ASUS: Taiwan's Environmental Pioneer in EPEAT
(PRWEB) December 10, 2013 -- Computer users worldwide often hear about “Moore’s Law,” a theory that the average processing power for computers doubles every 18-24 months. Technological advances have upheld this theory for decades, and the pattern is expected to continue through 2020.
Amid these technological achievements, thousands of engineers and designers have incorporated innovative environmental solutions into those same devices, with the goal of reducing their long-term impact on the planet.
In 2008, ASUSTeK became the first Taiwanese IT company to participate in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), the definitive global rating system for greener electronics. As of November 2013, ASUS had 302 products registered with EPEAT in 14 countries.
Like other participating manufacturers, ASUS incorporates EPEAT registration into its larger Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program. ASUS has also leveraged the EPEAT system to help inform a wide range of its environmental initiatives.
In addition, ASUS has forged a partnership with GreenStar Hub to ensure those environmentally preferable devices are available to users of the group-buy marketplace. These strategic decisions underscore an executive-level dedication to green electronics.
“For many years we have cultivated a culture of corporate social responsibility.” said Frank Lin, Chief Quality Officer at ASUS. “Sustainability is a part of our corporate mission at ASUS. We believe that providing environmentally friendly products is our responsibility.”
That sentiment is echoed on a wider level by Taiwan’s Green Trade Project Office (GPTO), supervised by the Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Affairs of Taiwan.
“The GTPO seeks to green your life wherever possible, including in Taiwan’s strong electronics sector” said Josh Yu, Marketing Manager for GTPO. “ASUS’ EPEAT-registered products, awards and achievements are a testament of the Taiwanese company’s commitment to its long-term sustainability goals.”
Electronics from ASUS and others must meet two dozen environmental criteria to qualify for EPEAT, with more than two dozen optional criteria also available for manufacturers to showcase their environmental leadership with specific products. A diverse set of stakeholders develop the criteria used by the EPEAT system, addressing a range of aspects of a device’s lifespan.
ASUS has continually implemented more of these criteria in its devices over the years, resulting in several environmental impact-reducing attributes:
-- In 2010, ASUS introduced the Bamboo notebook, with a bamboo mechanical housing that has 10% lower carbon emissions than conventional plastic
-- In 2012, ASUS released notebook computers with an average power consumption 45% lower than the Energy Star standard
-- In 2013, ASUS introduced post-consumer recycled plastic as a mechanical housing for its commercial notebooks
Today, nearly 82% of ASUS’ EPEAT-registered devices have attained an EPEAT Gold rating, meaning they meet 75% or more of the optional criteria in their category. These products are available in the GreenStar Hub group-buy marketplace in large part because they’ve met the consensus-based criteria used by EPEAT.
“GreenStar Hub’s collaboration with Trade Offices and green tech companies like ASUS are a great way to connect buyers with product providers and eco-labels like EPEAT,” said Tam Phung, CEO and founder of the GreenStar Hub group-buy marketplace. “We found great value in our procurement team visiting ASUS’ headquarters and facilities to learn about ASUS’s CSR programs and its certified products.”
ASUS’ approach to “design for environment” has evolved to meet EPEAT criteria, with an edict that “all products shall follow the eco-design requirements at the design stage.”
To address the requirement that manufacturers have visibility into their entire supply chain, the company has also setup a strict selection and audit process to manage their suppliers, ensuring that they comply with ASUSTeK’s quality management, green guidelines and CSR requirements. Annual supplier workshops were established as well to deliver the company’s supplier policies and communicate other relevant eco-design issues to them.
Not surprisingly, these changes posed the greatest challenge for ASUS to create comprehensive environmental product-design policies. ASUS says the investment has paid off.
“EPEAT and our internal eco-design standards have helped us improve the environmental performance of our devices,” said ASUS’ Lin. “EPEAT is helping transform the marketplace for green computer products.”
Taiwan’s GPTO was equally supportive of the EPEAT system and GreenStar Hub marketplace.
“We are pleased to support programs like EPEAT that empower manufacturers, businesses, governments and consumers to green their lives by producing and purchasing electronics that are better for the environment,” said GTPO Marketing Manager Josh Yu.
“GreenStar Hub’s green policy and RFQ databases, plus its GreenStar Rated marketplace, are effective international trade enablers of green tech products across borders,” Yu continued. “The GTPO is excited to have such powerful tools to expose buyers and sellers to opportunities.”
To find ASUS’ environmentally preferable computers, search for them at epeat.net or get involved with the GreenStar Hub group-buy marketplace.
Jonas Allen, Green Electronics Council, +1-503-279-9383, [email protected]
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