The Global Electronics Council (GEC) has completed a multi-year effort to update and expand the EPEAT Criteria, culminating in the publication of the final sustainability impact module criteria earlier this year. These updated criteria address four critical sustainability topics: climate, circularity, chemicals, and responsible supply chains. The criteria deliver the most comprehensive approach available today for advancing sustainable electronics in the marketplace.
As we prepare for the public launch of this new chapter for EPEAT, here’s what purchasers and policy makers need to know:
Accelerating Impact With EPEAT 2.0
As we approach the public launch of the new EPEAT criteria, GEC appreciates that you may be looking for guidance regarding how to refer to the “old” and “new” criteria in specifications and tenders, and in your conversations with suppliers. To this end, effective immediately, the “old” criteria will collectively be referred to as EPEAT 1.0 and the “new” criteria (by sustainability impact module) will be referred to as EPEAT 2.0.
While EPEAT 1.0 has a nearly 20-year history of leadership and impact in the electronics sector and continues to deliver sustainability leadership, EPEAT 2.0 encompasses not only updates to criteria, but the next generation of the EPEAT system in its entirety.
EPEAT 2.0 represents a truly transformative shift in the EPEAT system, driving impact deeper into the supply chain and tackling more complex sustainability issues than ever before. EPEAT 2.0 criteria tackle new issues such as PFAS, living wages for workers, water stewardship in the manufacturing process, and over 40% of the criteria are applicable to supply chain environmental and human rights due diligence. .
EPEAT 2.0 is agile and built to more efficiently respond to purchaser demands for new product categories—it also represents the continued evolution of EPEAT as the most impactful ecolabel in the marketplace.
A few practical notes:
- The EPEAT Registry continues to be the single source to access information about EPEAT registered products – and products that meet EPEAT 2.0 will begin appearing on the Registry as early as December 2, 2025.
- EPEAT 1.0 criteria (and the products that meet these criteria) will continue to be accessible on the EPEAT Registry until July 2027, ensuring that purchasers have access to the broadest selection of more sustainable products.
- GEC will create standalone EPEAT 2.0 criteria documents for each applicable product category (computers and displays, imaging equipment, mobile phones, servers, televisions) and publish them on the Registry. This will allow purchasers to refer to specific criteria documents (e.g. EPEAT 2.0: Computers and Displays).
- EPEAT 2.0 significantly raises the bar and will be challenging for manufacturers to meet. Because of this, the mix of Bronze, Silver, and Gold products at this level may shift, with fewer EPEAT Silver and Gold products available initially.
- The Registry will clearly identify whether a product meets EPEAT 1.0 or EPEAT 2.0, recognizing that some products may meet both (and may appear at different tier levels) for a period of time during the transition.
Upcoming Webinar for Purchasers and Policy Makers
GEC is hosting a webinar exclusively for purchasers and policy makers on December 3 to provide a more in-depth overview of the items outlined above.
The webinar will help purchasers understand the environmental and social issues EPEAT 2.0 covers and also highlight some of the EPEAT 2.0 tools and resources currently in development including explainer videos and deep dives for purchasers. There will be a live demonstration of new features in the EPEAT Registry and ample opportunity for Q&A.
[Register]
