In September 2023, GEC launched the EPEAT Climate+TM designation to catalyze and accelerate change in the electronics industry by connecting forward-thinking electronics brands with carbon-conscious purchasers. To obtain the EPEAT Climate+ designation, Participating Manufacturers must work with GEC-approved conformity assurance bodies to prove conformance with the requirements for EPEAT Climate+.

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to update EPEAT Criteria to address priority sustainability impact areas – climate, circularity (sustainable use of resources), reduction of chemicals of concern, and responsible supply chains. The Climate Criteria were published in May 2023, and development for the other impact areas is still underway. The updated criteria from all impact areas will be activated on November 1, 2025, when products meeting the updated criteria will begin to appear on the Registry.Given the strong demand for EPEAT Climate+ designated products and significant manufacturer interest in EPEAT Climate+ to date, GEC is committed to making the designation available beyond November 1, 2025. However, to continue to raise the bar and catalyze climate action in the electronics industry, the requirements for obtaining the Climate+ designation beyond November 2025 need to evolve.

To this end, GEC is hosting a stakeholder webinar to propose options and obtain feedback regarding updated requirements for the Climate+ designation that would take effect November 1, 2025. Stakeholders will have an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback during the webinar, and/or submit written feedback after the webinar. In June 2024, GEC plans to release its final plan regarding Climate+ requirements that will take effect on November 1, 2025.

To accommodate worldwide locations, we have scheduled three times for the webinar – note that the same topics will be discussed in each call.
Registration is required for the webinar —please use the registration links below to sign up.
 

Please direct any questions to epeat@gec.org

The 2nd public consultation on the Draft Criteria on Chemicals of Concern for the EPEAT ecolabel is now open to all interested stakeholders. These criteria address manufacturer programs to reduce sustainability impacts resulting from chemical substances used in products, manufacturing processes and packaging. Criteria also require inventory and transparency about chemicals substances found in products, including PFAS, and the identification of safer chemicals.

The 2nd public consultation period opens March 29, 2024 and closes April 28, 2024 at 11:59 pm ET.  For public commenters, the 2nd consultation is limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

The public consultation process is managed by NSF International, on behalf of GEC. All public comments must be submitted through the NSF comment platform, which provides detailed instructions on comment submittal.

Please contact Cassandra Leone at NSF (cleone@nsf.org) for assistance with comment submittal, if needed.

General questions regarding EPEAT criteria should be directed to Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org

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

Today, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) published revised versions of the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74), in addition to the first issue of GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75). These documents are available through either the EPEAT Registry, an EPEAT Registry account under “Resources”, or upon request.

 GEC released GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75), as well as proposed revisions to the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65), EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), and GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) for a public stakeholder comment period from October 17 through December 31, 2022. Stakeholder consultation is a crucial element of Type 1 ecolabels, and an important component of the EPEAT Program. Stakeholders were invited to submit written feedback on these documents using the GEC provided stakeholder comment form. GEC also held a series of virtual information sessions for stakeholders to highlight and provide clarity on key proposed revisions.

 GEC thanks all stakeholders for the constructive and thoughtful feedback provided during the public comment period and appreciates the time and effort stakeholders took to review the documents. GEC received over 175 written comments from different stakeholder groups which have been compiled into two stakeholder comment reports. The first report summarizes comments received on both the EPEAT Policy Manual (P65) and EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), while the second report summarizes comments pertaining to GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) and GEC Selection of Product Categories (P75).

 New requirements take effect on July 1, 2023, unless otherwise stated. Participating Manufacturers and GEC-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies must operate in accordance with both EPEAT Policy Manual (P65) and EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66) as of this effective date to fulfill EPEAT Program requirements. The EPEAT Program will develop training resources to identify new requirements for CABs and Manufacturers.

 Please direct any questions about these documents to EPEAT@GEC.org.

GEC provides a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development and implementation for EPEAT’s new criteria by sustainability impact modules. Of note this quarter, we’ve made some updates to the development schedule, including notification that at this time we do not plan to develop additional product-specific energy efficiency criteria beyond the criteria in the Climate Change Mitigation module. We’ve also added a new section that provides links to all the current drafts of criteria and supporting State of Sustainability Research. In addition, we note that release of the implementation plan is delayed until early 2023 as we continue to solicit stakeholder feedback. For more information, please see the updated GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC’s draft Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel are available for public comment for 30 days, starting September 7, 2022 and closing on October 7, 2022. This 2nd public consultation period is limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

NSF International manages the public comment process on behalf of GEC. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on October 7, 2022, 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.

Please contact Criteria@gec.org with questions.

GEC’s draft Climate Change Mitigation criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel are now available for public comment. This 2nd public consultation period will be open for 30 days and limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

NSF International manages the public comment process on behalf of GEC. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 pm ET on September 30, 2022 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.    

These Climate Change Mitigation criteria are one of 4 sustainability impact modules that will be applied across EPEAT product categories. For more information on the revision of EPEAT criteria, see the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact.

 Please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org with questions.

GEC is pleased to announce that starting with the Climate Change Mitigation module, NSF will expand the opportunity for stakeholder participation in EPEAT criteria development by piloting a 2nd public consultation period. This opportunity will be open for 30 days and limited in scope to those revisions proposed by the Technical Committee since the initial public consultation.

The 2nd public consultation for the Climate Change Mitigation module will open in July or August 2022, with the timing dependent on the progress of the Technical Committee. Following this pilot, NSF will make any refinements necessary and will implement a 2nd public consultation for other EPEAT criteria development initiatives and sustainability impact modules.

Any questions about the pilot should be directed to Patty Dillon, GEC Senior Director of Criteria and Category Development(pdillon@gec.org) or Greta Baragar, NSF Sustainability Standards Lead.

GEC is excited to announce a bold new initiative that could help EPEAT Participating Manufacturers get more exposure for their EPEAT-registered products and make it easier for institutional purchasers to identify EPEAT-registered products on third-party platforms.

GEC is exploring a new initiative to provide more visibility of EPEAT-registered products on third-party platforms. These could include ecommerce sites and online B2B marketplaces. This could significantly increase the visibility of EPEAT-registered products to institutional purchasers. 

The initiative is in its initial exploratory phase. GEC is working with a limited number of partners to test an Application Programming Interface, or API, to ensure that it technically works properly. This API would provide automated, nearly real-time data sharing with third-party platforms, so EPEAT-registered products would be more visible in online marketplaces and internal procurement resources. This would support purchasers to identify EPEAT-registered products in other platforms outside of the EPEAT Registry.

The technical testing will begin on June 6, 2022 and we welcome any comments or concerns by June 3, 2022. Please submit them to EPEAT@gec.org.  

Depending on the results of the technical testing, GEC plans to move on to a pilot program with a select group of third-party platform partners, likely beginning in Q3 2022. During the pilot program, all EPEAT Participating Manufacturers will have full control to approve whether their data is shared with any platform. GEC will keep stakeholders informed on the progress.

GEC hopes that stakeholders are as excited as we are to explore new ways to develop tools to connect institutional purchasers to EPEAT-registered products.

Unique product identifiers are now available in the public facing EPEAT Registry! GEC thanks Participating Manufacturers for their dedication in collecting and submitting unique product identifiers for their EPEAT-registered products!

Confirmation of Uploaded Unique Product Identifiers

GEC has been able to upload most of the unique product identifiers provided by Participating Manufacturers. In some cases, we have additional questions that we need Participating Manufacturer feedback on to ensure the most accurate information is uploaded. Within the next several days, we will reach out to each Participating Manufacturers to confirm exactly which unique product identifiers were successfully uploaded and whether we have questions. If applicable, we will then perform any necessary actions that are needed to address Participating Manufacturer responses. We expect this process to be completed by the end of April 2022.

Unique Product Identifier Functionality

Participating Manufacturers are now able to add, edit, and/or delete unique product identifiers for their EPEAT-registered products, either by manual entry (for a single product) or by bulk upload (for all products at once). If a product(s) does not have a unique product identifier, Participating Manufacturers are able to check a box to indicate this. Detailed instructions are provided on the EPEAT Registry intake screens.

EPEAT Staging Environment Will Remain Open

The EPEAT Staging Environment will remain open until the end of the day on Friday May 6 for Participating Manufacturers to continue to test, become familiar with and practice using the unique product identifier functionality without impacting what is reflected on the public facing Registry. By Monday April 18, the EPEAT Staging Environment will reflect all successfully uploaded unique product identifiers that were provided by each Participating Manufacturer. Participating Manufacturers that have NOT yet registered as a beta tester but would like to access the EPEAT Staging Environment should register here.

Participating Manufacturer Authorization to Transmit EPEAT Product Data to Third-Party Platforms

In the coming months, EPEAT will start transmitting product data from the public facing Registry to GEC-approved third-party platforms using the EPEAT API (application programming interface). To become approved, a third-party platform must first be vetted by GEC and then sign a legal agreement holding it to rigorous terms and conditions. Participating Manufacturers will have the option to approve whether their EPEAT-registered product data is sent to each of these third-party platforms.

The functionality allowing Participating Manufacturers to approve these platforms is already available. However, the EPEAT API itself is still in the final stages of development. More information will be communicated on the EPEAT API and how Participating Manufacturers can approve third-party platforms well in advance of the EPEAT API launch.

Questions or Comments?

Please contact Kim Hair at khair@gec.org with any questions or comments about the above information.

GEC is excited to announce that beginning April 8, 2022, unique product identifiers will be displayed on the public EPEAT Registry for active EPEAT registered products.

GEC appreciates the dedication and hard work of Participating Manufacturers over the past several months in collecting and submitting unique product identifying information for their products as a part of the initiative to facilitate the reliable and efficient identification of EPEAT-registered products in the global marketplace.

On April 11, 2022, GEC will release the new backend EPEAT Registry functionality that enables Participating Manufacturers to maintain up to 3,500 unique product identifiers for each new or existing product record by manual entry or bulk upload. This functionality also provides Participating Manufacturers the ability to check a box attesting to the fact that unique product identifiers may not exist for certain products and therefore are not provided.

On March 29, 2022, GEC provided training to Participating Manufacturers on how to use the functionality to maintain unique product identifiers for their products. The functionality was available for beta testing in the EPEAT Registry Staging Environment from March 30 – 31, 2022. GEC appreciates the participation and feedback provided by those who were able to beta test this new functionality.

Please reference the links below for additional information on the administration and display of unique product identifiers on the EPEAT Registry.

Training and Resources on Unique Product Identifier Functionality

March 29 - Training Presentation

March 29 - Training Recording

January 18 - Announcement on Unique Product Identifiers

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions or Comments?

For technical questions or comments regarding unique product identifier administration on the EPEAT Registry, please contact Kim Hair at khair@gec.org.

Today GEC released its draft State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance for a 60-day public comment period. This report, which will guide the upcoming revision of EPEAT criteria, provides an overview of key labor and workforce concerns and current practices in social auditing in the electronics supply chain. The report then provides thoughtful and practical strategies to improve social audits and performance in the sector, including increased supply chain transparency, improvements in factory monitoring and reporting, and meaningful remediation of non-conformance findings during audits.

To produce this report, GEC was pleased to partner with Electronics Watch, an independent human rights monitoring organization with extensive global field experience that helps public buyers address and protect the rights of workers in electronics supply chains.

GEC welcomes stakeholder review and comments on this State of Sustainability Research. Comments must be submitted using the Public Comment Form and submitting it via e-mail to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org no later than 11:59 PST on May 14, 2022.

This State of Sustainability Research is part of GEC’s initiative to revise criteria across all EPEAT ICT product categories, focusing on 4 sustainability impact areas. See the overview of Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impact for more details on GEC’s criteria development process and anticipated schedule. If you’re interested in participating in criteria development for criteria on Corporate ESG Performance, please send an email expressing interest to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

The EPEAT Program allows for a Participating Manufacturer to rebrand another Participating Manufacturer’s active EPEAT-registered products and register these under its own brand, through amended Documentation Review and Continuous Monitoring activities. The Rebranding Participating Manufacturer must complete Initial Documentation Review and Continuous Monitoring activities for product level Criteria that have disclosure requirements. The EPEAT Program maintains a list of applicable Criteria for each product category. This policy guidance document Rebranding of EPEAT-Registered Products: Product Level Criteria with Disclosure Requirements (P82 Issue 1 Rev 0), is now available through an EPEAT Registry account under “Resources” or upon request. Full details of the rebranding process can be found in EPEAT Policy Manual (P65) and EPEAT Conformity Assurance Implementation Manual (P66), both of which are available through an EPEAT Registry account under “Resources” or upon request.

To provide EPEAT Participating Manufacturers with more time to meet the unique product identifier requirement, the deadline for submission of unique product identifiers has been extended to 11:59pm Eastern Time on April 1, 2022.

GEC thanks the EPEAT Participating Manufacturers that have already submitted their UPI EPEAT Active Registered Products Forms.

Updated Important Dates and Deadlines

 Training on Unique Product Identifier Implementation

GEC will provide training on the new functionality improvements that allow the upload of unique product identifiers for EPEAT-registered products. If interested in attending a training webinar, please use the below registration link(s). All training webinars will cover the same information.

All existing training webinar registrations will convert to the new date on March 29, 2022, at the session time originally selected.

Updated Resources on the Unique Product Identifier Implementation

Please reference these updated resources that provide important information on the implementation of unique product identifiers on the EPEAT Registry.

Announcement on Unique Product Identifiers

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions or Comments? 
 
Please forward all questions or comments on the EPEAT Unique Product Identifier policy requirement to Susan Herbert (sherbert@gec.org).

Please contact Kim Hair (khair@gec.org) regarding technical questions on how to upload/add unique product identifying data.

Today, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) published a revised version of the GEC Criteria Development Process (P74).
 
The Global Electronics Council (GEC) released a draft revised version of GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) to seek public comment on this document from October 18 through December 17, 2021. Stakeholder consultation in the form of a public comment period is a crucial element of Type 1 ecolabels, and an important component of the EPEAT Program. Stakeholders were invited to submit written feedback on the draft revised version of the document using the GEC provided stakeholder comment form. GEC also held a series of virtual informational sessions for stakeholders to highlight and provide clarity on key proposed revisions.
 
GEC thanks all stakeholders for the constructive and thoughtful feedback provided during the October 18 through December 17, 2021 public comment period. We appreciate the time and effort stakeholders took to review the draft revised document and provide comments. GEC believes that transparency strengthens the EPEAT Program in an important way. GEC received more than 20 written comments from different stakeholder groups.
 
The final revisions in this issue of GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) only address the addition of Observers to the Technical Committee found in Sections 2.5.1, 2.5.1.1, 2.5.1.2 and 2.5.1.3. GEC considered these revisions important to increase transparency in the voluntary consensus process and committed to expedite these revisions given the major initiative underway to develop criteria by sustainability impact modules. GEC will consider the full set of public comments and release another issue of GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) on February 15, 2022 according to EPEAT’s annual revision schedule.

The revisions in this issue of GEC Criteria Development Process (P74) take effect today, January 14, 2022. A Comment Summary report addressed the revisions in this issuance of P74.

Please direct any questions about these documents to EPEAT@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org. 

• Starting Today: Public Comment on Draft Wearables Criteria

GEC’s draft criteria for Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices are now open for public comment. This 60-day public comment period is the opportunity for you and any interested stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft criteria. Use this link to read the draft criteria and provide comments: LINK TO PUBLIC COMMENT. If you have questions about how to participate or would like to learn more about the draft criteria, please join our webinar on January 13, 11:00-12:30 Eastern: REGISTRATION LINK

• Wearables Technical Committee

NSF International, the partner GEC selected to manage the voluntary consensus process for its sustainability criteria, released the roster for the Technical Committee for Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices. 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.

 There are two open seats on the Technical Committee: one for a manufacturer and one for a sustainability advocate or government stakeholder. If you are interested in actively supporting the development of this new product category, please reach out to Greta Baragar (gbaragar@nsf.org).  Please contact Criteria@globalelectronicscouncil.org with other questions.

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.

At the request of stakeholders, GEC proposed a revision to its GEC Criteria Development Policy (P74) that will add the opportunity for stakeholders to participate as Observers in criteria development Technical Committees, which are the voluntary consensus bodies for EPEAT criteria. The public comment period on the proposed revision to the GEC Criteria Development Policy closes on December 17, 2021. Provided the proposed revision receives favorable public comments, GEC plans to expedite implementation of the proposed Observer policy, effective January 17, 2021. This will allow interested stakeholders to participate as Observers in the first substantive meeting of the Technical Committee for Climate Change Mitigation.

In its policy, GEC establishes general parameters for the operation of Technical Committees to ensure that the criteria development process is open and transparent to all interested organizations, while also fostering meaningful dialogue and the exchange of perspectives among stakeholder interest groups. Per the proposed policy revision, Observer status allows individuals to attend Technical Committee meetings and receive documents provided to the Technical Committee, such as meeting agendas and updates to the Full Draft Criteria Document. Technical Committee Observers may only observe meeting discussions, unless invited by the Technical Committee Chair to contribute to the meeting. Stakeholders must apply for Observer status and sign an Observer Agreement before receiving Technical Committee documents or attending meetings. Technical Committee Observers are limited to one representative from an organization. Organizations that have a representative with Technical Committee Member status are not eligible to have a Technical Committee Observer. The names and affiliations of all Technical Committee Observers are publicly available. See the proposed revisions for additional information.

In anticipation of this change, NSF International, GEC’s partner organization for criteria development, will be accepting applications from stakeholders that are interested in becoming Observers in active Technical Committees. Active Technical Committees currently include 1) Climate Change Mitigation, and 2) Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices.  Interested stakeholders should contact Greta Baragar (GBarager@NSF.org) to apply for Observer status. Please include in your correspondence the organization that you represent and which of the above Technical Committees you are interested in joining as an Observer. NSF will provide Observer Agreement that must be completed before granting Observer status. 

For all other queries about EPEAT criteria development, please contact CRITERIA@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

To facilitate the reliable and efficient identification of EPEAT-registered products in the global marketplace, GEC is requiring EPEAT Participating Manufacturers to provide unique product identifying information for their active EPEAT-registered products.

GEC does not require Participating Manufactures to place the EPEAT trademark on active EPEAT-registered products. Instead, a product that is listed on the EPEAT Registry is considered to carry the EPEAT Mark. GEC is requiring Participating Manufacturers to provide unique product identifiers for their products listed on the EPEAT Registry to assist purchasers in locating the same product elsewhere. With the rise of online purchasing on 3rd party platforms and electronic catalogues, GEC seeks to increase the confidence of purchasers seeking to identify EPEAT-registered products on other platforms after initially finding them on the EPEAT Registry.

A Frequently Asked Questions document is available to answer commonly asked questions about unique product identifiers in the EPEAT Registry. 

On February 1, 2022, GEC is requiring that EPEAT Participating Manufacturers provide unique product identifier(s) for all active EPEAT-registered products.

EPEAT Participating Manufacturers will be required to provide at least one unique product identifier for each active EPEAT-registered product. Unique product identifiers ensure reliable identification of EPEAT products by purchasers, as well as facilitate the reliable transmission of EPEAT product data through the EPEAT API.

GEC requires that at least one unique product identifier from the list below be provided for each active EPEAT-registered product publicly viewable on the EPEAT Registry. While GEC prefers that Participating Manufacturers provide Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), since they are globally applicable, any unique product identifier is acceptable. Participating Manufacturers are required to provide at least one unique product identifier but are welcome to provide as many unique product identifiers, per product, as possible.

1. Global Trade Item Number (GTIN): Describes a family of codes that use up to 14-digits to identify products. Primary GTINs are GTIN-12, GTIN-13, GTIN-8, and GTIN-14, which are also referred to under the terminology UPC, EAN, EAN-8, and EAN/UCC-14, respectively. 

2. Universal Product Code (UPC): A 12-digit code used primarily in North America. Also referenced as GTIN-12.

3. European Article Number (EAN): A 13-digit code used primarily outside North America. Also referenced as GTIN-13.

4. Manufacturer Part Number (MPN): An alphanumeric code with up to 17 digits set by a product’s manufacturer to identify and differentiate that product. 

5. Additional Unique Product Identifier: A specific unique product identifier not already listed that is primarily used in specific marketplaces. An example is the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN).

What happens if a Participating Manufacturer does not provide unique product identifying information?

Providing unique product identifying information is an EPEAT program requirement beginning February 1, 2022.  GEC reserves the right to not list product(s) on the EPEAT Registry that are missing unique product identifying information.  GEC understands that there may be instances where a Participating Manufacturer is unable to provide unique product identifying information and will review those instances on a case-by-case basis.  Please note that products missing unique product identifier information will not be included in the EPEAT API shared with GEC approved third-party platforms. 

Participating Manufacturers can provide unique product identifier information in two ways:  

1. Batch upload using GEC provided “UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form”

On November 22, 2021, GEC will email to EPEAT Participating Manufacturer Administrators a form that lists all active EPEAT registered products as of November 1, 2021. The form will contain fields in which unique product identifier(s) can be inserted. Each manufacturer organization is required to return the forms containing unique product identifier information to GEC by February 1, 2022. Instructions will be provided on inserting unique product identifying information into the UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form. GEC will upload the unique product identifier data submitted by Participating Manufacturers into the EPEAT Registry. The unique product data provided by the February 1, 2022 deadline is expected to be publicly viewable on the Registry by February 7, 2022.

GEC is also developing Registry functionality to allow Participating Manufacturers to download an UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form, edit/add unique product identifying information and then upload this data. The unique product identifiers uploaded via the UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form will be automatically validated for correctness and EPEAT Participating Manufacturers performing the upload will be required to attest to the veracity of the unique product identifier data provided. If there are products without a unique product identifier, Participating Manufacturers will have to confirm, using the appropriate field on the form, that a unique product identifier is not provided. This new Registry backend functionality is expected to be available for use on February 10, 2022. This functionality improvement will be available for beta testing ahead of release on the EPEAT Registry. If interested in beta testing this functionality, please register here.

2. Adding unique product identifier information in existing/new individual product records

On February 10, 2022, GEC will release a new backend Registry functionality that enables EPEAT Participating Manufacturers to manually enter unique product identifiers in existing and/or new product records. All unique product identifiers provided will be automatically validated for correctness and EPEAT Participating Manufacturers will be required to attest the data is correct to the best of their knowledge before the data is made publicly viewable on the EPEAT Registry. If a product does not have a unique product identifier, Participating Manufacturers will have to check a box confirming that a unique product identifier is not provided. This functionality improvement will be available for beta testing ahead of release on the EPEAT Registry. If interested in beta testing this functionality, please register here.
 
How Will the EPEAT Registry Display Unique Product Identifiers?
 
Unique product identifiers provided for active EPEAT-registered products will be reflected on the public facing EPEAT Registry by February 7, 2022. Unique product identifiers will appear on the Product Summary page for any products returned in a search. Please note that only the first ten (10) unique product identifiers provided in each predesignated or fill-in field will be listed on the page. If more than ten (10) unique product identifiers are listed, they will appear in a pop-up box on the same screen. All unique product identifiers listed for products on the public facing EPEAT Registry will be available for export and download.
 
Training on Unique Product Identifier Implementation
 
GEC will provide training on the new functionality improvements that allow the upload of unique product identifiers for EPEAT-registered products. If interested in attending a webinar, please use the below registration link(s). All webinars will cover the same information.

Webinar Session #1         
6am Pacific Time on January 26, 2022
9am Eastern Time on January 26, 2022
3pm Central European Time on January 26, 2022
10pm Beijing Time on January 26, 2022
Webinar Session 1 Registration Link

 Webinar Session #2         
10am Pacific Time on January 26, 2022
1pm Eastern Time on January 26, 2022
7pm Central European Time on January 26, 2022
2am Beijing Time on January 26, 2022
Webinar Session 2 Registration Link

 Webinar Session #3         
5pm Pacific Time on January 26, 2022
8pm Eastern Time on January 26, 2022
2am Central European Time on January 26, 2022
9am Beijing Time on January 26, 2022
 Webinar Session 3 Registration Link
 
Important Dates and Timeline for Unique Product Identifiers Required in the EPEAT Registry

November 22, 2021: GEC will provide UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form to EPEAT Participating Manufacturer Administrators. Instructions to complete the form will be provided along with the form.

January 26, 2021: Training Webinars (Sessions 1, 2 and 3) on Unique Product Identifier Implementation.

February 1, 2022: Participating Manufacturer return completed UPI EPEAT Active Registered-Products Form to GEC.

February 7, 2022: Unique Product Identifiers appear on the public EPEAT Registry.

February 10, 2022: Unique Product Identifier functionality by product record and /or bulk upload available in EPEAT Registry. All active EPEAT products must have at least one unique product identifier. If products do not have a unique product identifier, EPEAT Participating Manufacturers will be required to attest to this, and the product will not be included in EPEAT API.

Questions or Comments?
 
GEC looks forward to working with EPEAT Participating Manufacturers to foster increased efficiency and reliability in promoting the identification and purchase of EPEAT products.
 
Please forward all questions or comments on the EPEAT Unique Product Identifier policy requirement to Susan Herbert (sherbert@globalelectronicscouncil.org). 

 Please contact Kim Hair (khair@globalelectronicscouncil.org) regarding technical questions on how to upload/add unique product identifying data.

Technical Committee launching for Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel – now is your opportunity to get involved!

The Global Electronics Council (GEC) is developing criteria to address the life cycle environmental and social impacts of Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices. This Call for Participation is to notify stakeholders of the opportunity to participate on the multi-stakeholder Technical Committee that will evaluate and reach consensus on sustainability leadership criteria to reduce these impacts. GEC is partnering with NSF International, an organization with extensive expertise in managing voluntary consensus processes, to convene and manage the Technical Committee.

The Technical Committee will consider criteria for wearables covering data privacy and information security; chemicals of concern; chemicals alternatives assessment; skin sensitizers; design for reuse, repair, and recycling; recycled content; and end-of-life management. This product category will also leverage the Climate Change criteria currently in development.

See the Call for Participation  for information on the scope of criteria and how to participate in the Technical Committee. Applications for Technical Committee membership are due by midnight ET on July 16, 2021. 

If you have questions about the Health and Wellness Wearable Electronic Devices product category or the criteria development process, please send an email to: Criteria@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org.

GEC is excited to announce the availability of the final State of Sustainability Research for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED) – covering fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable medical devices. This research includes a dedicated chapter on data privacy concerns, prepared by the Future Privacy Forum, and strategies to protect sensitive personal data.

This final State of Sustainability Research incorporates comments submitted by stakeholders during the public consultation process. GEC thanks the stakeholders whose substantive feedback helps ensure that this document represents the best currently available data on sustainability impacts and reduction strategies for wearable technology.

Leveraging the science and information in the State of Sustainability Research, GEC is forming Expert Ad Hoc Groups as the next step in criteria development for the HWWED EPEAT category. Stakeholders with relevant expertise are invited to express interest in participating in these groups, which are focused on clusters of closely related criteria. Ad Hocs will start work in June, and are expected to continue for 8-10 weeks. We are currently forming the following Expert Ad Hoc Groups:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWED Product Category
• Data Privacy and Information Security for wearable devices
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

If you have expertise in any of these topics and would like to participate, please contact the project lead, Ben Levin (BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org) by May 19, 2021. Please identify the Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience on the topic.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.

The deadline for expressing interest in participating in Expert Ad Hoc Groups for the Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED) EPEAT category has been extended to May 19, 2021. Ad Hocs will start work in June, and are expected to continue for 8-10 weeks.

As a reminder, we are currently inviting stakeholders to participate in the following Ad Hoc Groups:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWEDs
• Data Privacy and Information Security
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

In particular, we continue to look for experts in Data Privacy and Information Security to support the Wearables criteria development.

If you are interested, please contact Ben Levin (BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org), indicate the Ad Hoc Group(s), and provide a brief background of your expertise.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.

GEC Invites stakeholders to participate in the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED), including fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable medical devices. Below is a list of Ad Hoc Groups that GEC is currently forming:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWED Product Category
• Data Privacy and Information Security
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

If you have expertise in any of these topics and would like to participate, please contact the project lead, Ben Levin (mailto:BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org) by April 15, 2021.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.