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
- 기후
- 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
밥 미첼
Chief Executive Officer, Global Electronics Council
패트리샤 딜런
Vice President, Criteria and Category Development, Global Electronics Council
카우식 라마크리슈난
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.
패트리샤 딜런
Vice President, Criteria and Category Development, Global Electronics Council
Patty는 GEC의 신규 및 기존 EPEAT 제품 카테고리 및 기타 GEC 이니셔티브에 대한 기준 개발 프로세스, 전략 및 팀을 감독합니다. 그녀는 GEC 기준 개발 프로세스를 광범위하고 다양한 이해 관계자와 전문가를 참여시키는 더 효율적이고 민첩하며 과학 중심 프로세스로 전환하기위한 이니셔티브를 이끌고 있습니다. 그녀의 팀은 신제품 카테고리의 지속적인 감시 및 개발, 전자 제품의 지속 가능성 영향에 대한 지속 가능성 연구 및 영향을 완화하기위한 전략, EPEAT 레지스트리에 구현하기위한 지속 가능성 기준을 구축 및 유지하는 다중 이해 관계자 프로세스 관리, GEC의 전자 환경 혜택 계산기 개발을 담당합니다. 그녀는 2016년에 GEC에 입사하여 합의 기반 기준 개발에 대한 깊은 이해와 EPEAT와의 오랜 역사를 가지고 있습니다. 그녀는 창립 이래 EPEAT의 기초를 형성하는 표준에 참여해 왔으며, 처음에는 초기 컴퓨터 표준 개발에 참여하도록 초대 된 이해 관계자로서, 그리고 그 후 텔레비전, 서버 및 태양 광 표준의 리더십 직책에 참여했습니다.
Patty는 전자 제품, 플라스틱 및 포장 분야에서 광범위한 업무를 수행하면서 표준 개발, 환경 정책 및 비즈니스 전략에 대한 연구, 촉진 및 프로그램 관리 경험을 삼십 년 이상 보유하고 있습니다. GEC에 합류하기 전에 Patty는 독립적 인 컨설턴트, 동북 재활용 협의회의 파트 타임 프로그램 관리자였으며 포장 클리어링하우스의 State Electronics Challenge and Toxics를 관리했으며 Tufts University의 연구원이었습니다. 패티는 터프츠 대학교에서 환경 공학을 전공하여 토목 공학 석사 학위를, 터프츠 대학교에서 생물학 학사 학위를 취득했습니다.
밥 미첼
Chief Executive Officer, Global Electronics Council
글로벌 전자 위원회의 최고 경영자로서 조직의 비전과 사명을 달성하기 위해 리더십과 전략적 감독을 제공합니다. 그는 비즈니스 및 인권, 환경 지속 가능성, 비영리 경영, 기업 지속 가능성 및 프로그램에 대한 깊은 배경 지식을 가지고 있습니다.
책임 있는 비즈니스 연합(RBA)의 인권 및 환경 담당 부사장을 역임한 그는 여러 산업과 다양한 이해관계자가 존재하는 환경에서 책임 있는 비즈니스 행동 프로그램을 위한 전략 개발과 실행을 주도했습니다. 이 직책에서 그는 강제 노동 실사, 공급망 탈탄소화, 순환성 및 공급망 복원력 등의 분야에서 중요한 노력의 시작과 실행을 주도했습니다.
그는 휴렛팩커드와 휴렛팩커드 엔터프라이즈에서 10년 반 이상 지속 가능성 분야에서 근무한 베테랑입니다. RBA에서 근무하기 전에는 Hewlett Packard Enterprise의 글로벌 사회 및 환경 책임 담당 이사로 인권, 제품 환경 관리, 공급망 책임, 분쟁 광물 등 여러 이슈 분야의 전문가 팀을 이끌었습니다. 또한 RBA 이사회와 SAI(Social Accountability International)의 자문위원회에서 활동했습니다. 애리조나 대학교에서 MBA를, 버지니아 대학교에서 학사 학위를 받았습니다.
카우식 라마크리슈난
Vice President, Global Market Development and Strategy, Global Electronics Council
전략적 성장 담당 수석 이사로서 Kaushik Ramakrishnan은 GEC의 장기적인 영향력과 성장 전략을 주도하고 있습니다. 고위 경영진의 일원인 그는 CEO 및 GEC 경영진과 긴밀히 협력하여 조직의 미션과 비전을 달성하기 위해 전 세계적으로 고성장 기회를 구상, 인큐베이팅 및 실현합니다.
카우식은 민간 부문과 4개 대륙의 스타트업 및 비영리 단체에서 20년 이상 근무한 경력을 보유하고 있습니다. 그는 기업의 지속 가능성 전략, 지속 가능한 공급망, 기후 금융 분야에서 폭넓게 일해 온 지속 가능성 전문가입니다. GEC에 합류하기 전에는 Sustainalytics, 열대우림동맹, IDH(지속가능한 무역 이니셔티브), 에릭슨, 인포시스, 풀라 어드바이저에서 리더십 역할을 맡았습니다.
카우식은 하이데라바드 인도 경영대학원에서 MBA를, 비스베바라야 공과대학교에서 컴퓨터 공학 학사 학위를 취득했습니다. 현재 벨기에 겐트에 거주하고 있습니다.
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.
