GEC at the Responsible Business 2024 Annual Conference
EVOLVING SUSTAINABLE ELECTRONICS: READYING THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR NEXT GENERATION EPEAT CRITERIA
November 21, 2024, 9 am – 12 pm PST
The EPEAT ecolabel has been a vital signal in the technology market for nearly 20 years, aligning purchasers, electronics brands and other stakeholders on a shared definition of what it means for a product to be “sustainable”. This definition is evolving after years of multi-stakeholder efforts to revise the EPEAT criteria, creating a new benchmark to meet growing expectations in this area. Not only will the next generation of EPEAT criteria raise the bar for the global community, but it will also require significantly more interaction with supply chain partners.
Join the Global Electronics Council (GEC) at the Responsible Business 2024 Annual Conference for an interactive event on the important role of supply chain partners in sustainable product development, including final assembly and component manufacturer’s role in meeting these upcoming revisions to the EPEAT ecolabel standards.
Explore these criteria revisions and supplier specific requirements addressing four material areas, including:
- Responsible Supply Chain
- Il clima
- Circularity
- Chemicals
In addition, we will dive into how Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI) tools and resources can accelerate meeting these criteria. As a participant you will be able to gain insights into the resources, programs and advisory services designed to help your company and suppliers become “EPEAT Ready”. Don’t miss out on this 3-hour partner event – attendance is complementary, and refreshments will be available!
Featured speakers
Balan Shanmuganathan
Cassie Gruber
Christy Jung
Lead Program Manager, HP
Bob Mitchell
Chief Executive Officer, Global Electronics Council
Patricia Dillon
Vice President, Criteria and Category Development, Global Electronics Council
Kaushik Ramakrishnan
Vice President, Global Market Development and Strategy, Global Electronics Council
Event Agenda
November 21, 2024 • All times below are in local Pacific Standard Time
9:00 am – 10:00 am – The Next Phase of EPEAT: GEC’s Goals for Sustainable Impact and the Updated EPEAT Criteria
Join GEC leaders as they share how the EPEAT ecolabel is evolving to expand coverage of material sustainability topics and strengthen supply chain engagement through the implementation of the next generation of EPEAT Criteria. The session will cover a holistic overview of the newly revised criteria, spotlighting critical advancements in responsible supply chains, climate impact reduction, chemical safety, and circular product design. A fireside chat will follow, diving into how these evolving standards will shape the future of sustainable electronics and drive measurable change across the industry.
10:00 am – 11:00 am – Supply Chain Perspectives: A Deep Dive into EPEAT’s Revised Criteria
Explore the Updated EPEAT Criteria from a supplier’s point of view in this session. We’ll walk through the complexities of the updated criteria, offering practical insights on how these changes impact each stage of the supply chain. In our second fireside chat, an industry expert will delve into the challenges and opportunities these criteria bring to component manufacturing, helping attendees understand the full scope of EPEAT’s impact on suppliers.
11:00 am – 11:30 am – GEC Supplier Engagement: Resources and Programs to Accelerate Supply Chain Readiness
Get equipped with the tools and resources GEC offers to help suppliers meet the revised EPEAT Criteria. This session will provide an overview of upcoming resources, programs and advisory services to create an “EPEAT Ready” supply chain. Our final fireside chat will follow, offer candid insights on supplier engagement, highlighting ways to foster collaboration and drive meaningful results.
11:30 am – 12:00 pm – Round Tables with GEC
Designed as an open forum, this session offers attendees dedicated office hours and one-on-one meetings with GEC staff to address specific questions from previous sessions. Whether you need clarification on criteria, supplier resources, or guidance on the upcoming criteria changes, this open forum provides the personalized support you need to navigate the next generation EPEAT criteria with confidence.
More about the Global Electronics Council
GEC is working to accelerate systemic change to create a 100% sustainable electronics industry by 2050. This means net-zero emissions, zero waste, water neutrality and minimal adverse impact on the environment and human rights throughout the life cycle of products and services.
As stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel, we set the global standard for sustainable electronics. We empower electronics manufacturers and buyers to meet their sustainability goals through our world-leading accreditation, advocacy and leadership. We are reshaping the world’s relationship with technology and natural resources and enabling the transformation of electronics from an escalating environmental and social challenge into an empowering, sustainable solution.
More about the Responsible Business Alliance
The Responsible Business Alliance is the world’s largest industry coalition dedicated to responsible business conduct in global supply chains.
Founded in 2004 by a group of leading electronics companies, the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), formerly the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC), is a nonprofit comprised of electronics, retail, auto and toy companies committed to supporting the rights and well-being of workers and communities worldwide affected by global supply chains. RBA members commit and are held accountable to a common Code of Conduct and utilize a range of RBA training and assessment tools to support continuous improvement in the social, environmental and ethical responsibility of their supply chains. In addition to RBA members, thousands of companies that are Tier 1 suppliers to members are required to implement the RBA Code of Conduct. Visit https://www.responsiblebusiness.org/about/rba/ for more information.
Patricia Dillon
Vice President, Criteria and Category Development, Global Electronics Council
Patty supervisiona il processo di sviluppo dei criteri, la strategia e il team di GEC per le categorie di prodotti EPEAT nuove ed esistenti e per altre iniziative di GEC. È a capo dell'iniziativa volta a trasformare il processo di sviluppo dei criteri GEC in un processo più efficiente, agile e orientato alla scienza, che coinvolga un ampio numero di stakeholder ed esperti. Il suo team è responsabile della sorveglianza continua e dello sviluppo di nuove categorie di prodotti, della preparazione della Ricerca sullo Stato della Sostenibilità sull'impatto dell'elettronica sulla sostenibilità e sulle strategie per mitigare gli impatti, della gestione dei processi multi-stakeholder che creano e mantengono i criteri di sostenibilità per l'implementazione nel Registro EPEAT e dello sviluppo del calcolatore dei benefici ambientali dell'elettronica di GEC. È entrata in GEC nel 2016, apportando una profonda conoscenza dello sviluppo di criteri basati sul consenso e una lunga storia con EPEAT. È stata coinvolta negli standard che costituiscono le fondamenta di EPEAT fin dalla sua nascita, prima come stakeholder invitato a partecipare allo sviluppo dello standard iniziale per i computer e, successivamente, in posizioni di leadership per gli standard per i televisori, i server e il fotovoltaico.
Patty ha oltre trent'anni di esperienza nella ricerca, nella facilitazione e nella gestione di programmi per lo sviluppo di standard, politiche ambientali e strategie aziendali, con un'ampia attività nei settori dell'elettronica, della plastica e degli imballaggi. Prima di entrare in GEC, Patty è stata consulente indipendente, responsabile part-time del programma presso il Northeast Recycling Council, dove ha gestito lo State Electronics Challenge e il Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse, e collaboratrice di ricerca presso la Tufts University. Patty ha conseguito un master in Ingegneria civile con specializzazione in Ingegneria ambientale presso la Tufts University e una laurea in Biologia presso la Tufts University.
Bob Mitchell
Chief Executive Officer, Global Electronics Council
In qualità di amministratore delegato del Global Electronics Council, Bob fornisce la leadership e la supervisione strategica dell'organizzazione per realizzare la sua visione e missione. Ha una profonda esperienza in materia di affari e diritti umani, sostenibilità ambientale, gestione di organizzazioni no-profit e programmi di sostenibilità aziendale.
In qualità di ex vicepresidente per i diritti umani e l'ambiente presso la Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), Bob ha guidato lo sviluppo della strategia e l'attuazione di programmi di condotta aziendale responsabile in un ambiente multi-settoriale e multi-stakeholder. In questo ruolo, ha guidato la nascita e il lancio di iniziative significative in aree quali la Due Diligence sul lavoro forzato, la decarbonizzazione delle catene di fornitura, la circolarità e la resilienza della catena di fornitura.
È un veterano di Hewlett Packard e Hewlett Packard Enterprise, con oltre un decennio e mezzo di lavoro nel campo della sostenibilità. Prima di lavorare all'RBA, è stato direttore della responsabilità sociale e ambientale globale di Hewlett Packard Enterprise, guidando un team di professionisti nei settori dei diritti umani, della gestione ambientale dei prodotti, della responsabilità della catena di approvvigionamento e dei minerali di conflitto, tra le altre aree tematiche. Bob ha anche fatto parte del Consiglio di amministrazione di RBA e del Consiglio consultivo di Social Accountability International (SAI). Ha conseguito un MBA presso l'Università dell'Arizona e una laurea presso l'Università della Virginia.
Kaushik Ramakrishnan
Vice President, Global Market Development and Strategy, Global Electronics Council
In qualità di direttore senior della crescita strategica, Kaushik Ramakrishnan guida l'impatto a lungo termine e la strategia di crescita di GEC. Come membro del team di leadership senior, lavora a stretto contatto con il CEO e la leadership di GEC per ideare, incubare e realizzare opportunità di crescita elevata a livello globale per realizzare la missione e la visione dell'organizzazione.
Kaushik ha più di 20 anni di esperienza nel settore privato, nelle startup e nelle organizzazioni non profit in quattro continenti. È un professionista della sostenibilità che ha lavorato a lungo sulle strategie di sostenibilità aziendale, sulle catene di approvvigionamento sostenibili e sulla finanza climatica. Prima di entrare in GEC, Kaushik ha ricoperto ruoli di leadership presso Sustainalytics, Rainforest Alliance, IDH - Sustainable Trade Initiative, Ericsson, Infosys e Pula Advisors.
Kaushik ha conseguito un MBA presso la Indian School of Business di Hyderabad e una laurea in ingegneria informatica presso la Visvesvaraya Technological University. Attualmente vive a Gand, in Belgio.
Balan Shanmuganathan
Senior Engineering Director of Sustainability, Seagate Technology
Balan Shanmuganathan is the Senior Engineering Director of Sustainability at Seagate Technology. He has over 30 years of experience in Environmental Health & Safety and Sustainability. In his current role at Seagate, Balan has responsibility for the company’s overall Sustainability program. In the last 5 years he has been working on Seagate’s circularity efforts engaging with customers, recyclers, supply chain partners and certification bodies to advance Seagate’s circularity efforts.
Cassie Gruber
Director of Sustainability Business Solutions, Jabil
Working closely with customers and segments globally, Cassie Gruber cultivates Jabil’s circular economy strategies. An accomplished leader in the electronic recycling and sustainability industry, Cassie joined Jabil in 2018 to grow green innovative technologies as a subject matter expert on the circular economy. She supports Jabil’s customers across industries in their recycling and circular economy goals and initiatives, through the entire reverse supply chain where products and materials are reused and recycled.
After studying art and philosophy for a decade, Cassie’s career path dramatically shifted when she became a partner of a small e-waste company in Buffalo, New York. Cassie then spent two decades in the electronics recycling industry with a focus on environmental sustainability and compliance. With her vast experience and dedication to sustainability, Cassie has helped Jabil evolve toward a data-driven, circular value supply chain.
Christy Jung
Lead Program Manager, HP
Christy Jung is a Lead Program Manager at HP, specializing in Product Compliance and Sustainability. With a strong background in driving eco-label strategies, sustainability initiatives, and regulatory compliance, she leads a cross-regional team focused on advancing sustainable product development and drives decarbonization solutions with suppliers. She represents HP as a Voting Member on the EPEAT Technical Committee for the Sustainable Use of Resources Module. Christy holds a B.S. in Supply Chain Management from Arizona State University and is pursuing M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University.
