2022 March 21

GEC State of Sustainability Report Release and Public Comments Period

On 14 March, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) released its draft report State of Sustainability Research for Corporate ESG Performance. The report, prepared by Electronics Watch, supports the upcoming review of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) criteria.

The report provides an overview of worker rights issues, worker priorities and current practices in social auditing in electronics supply chains. It suggests areas of sustainability criteria for the EPEAT ecolabel that would help meet the needs of workers in global electronics supply chains. It also addresses gaps in corporate ESG performance in the areas of supply chain transparency, monitoring and reporting, remedy and remediation, freedom of association, a living wage, and occupational health and safety.

EPEAT criteria can help accelerate movement to a higher level of sustainability and social responsibility in electronics supply chains. Comments on the report are welcome until 11:59 (PST) on 14 May 2022. Comments should be submitted using the Public Comment Form and submitted to Criteria@gec.org. Electronics Watch encourages all stakeholders to submit comments. Comments may be submitted in English, French, German, or Spanish.