Even before a standard IT product leaves the factory, its carbon footprint is already substantial. Manufacturing alone accounts for 80% of a notebook computer’s total emissions.
The latest generation of TCO Certified takes a major step toward reducing climate impact at the source by pushing manufacturers to cut emissions and enable extended product lifespans. Niclas Rydell, director of TCO Certified, walks us through the key updates.
Niclas – who has worked with sustainability for 20 years – played a key role in establishing TCO Certified’s systematic, science-based approach, promoting continuous and lasting change. “To reduce emissions, we can’t just focus on reporting,” he says. “Instead, we need to take actual action – making real, lasting changes in how we design, manufacture, and use IT products.”
He highlights three major initiatives: the annualized product carbon footprint, a new metric that highlights the importance of product lifespan; sharing of best practices in the industry; and requiring longer supported product lifetimes.
A new approach to the carbon footprint
For years, companies have focused on reducing emissions based on product carbon footprints. However, these statistics hardly reflect reality; instead, they’re based on hypothetical standard configurations that rarely match the actual end products. Different calculation methods also lead to inconsistent results, making comparisons unreliable or even misleading.
“We needed a new way to track and reduce emissions,” says Niclas. “That’s why we introduced the annualized product carbon footprint, which shifts the focus to the product’s actual lifespan.”
Simply put, if a product lasts longer, its climate impact per year drops, lowering its annualized product carbon footprint. By including product lifespan, this new metric incentivizes the industry to design and support their products for longevity, while encouraging purchasers to keep their products in use longer before replacing them.
Lower emissions through knowledge sharing …
To help reduce emissions from manufacturing, TCO Certified provides a platform encouraging IT brands to share verified best practices. Those who adopt emission-reducing strategies from this list – for instance using 100% renewable energy in final assembly, or efficient transportation – are rewarded with lower annualized product carbon footprints.
While providing an important incentive, this approach also ensures that advanced, efficient solutions are shared – supporting the industry in accelerating its own efforts toward meaningful change.
“Some brand owners have a lot of knowledge about reducing manufacturing footprints, and some have less,” says Niclas. “By sharing best practices, we create incentives for the entire industry to improve.”
… and longer, more efficient use
What happens after a product leaves the factory is also essential to its climate impact. The longer a device stays in use, the lower its overall emissions. A key factor is the supported product lifetime, which holds manufacturers accountable for keeping their products usable for a longer time. Certified products must now come with at least five years of warranties, and free security and functionality updates.
Energy efficiency is another key factor. To reduce emissions during use, certified products must meet the latest Energy Star or equivalent standards. This ensures IT products consume less power over their lifetime, making a measurable difference in their overall climate impact.
TCO Certified has driven energy efficiency for decades. In the 1990s, it played a key role by introducing standby mode in monitors. “Back then, monitors stayed on 24/7, consuming unnecessary energy,” Niclas recalls. “With standby modes, we not only reduced energy consumption but also extended product lifetimes. That principle of smarter energy use continues to guide us today.”
Step by step toward a climate-neutral vision
The long-term goal? A future where all certified products are climate-neutral. The path toward that vision includes a process with increasingly ambitious criteria. By 2033, the goal is for all certifying brands to have implemented best-practice solutions, with products designed to last – and stay in use – for much longer, and a greatly increased demand for renewable energy.
“Every iteration of TCO Certified will bring us closer to our vision,” says Niclas. “We’re not just setting goals – we’re creating a system that ensures real, measurable progress.”
The updated Roadmap for Sustainable IT provides further details on this journey, as well as those related to TCO Certified’s other three focus areas – circularity, substances and supply chain. IT buyers can also visit our How to use page for clear, step-by-step guidance on making sustainable choices in procurement.
