procurement, it is often difficult for purchasers to get hold of product information that has been independently verified. Therefore, many are forced to rely on industry self-declarations, unverified product claims, resulting in high risks of greenwashing. With TCO Certified, you know what you get. All criteria apply globally and are mandatory, tough, and independently verified.

Read more about how TCO Certified can make sustainable procurement easier

Sustainability claims that are not backed up with concrete proof aren’t credible. With TCO Certified, compliance with all criteria is independently verified by accredited experts. For each certified product model, the certificate serves as proof of compliance that can be traced back to an independent verifier’s signature.

You can find a complete, searchable listing at our Product Finder. The list is updated as soon as a new product model is certified. If you can’t find a product that a brand owner claims is certified, let us know!

Generally, brands apply for product certification when purchasing organizations ask for TCO Certified. Therefore, tell your vendors early that you intend to specify the latest generation of TCO Certified in your contract terms. Asking for TCO Certified lead to an increased number of certified products available on the market, to the benefit of both people and our planet.

Learn more about how to ask for TCO Certified.

The brand owner is required to maintain full compliance with all criteria during the life of the certificate and must correct any identified non-conformities. If necessary corrections are not made in time, certificates can be removed and factories may lose the right to manufacture certified products.

It varies over time. You can find a complete, searchable listing at our Product Finder.

Yes, absolutely. Our dedicated purchaser support team offers support on all markets globally, in eight different languages, free of charge. You can also check out guides, reports, webinars and other tips on how to get started with sustainable procurement.

Verification of compliance

Without independent verification of compliance, you can never know if the criteria are met. To test and audit products and their manufacturing facilities, extensive resources and technical expertise are needed. For credible results, it is also important that the verifiers have no affiliation with industry, purchasers or any other interest group that could influence the test results. This is why compliance with all criteria in TCO Certified is verified by independent and accredited verification organizations, in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025.

With TCO Certified, compliance with all criteria is independently verified by accredited experts. They spend more than 20,000 hours on product testing and supply chain assessments each year. Verification is mandatory and continuous — it is carried out both before and after certification, throughout the certificate’s validity period.

However, finding sustainability issues is only the first step on the way to more sustainable practices. We ensure progress by holding the industry accountable for also solving the issues. TCO Certified includes a structured system for continuous improvements and guides the industry to more sustainable ways of working. Corrective action plans must be developed and implemented within a set timeframe. Non-compliance is met with real consequences — certificates can be removed and factories may lose the right to manufacture certified products.

Learn more about verification of compliance

Criteria for socially responsible manufacturing were introduced in 2009 and developed further in 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2021. Since then, the engagement from brand owners has increased, leading to measurable, positive effects in the factories. Demand for certified products by purchasing organizations is a key factor in achieving actual improvements.

The independent verification of compliance that is included in TCO Certified is a crucial aspect in driving positive development. All identified cases of non-compliance must be corrected, which is followed up continuously. If necessary corrections are not made within a reasonable time and with satisfying results, the certificate can be withdrawn and factories may lose the right to manufacture certified products.

Read more about our impact in our latest progress report: Impacts and Insights.

No. A code of conduct alone does not mean that problems in the factories are solved. The code of conduct must also be implemented, and backed up by independent verification of compliance. Most importantly, it must be followed-up to make sure that identified non-conformities are actually corrected. Both independent verification and monitoring of corrective action plans is included in TCO Certified.