Vision - November/December 2008 - (Page 21)

LLIGENCE FOR GLOBAL CE lish a role in the international market. As companies explore environment-friendly options, they are finding cost-savings tactics as well as initiatives that may stave off government intervention worldwide. Not surprisingly, this burst of corporate eco-awareness and enviro-activism comes at a time of increasing concern about legislative attention to the electronics industry. Government actions in Europe and in some Pacific regions—along with new challenges in the U.S.—are spurring companies to accelerate and coordinate their own efforts to “rethink the three R’s of environmental responsibility,” as Gregory C. Unruh, director of the Lincoln Center for Ethics in Global Management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz., calls them. “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” may no longer be sufficient for companies seeking a road to sustainability, says Unruh. His viewpoint, as described in a recent Harvard Business Review article, reflects the reality of aggressive efforts around the world. Notably, the European Union’s “Restriction of Hazardous Substances” (RoHS) directive, which has been in place since July 2006, restricts the use of six ingredients (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ether) in products; the latter chemicals are flame-retardants used in plastic packaging. Along with the EU’s slightly older “Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment” (WEEE) directive, RoHS has forced manufacturers to revamp production and distribution tactics. Japan, which does not have legislation www.ce.org Technology and Emerging Countries The second annual TEC Program at CES will focus on technology’s impact on economic advancement and sustainability in developing regions. Intel Chairman Craig Barrett and Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers will each keynote. For information, visit www.CESweb.org. banning RoHS substances, has set up recycling laws that have spurred manufacturers to adopt lead-free processes. South Korea began a process last year to enact electronic and electrical equipment recycling requirements. Some Latin American nations are reviewing the impact that imported CE products have on the environment. Even China, with its rampant pollution problems, is exploring restrictions. Stepping Up to the Challenge As a result of these diverse national approaches, leading CE companies are accelerating their efforts to improve their production and distribution processes. As they implement such plans, they are identifying a variety of tactics that may be useful throughout the CE industry. The results of some of these efforts were quantified in CEA’s sustainability report. For example, the scattered array of national and regional requirements (such as the EU’s rules, which are enforced on a country-by-country basis) requires specialists to guide exporters through the regulatory maze. Veteran exporters agree that it is wise to hire local environmental law experts to make sure that products meet local standards before they are shipped into a country. Moreover, an emerging line-up of global programs requires more intensive attention. The “ISO 14000” series of specifications for environmental management systems, established by the Geneva-based International Organization for Standardization, sets requirements for determining environmental aspects and impacts of products, activities and services. The rules include environmental objectives and measurable targets, providing additional reasons for potential exporters to recruit local experts to assure compliance. David Thompson, director of the Corporate Environmental Department at Panasonic North America, recommends “pre-emptive activities” to assure that companies are prepared for and can help shape government policies. On the domestic level, Thompson recalls the brouhaha about rechargeable batteries in the U.S. in the early 1990s. About a half-dozen states adopted laws on disposal and recycling of such batteries, posing a patchwork of restrictions that could have stymied the sector just as MP3 players, digital cameras, mobile phones and other devices were growing in popularity. “The industry came together,” Thompson says. “Now we have 325 manufacturers to fund and operate a U.S./Canadian battery recycling program,” which he characterizes November/December 2008 21 http://www.CESweb.org http://www.ce.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Vision - November/December 2008

Vision - November/December 2008 Contents Shapiro's Spectrum In this Issue The Economist C4 Trends Going Global Visionary CES Unveiled Eco-Intelligence Is Vital in a Sustainable Global Market XGP— A Game Changer Enhancing the Tech Experience High-Definition Decade Public-Private Partnerships CEA Newsline Tech Speak Tech Policy Eye on Business Market Insider Just the Stats

Vision - November/December 2008

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