The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is nearing completion of its ambitious multi-year initiative to update EPEAT criteria to align with priority sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, and to ensure the criteria: meet purchaser demands with an increased focus on climate change and supply chains, address sustainability impacts consistently across product categories and respond to rapid changes in both technology and market trends.

The priority sustainability impact areas include Climate Change, Circularity, Chemicals of Concern, and Responsible Supply Chains. When complete, the updated criteria will be applied across all EPEAT ICT product categories, starting with Computers and Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Servers, and Televisions.

In January of 2023, GEC released the implementation plan and timeline for the transition to the updated criteria. Since that time, we have continued to receive feedback on the timeline and have engaged with key stakeholders to consider modifications to the timeline.

Based on the above, GEC is pleased to announce a revision to the implementation timeline and invites stakeholders to participate in a webinar to learn further details.

To accommodate worldwide locations, two times have been scheduled and the same information will be provided in both sessions. Registration is required – please use the registration links below to sign up.

 We deeply appreciate the ongoing engagement and feedback we’ve received, and believe we’ve reached the right balance for a fair and credible path to implement these ambitious updated EPEAT Criteria in the coming years. We remain committed to supporting all stakeholders during this transition process.

Please direct any questions on the webinar or implementation timeline to EPEAT@gec.org.

Stakeholder feedback and insights are an integral component of the continued development of the EPEAT Registry. These engagement sessions provide important preliminary stakeholder-centric requirements that guide how programmatic changes, as well as the overall digital experience, are reflected on the Registry.

On September 19, 2024, EPEAT will host a webinar for Purchasers to solicit feedback on proposed feature and functionality changes to the Registry as a part of the Updated Criteria launch in 2025.

Webinar attendees will be shown conceptual mockups of the proposed changes to the Registry as they pertain to the Updated Criteria. Beginning September 19 through October 18, 2024, stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposed changes.

The proposed changes will address the following aspects of the Updated Criteria launch:

1. Product Finder: Displaying Active and Archived Products
2. Product Finder: Updated and Current Criteria Search
3. Product Finder: Expanded Search Capability
4. Product Information: Climate+ Designation
5. Product Information: How Countries are Displayed

The webinar will focus on proposed changes that primarily impact Purchasers, however Participating Manufacturers and CABs are welcome to attend this webinar as well.

Please note that participation in the webinars and providing feedback are entirely optional. For any stakeholders not able to attend, webinar recordings will be made available, and feedback is still welcome and encouraged.

To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for the session. Registration is required—please use the registration links below to sign up.

More Information or Questions

Please reach out to Kim Hair (khair@gec.org) with any questions or for more information on the webinar series or the Registry. Please reach out to Susan Herbert (sherbert@gec.org) with any questions or for more information on the Updated Criteria launch.

The EPEAT Program makes policy and procedural updates on an annual basis and is proposing revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), GEC Criteria Development Process (P74), and GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75).

The EPEAT Policy Manual identifies the underlying policies that govern and support EPEAT programmatic activities. The EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual defines the specific requirements and expectations of brands participating in EPEAT and of GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies (CABs). GEC Criteria Development Process identifies the process followed by the Global Electronics Council (GEC) to develop, revise, and evaluate criteria for use in the EPEAT Program. GEC Selection of Product Categories describes the process GEC follows to identify new product categories for which criteria may be developed.

Stakeholder feedback and insights are an essential part of GEC’s management of the EPEAT Program. As such, GEC is holding a 60-day comment period and welcomes stakeholder feedback on proposed revisions to these key documents. Parties interested in providing comments should contact Katherine Larocque for copies of the proposed revisions, which are identified using tracked changes in each of the respective documents. Please note that stakeholder feedback unrelated to the proposed changes will not be considered in this round of revisions, but will instead be examined for consideration during the next revision cycle.

The comment period is open from October 16 through December 15, 2023. Comments must be documented using the EPEAT Public Comment Form and submitted electronically to EPEAT@gec.org. All comments received that pertain to the proposed revisions will be made publicly available in a stakeholder comment report, summarizing comments received and attributing the comments directly to the submitter. All comments pertaining to the proposed revisions will be considered before the documents are finalized and published.

GEC reserves the right to not consider comments received after 11:59 pm North America Pacific Time on December 15, 2023.

To facilitate the review of these documents, GEC is holding three informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight key changes and answer any questions. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.

GEC will not be accepting feedback from participants during these sessions; all feedback must be submitted electronically using the EPEAT Public Comment Form provided. If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in one of these calls, please use the registration links below.

GEC proposes to publish the revised documents on February 15, 2024 and new policy changes are proposed to become effective as of July 1, 2024. Participating Manufacturers and EPEAT-approved CABs will be responsible for conforming with the new requirements as of this date.

Please direct any questions about this public comment period to EPEAT@gec.org.

A New Way to Gain Recognition in the Fight Against Climate Change

7:00 PST  •  10:00 EST  •  16:00 CEST  •  20:00 CST

Manufacturer Signup

Promote your commitment to addressing climate change as an early adopter of the new EPEAT Climate Criteria under EPEAT Climate+. EPEAT is launching this new opportunity to help companies become industry champions in reducing the climate impact of electronics products.

Join us for a special manufacturer-only virtual event on August 10 to learn more about Climate+. During this special event, we’ll cover a broad range of topics including:

• What is Climate+
• How products can attain the Climate+ designation
• What you need to do to attain Climate+
• How Climate+ will be reflected in the EPEAT Registry
• Why should brands pursue Climate+
• How Climate+ will be communicated & promoted in the marketplace

We will also give registrants an opportunity to ask any questions that they may have. Members of EPEAT Participating Manufacturers or prospective manufacturers may register at this link or at the signup link above. Participants will also receive a recording at the conclusion of the meeting by signing up at either link.

Feedback Solicited on Revision to Implementation Schedule for Updated Criteria

In January, GEC released an implementation schedule for the updated EPEAT Criteria.  GEC is considering revisions to the implementation schedule due to delays in the completion of criteria. In the Stakeholder Engagement webinar on July 10, GEC will present proposed revisions to the implementation schedule along with the rationale for adjustments to the schedule. Stakeholders can provide feedback in the webinar or provide feedback following the webinar. Feedback is due no later than July 28.  GEC will release its final plan for implementation of the Updated Criteria no later than August 15.

Registration is required for the webinar —please use the registration links at the bottom of this article to sign up.

Currently Accepting Feedback on EPEAT Policy Revisions

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is dedicated to the continuous improvement of the EPEAT Program and is constantly looking for opportunities to strengthen the rigor and credibility of the program. To this end, GEC monitors industry trends, regulatory changes, and market drivers which may impact the EPEAT Program, and responds accordingly. Although GEC has mechanisms in place to monitor these broader external factors, we believe stakeholder input is of paramount importance to ensuring that EPEAT continues to be the leading global Type 1 ecolabel for electronics.

Stakeholder feedback and insights are already an integral component of GEC’s management of the EPEAT Program and are particularly important during the annual policy revision process. Typically, feedback on the annual revisions is received during the public stakeholder comment period every October. However, GEC seeks to have stakeholder feedback also inform the development of annual revisions and is hosting a new stakeholder engagement opportunity over the coming months on a series of key EPEAT Program topics to do so.

This year, GEC will solicit feedback from stakeholders on the following topics:

• Refinement/improvement of current CAB-related processes
• EPEAT Program technical guidance and requirements
• GEC Criteria revision process

GEC hosted an information session on June 14, 2023, to identify specific issues and discussion questions for stakeholder consideration. The presentation materials are now available, and a recording of the webinar will be made available soon.

GEC is currently accepting stakeholder feedback until July 5 on the topics, specific issues, and discussion questions identified in the June 14 webinar. Feedback can be submitted via email to EPEAT@gec.org

GEC is hosting a second Stakeholder Engagement session on July 10, 2023. In this session, GEC will present proposed approaches for addressing each of the key issues. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for each session. Registration is required—please use the registration links below to sign up.

Please direct any questions to EPEAT@gec.org

The EPEAT Program has cancelled the May 11, 2023 Conformity Guidance Group meeting as there are no topics scheduled. The EPEAT Program anticipates topics to be discussed related to the Climate Change Mitigation Criteria in both the June 1 and 15th meetings and encourages stakeholders to register for these meetings.

GEC will be holding a Conformity Guidance Group meeting on June 1st, 2023. The meeting will be held in two timeslots and the content will be the same.

• We scheduled this meeting because we foresee additional topics to discuss after the publication of Climate Change Mitigation Criteria

More topics may be added upon request.

 If you’re interested in attending, please register below for the timeslot that works best for you:

• Timeslot 1: 7am Pacific/10am Eastern/4pm Central European Summer Time/10pm China Standard Time/11pm Japan Standard Time [June 1st, 2023]
• Timeslot 2: 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern [June 1, 2023] /2am Central European Summer Time/8am China Standard Time/9am Japan Standard Time [June 2nd, 2023]

As a reminder, the CGG is not a standing committee and there are no standing members. The EPEAT Program seeks technical guidance and expertise from the CGG. The purpose of the CGG is to provide input about specific technical issues about the criteria that EPEAT uses in its various product categories, including when and how updated criteria should be implemented in EPEAT.

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to revise its EPEAT Criteria to align with priority sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, and to ensure the criteria:

• Meet purchaser demands with an increased focus on climate change and supply chains,
• Address sustainability impacts consistently across product categories, and
• Respond to rapid changes in both technology and market trends.

The priority sustainability impact areas include Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources (or Circularity), Reduction of Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, the updated criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, starting with Computers and Displays, Imaging Equipment, Mobile Phones, Servers, and Televisions.

After extensive stakeholder consultation throughout 2022, GEC is pleased to announce that it has finalized the implementation plan that will guide the transition to the updated EPEAT Criteria. The Final Implementation Plan for Updated EPEAT Criteria identifies key dates in the transition process and provides additional details on other key activities that will support an efficient and successful transition, including recognition for manufacturers who adopt the Climate Change Mitigation Criteria early (called ‘Early Adopter Status’).  

Some of the key transition dates are outlined below, however Participating Manufacturers and GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies are strongly encouraged to read the entire document.

 GEC thanks all stakeholders who engaged in the development of the plan. Stakeholder feedback was a crucial element in developing a balanced implementation plan, especially considering the diverse range of views expressed on key transition issues.

GEC believes the implementation plan outlines a fair, credible, and transparent path to guide the successful transition to updated EPEAT Criteria in the coming years, and remains committed to supporting Participating Manufacturers, GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies, and EPEAT Purchasers during the process.

GEC is holding three informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight key aspects of the implementation plan and answer any questions. Since the implementation plan is considered final, no further feedback will be accepted during these sessions.

To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call. If you are interested in participating, please use the registration links below.

 Please direct any questions about the implementation plan to EPEAT@gec.org

The EPEAT Program makes policy and procedural updates on an annual basis and is proposing revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74). GEC is also released a new document, GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75) for public comment as well.

 Stakeholder feedback and insights are an essential part of the Global Electronics Council’s (GEC) management of the EPEAT Program. GEC is currently holding a comment period on key policy documents and welcomes stakeholder feedback on the October 2022 proposed revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual, the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual, and GEC Criteria Development Process, as well as the first edition of GEC Selection of Product Categories.

 To facilitate the review of these documents, GEC held informational sessions for stakeholders on November 14, 2022 to highlight key changes and answer any questions. Three sessions were held throughout the day to accommodate worldwide locations, and each session covered the same topics. A recording of the webinar, as well as the presentation materials, are now available.

 As a reminder, the comment period was originally scheduled to be open from October 17 through December 16, 2022, however GEC has decided to extend the deadline to December 31, 2022. Comments must be documented using the EPEAT Public Comment Form and submitted electronically to EPEAT@gec.org. All comments received will be made publicly available in a stakeholder comment report, summarizing comments received and attributing the comments directly to the submitter.

 GEC reserves the right to not consider comments received after 11:59 pm North America Pacific Time on December 31, 2022.

 Please direct any questions about this public comment period to EPEAT@gec.org.

Today GEC releases its draft Corporate ESG Performance criteria for public comment. The public comment period -- open for 60 days -- is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide technical comments on the draft criteria. These criteria are intended to address the life cycle sustainability impacts identified in the State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance and represent leadership and international best practices in reducing the identified impacts. These criteria are one of 4 sustainability impact modules that will be applied across EPEAT product categories in 2024.

NSF International manages the public comment process on behalf of GEC. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on January 9th, 2023 using the NSF Online Workspace, available here. Instructions on submitting comments are provided on the NSF Online Workspace. To support openness and transparency, the NSF website displays all public comments and their resolution.    

Coming Soon: Public Comment on Draft Corporate ESG Performance Criteria

GEC’s draft Corporate ESG Performance criteria will be released for public comment on November 10th. The public comment period, open for 60 days, is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft criteria.  These criteria are one of 4 sustainability impact modules that will be applied across EPEAT product categories, starting in 2023. A notice will appear in these EPEAT Announcements and in a GEC Newsletter when the public comment period opens.

Upcoming Webinar: Draft Criteria on Corporate ESG Performance

Join our webinar on November 21, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm U.S. Eastern for an overview of the draft criteria for the Corporate ESG Performance, including the rationale for the criteria and the requirements. The webinar also will review the process for submitting public comments on the criteria. Please click this link to register for the webinar.

Corporate ESG Performance Technical Committee

NSF International, the partner GEC selected to manage the voluntary consensus process for its sustainability impact modules, released the roster for the Technical Committee for the Corporate ESG Performance. The Technical Committee serves as the voluntary consensus body in the GEC Dynamic Criteria Development Process. GEC’s process requires balanced stakeholder representation including manufacturers, purchasers, government policy and sustainability advocates, and other industry in the electronics supply chain, as well as geographic and product representation. One open seat remains on the Technical Committee for a purchaser and ecolabel criteria user. If you are purchaser who is interested in actively supporting the development of this new criteria, please reach out to Greta Baragar (gbaragar@nsf.org).  

For more information on the Corporate ESG Performance criteria, see the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact. Please contact Rachel Simon (rsimon@gec.org) with questions.

The EPEAT Program makes policy and procedural updates on an annual basis and is proposing revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74). GEC is also releasing a new document, GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75) for public comment as well.

 The EPEAT Policy Manual identifies the underlying policies that govern and support EPEAT programmatic activities. The EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual defines the specific requirements and expectations of EPEAT-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies (CABs), and of manufacturers or brands that have active EPEAT-registered products or are in the process of confirming that their products conform with EPEAT Criteria. GEC Criteria Development Process identifies the process followed by the Global Electronics Council to develop, revise, and evaluate criteria for use in the EPEAT Program. GEC Selection of Product Categories describes the process GEC follows to identify new product categories for which criteria may be developed.  

 Stakeholder feedback and insights are an essential part of the Global Electronics Council’s (GEC) management of the EPEAT Program. As such, GEC is holding a 60-day comment period and welcomes stakeholder feedback on the October 2022 proposed revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual, the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual, and GEC Criteria Development Process, as well as the first edition of GEC Selection of Product Categories.

 The comment period is open from October 17 through December 16, 2022. Comments must be documented using the EPEAT Public Comment Form and submitted electronically to EPEAT@gec.org. All comments received will be made publicly available in a stakeholder comment report, summarizing comments received and attributing the comments directly to the submitter.

 GEC reserves the right to not consider comments received after 11:59 pm North America Pacific Time on December 16, 2022.

 To facilitate the review of these documents, GEC is holding three informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight key changes and answer any questions. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.

 GEC will not be accepting feedback from participants during these sessions; all feedback must be submitted electronically using the EPEAT Public Comment Form provided. If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in one of these calls, please use the registration links below.

 GEC proposes to publish the revised documents on February 15, 2023. Unless otherwise identified in the documents, new policy changes are proposed to become effective as of July 1, 2023. Participating Manufacturers and EPEAT-approved CABs will be responsible for conforming with the new requirements as of this date.

 Please direct any questions about this public comment period to EPEAT@gec.org.

In April 2020, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) authorized the EPEAT Program to address COVID-19 related disruptions and modify existing conformity assurance requirements and outlined these in addenda to EPEAT’s Policy Manual (P65) and the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66). Since the release of the initial modifications, GEC continued to monitor COVID-19 related disruptions and has been responding accordingly. To continue balancing the credibility of EPEAT with the reality of continuing global impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, GEC authorized the EPEAT Program to withdraw the existing temporary modifications on January 1, 2022, and replace them with new temporary modifications.

These new 2022 modifications and the associated policy addenda are identified in an updated version of the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65). Additional resources, including the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), a Frequently Asked Questions and Implementation Guidance (2022) companion document, and templates for implementation of several modifications are available through an EPEAT Registry account under “Resources”, or upon request.

On January 13, 2022, the EPEAT Program held three stakeholder information sessions to provide further details on the new modifications and associated requirements. The same information was presented in all sessions, which were held at various times to accommodate different time zones. The information session presentation materials, as well as a recording of the session, are now available.   

Please direct any questions about the COVID-19 modifications to EPEAT@gec.org

GEC is launching a new EPEAT product category for Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices, including fitness trackers, smartwatches, and the diverse wearables used to remotely monitor patient and employee health.

Join our webinar on January 13, 2022, 11:00 to 12:30 pm U.S. Eastern Time to learn about this new EPEAT category, the scope of products covered, and the draft criteria. Criteria cover chemical substances in the product, design for reuse and recycling, responsible end of life management, and data privacy. Register for this webinar using the following REGISTRATION LINK.

A 60-day public comment period on the draft criteria will begin on 12 January 2022. The public comment period, open for 60 days, is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft criteria. A notice will appear in these EPEAT Announcements and in the GEC Newsletter when the public comment period opens. The January webinar will also explain the process for submitting public comments.

For questions about this new product category, the webinar, or draft criteria please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

The EPEAT Program makes policy and procedural updates on an annual basis and is proposing revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74).

Stakeholder feedback and insights are an essential part of the Global Electronics Council’s (GEC) management of the EPEAT Program. As a result, GEC is holding a 60-day comment period and welcomes stakeholder feedback on the October 2021 proposed revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual, the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual, and GEC Criteria Development Process. Please use the links above when accessing these three consultation documents, as they direct to versions of the documents that contain “tracked changes” which highlight deletions and insertions.

To facilitate the review of these documents, GEC held three informational sessions for stakeholders on November 18, 2021, to highlight key changes and answer any questions. Three sessions were held throughout the day to accommodate worldwide locations, and each session covered the same topics. A recording of the webinar, as well as the presentation materials, are now available.   

As a reminder, the comment period is open from October 18 through December 17, 2021. Comments must be documented using the EPEAT Public Comment Form and submitted electronically to EPEAT@globalelectronicscouncil.org. All comments received will be made publicly available in a stakeholder comment report, summarizing comments received and attributing the comments directly to the submitter.

GEC reserves the right to not consider comments received after 11:59 pm North America Pacific Time on December 17, 2021.

Please direct any questions about this public comment period to EPEAT@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

In April 2020, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) authorized the EPEAT Program to address COVID-19 related disruptions and modify existing conformity assurance requirements and outlined these in addenda to EPEAT’s Policy Manual (P65) and the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66).

Since the release of the initial modifications, GEC continued to monitor COVID-19 related disruptions and has been responding accordingly. In September and October 2021, GEC engaged with stakeholders to solicit feedback and identify current and future anticipated COVID-related EPEAT Program challenges. To continue balancing the credibility of EPEAT with the reality of continuing global impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, GEC authorized the EPEAT Program to withdraw the existing temporary modifications on January 1, 2022, and replace them with new temporary modifications.

These new 2022 modifications and the associated policy addenda are identified in an updated version of the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65). Additional resources, including the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), a Frequently Asked Questions and Implementation Guidance (2022) companion document, and templates for implementation of several modifications are available through an EPEAT Registry account under “Resources” or upon request.

The Frequently Asked Questions and Implementation Guidance (2022) document outlines the implementation requirements and responsibilities associated with the use of these new temporary conformity assurance modifications. It also identifies the steps that must be taken regarding the withdrawal of the old (2021) modifications. Participating Manufacturers and GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies are responsible for reviewing this document and ensuring all required actions are taken.

To provide Purchasers with additional transparency, the EPEAT Program will also publish a monthly trend report on the use of the temporary conformity assurance modifications by Participating Manufacturers. These reports will not disclose the name of Participating Manufacturers or EPEAT-registered products and instead will present aggregated data.

GEC invites all stakeholders to participate in an information session in January 2022 which will provide further details on the new modifications and associated requirements. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.

If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in one of these calls, please use the registration links below. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing details for joining the call. 

If you have any questions, please email us at EPEAT@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org

The EPEAT Program makes policy and procedural updates on an annual basis and is proposing revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74).

 The EPEAT Policy Manual identifies the underlying policies that govern and support EPEAT programmatic activities. The EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual defines the specific requirements and expectations of EPEAT-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies (CABs), and of manufacturers or brands that have active EPEAT-registered products or are in the process of confirming that their products conform with EPEAT Criteria. GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) identifies the process followed by the Global Electronics Council to develop, revise, and evaluate criteria for use in the EPEAT Program.

 Stakeholder feedback and insights are an essential part of the Global Electronics Council’s (GEC) management of the EPEAT Program. As such, GEC is holding a 60-day comment period and welcomes stakeholder feedback on the October 2021 proposed revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual, the EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual, and GEC Criteria Development Process.  

 The comment period is open from October 18 through December 17, 2021. Comments must be documented using the EPEAT Public Comment Form and submitted electronically to EPEAT@globalelectronicscouncil.org. All comments received will be made publicly available in a stakeholder comment report, summarizing comments received and attributing the comments directly to the submitter.

 GEC reserves the right to not consider comments received after 11:59 pm North America Pacific Time on December 17, 2021.

 To facilitate the review of these documents, GEC is holding three informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight key changes and answer any questions. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.

 GEC will not be accepting feedback from participants during these sessions; all feedback must be submitted electronically using the EPEAT Public Comment Form provided. If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in one of these calls, please use the registration links below.

 GEC proposes to publish the revised documents on February 15, 2022. Unless otherwise identified in the documents, new policy changes are proposed to become effective as of July 1, 2022. Participating Manufacturers and EPEAT-approved CABs will be responsible for conforming with the new requirements as of this date.

 Please direct any questions about this public comment period to EPEAT@globalelectronicscouncil.org

In April 2020, GEC authorized the EPEAT Program to address COVID-19 related disruptions and modify existing conformity assurance requirements and outlined these in addenda to EPEAT Policy Manual (P65) and EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and in the accompanying special document: “EPEAT Program COVID-19 Response – Frequently Asked Questions and Implementation Guidance".

Since the release of the initial modifications in April 2020, GEC continued to monitor COVID-19 related disruptions and has been responding accordingly. GEC seeks to engage stakeholders as we develop a balanced approach for 2022.  

GEC invites all stakeholders to participate in a multi-stakeholder session on October 28, 2021, where we will provide further details on proposed COVID-19 policy modifications for 2022. To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for this call – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.

If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in a session, please use the registration links below. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing details for joining the call.

If you have any questions, please email us at EPEAT@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

The EPEAT Program held a webinar on September 22, 2021 to review the 2019 Servers and 2020 Computers and Displays amendment changes with Participating Manufacturers and CABs. Thank you to all who attended. A copy of the slides can be found on our website here, and a copy of the webinar recording can be found here. Please contact Cara Beatty if you have questions.

Coming Soon: Public Comment on Draft Climate Change Mitigation Criteria

GEC’s draft Climate Change Mitigation criteria will be released for public comment in the first week of October. The public comment period, open for 60 days, is an opportunity for all interested stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft criteria.  A notice will appear in these EPEAT Announcements and in the GEC Newsletter when the public comment period opens.

Upcoming Webinar: Draft Criteria on Climate Change Mitigation

Join this webinar on October 13, 11:00 am -12:30 pm Eastern for an overview of the draft criteria for Climate Change Mitigation, including the rationale for the criteria and the requirements. The webinar also will review the process for submitting public comments on the criteria.  REGISTRATION LINK

Climate Change Mitigation Technical Committee

NSF International, the partner GEC selected to manage the voluntary consensus process for its sustainability impact modules, released the roster for the Technical Committee for Climate Change Mitigation. The Technical Committee serves as the voluntary consensus body in the GEC Dynamic Criteria Development Process. GEC’s process requires balanced stakeholder representation including manufacturers, purchasers, government policy and sustainability advocates, and other industry in the electronics supply chain, as well as geographic and product representation. 

For more information on the Climate Change Mitigation criteria, see the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact. Please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org with questions.