THE SERI ASSURANCE PROGRAM | |
Last month, we delved into Audit Package Reviews as a key component of the SERI R2 Assurance Program. If you missed it or want a refresher, visit our website for the full story.
This month, we're turning our attention to Spot Inspections.
Working in tandem with Audit Package Reviews and witness inspections, spot inspections are important to SERI's comprehensive approach to maintaining R2 Certification consistency. These typically unscheduled assessments offer insights into both R2 Certified Facilities' ongoing conformance in day-to-day operations and auditors' performance, providing a view beyond scheduled audits. Check out the full article to learn how spot inspections are used to enhance the R2 Certification program.
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MEASURING OUR COLLECTIVE IMPACT:
JOIN SERI'S NEW MEASUREMENT WORKING GROUP
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There is plenty of coverage about the negative impacts of electronics, especially on people and the environment. But for those inside the industry, we know that R2 Certified Facilities have a powerful story to tell about the positive impacts we make every day in our communities and around the world. That story becomes even more powerful when you aggregate the impact across all R2 Certified Facilities. The challenge is, today, that story isn’t being told because there’s no way to demonstrate the total positive impact of R2 Certified Facilities to customers, regulators, and other key stakeholders.
This is why we're pleased to announce that, for the first time, SERI plans to develop an Impact Report that showcases the positive impact of R2 Certified Facilities and our industry as a whole. In alignment with emerging ESG trends, this Impact Report will provide valuable insights that demonstrate our collective impact, increase transparency in our industry, and highlight our roles in creating a more sustainable future for electronics.
In 2025, R2 Certified Facilities will be asked to contribute 2024 basic operating metrics. This information will help demonstrate the impact of R2 and showcase our industry’s collective contribution to global sustainability efforts. Rest assured, all data will be reported in aggregate to ensure confidentiality and protect your information.
To begin the process, we are assembling a voluntary Impact Measurement Working Group that will help guide the logistics of accumulating data. Members of the voluntary Impact Measurement Working Group will contribute to defining what metrics we collect, proper controls for data security and privacy, and how we communicate our industry's impact to other stakeholders. By joining this group, you’ll be positioning yourself at the forefront of emerging ESG initiatives and reporting standards. If you’re interested in participating, we’d love your input.
Keep an eye on future newsletters for more details on the Impact Report. Your insights are essential in shaping the future of electronics!
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MAINSTAGE ANNOUNCEMENT: KEYNOTE SPEAKER CAROLYN HOSKINSON, U.S. EPA | | |
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Carolyn Hoskinson
Director, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
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THIS eSUMMIT TIP BROUGHT TO YOU BY PLATINUM SPONSOR | |
WHEN IN AUSTIN, PAIR THE eSUMMIT WITH OTHER GREAT EVENTS | |
There are plenty of fun activities and events to do while you are in Austin, Texas, before and after the eSummit! Here is a glimpse of other events happening that week! | |
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Formula 1 Lenovo United States Grand Prix
Circuit of The Americas, October 18-20
The pinnacle of motorsports is returning to Texas for a three-day celebration of speed and sound! The Formula 1 USGP provides an action-packed experience that fuses world-class racing with major championship implications. There's no shortage of star power off-track as superstar headliners hit the Super Stage with post-race performances each night.
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College Football: Georgia Bulldogs at Texas Longhorns, October 19
Preseason No. 1-ranked Georgia invades D.K.R. Memorial Stadium to take on No. 3 Texas in a Southeastern Conference (SEC) showdown. Both teams are preseason favorites in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff in what should be one of the best games of the 2024 season! Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CT.
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Austin Film Festival, October 24-31, Downtown Austin
Recognized as one of the top film festivals in the country, this cinematic event shines the spotlight on both top-billed films and indies alike. This event hosts the largest screenwriters conference in the world, featuring over 200 panelists and panels that, along with film and television, now also explore storytelling mediums such as plays, podcasts, and digital series.
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R2 TAC REQUESTS FEEDBACK ON PLASTICS | |
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We want to remind everyone that the R2 TAC is considering adding Basel-controlled plastics to the R2 Equipment Categorization (REC) as an R2 Controlled Stream. Before taking action, the R2 TAC wants to ensure that industry stakeholders such as R2 Facilities, OEMs, and others have a chance to understand how the potential additions would affect them and provide feedback for the TAC to consider.
For those who have questions or want to learn more, SERI has assembled Q&As to delve deeper into the topic. To learn more about the proposed additions and share your feedback regarding including these controlled plastics in the REC, please visit our Basel Plastics Page. Feedback submissions will be open until August 15, 2024.
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R2 TIP: WHY DOWNSTREAM DUE DILIGENCE IS INTEGRAL TO R2
The word “downstream” is found over five dozen times throughout the R2 Standard, particularly in Appendix A because the reality is that one facility typically cannot fully process every type of electronic. It takes a network of facilities specializing in specific types of refurbishment or materials recovery to reuse or fully recycle all types of electronics. “Downstream’s” prevalence throughout the standard reflects the importance of the downstream vendor (DSV) tracking and qualification requirements, which can be resource-intensive and time-consuming. But this qualification process serves an important purpose: that whoever in the downstream chain is handling or processing electronics or their Focus Materials is doing so with the same level of care and high standard that the R2 Facility promised to provide.
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THE POWER OF THE R2 KNOWLEDGE BASE | The R2 Knowledge Base is filled with videos, implementation articles, podcasts, and more helpful resources, all built to support the R2 community through the R2 Certification process. | | | |
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AVAILABLE R2v3 TRAINING CLASSES | |
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NEW TO R2: INTRO TO R2 WEBINAR
If you want to learn more about R2, join us on our Intro to R2 Webinars. They are held multiple times per month and are offered to accommodate time zones on all continents.
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R2 AUDITOR TRAINING
Looking for in-depth, online, and interactive training on R2v3? These classes are open to auditors, consultants, and facilities. We have a range of class schedules to accommodate different time zones, including Mumbai in September and London in October. Space is limited, so sign up for the class today!
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EVENTS:
CHAMPIONING ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY AROUND THE WORLD
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Each month, we let you know where we’re going and what conversations we’re having for two reasons. First, we hope you’ll catch up with us if you plan to be in the same places. But even more importantly, we want everyone to know how and where we are sharing our message, talking about electronics sustainability for a global circular economy and, in many cases, how R2 fits as a part of the puzzle. We see educating all the decision-makers to make better choices as a big part of the journey to electronics sustainability.
In July, SERI’s Chief of Global Certification Programs Sharada Rao presented R2 for Solar Panel Recycling at the International Standards Summit 2024 in Bengaluru, India, organized by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and CII-IQ.
Where we're headed next:
As we prepare for the upcoming eSummit in October, we are directing much of our focus to making that inaugural event an amazing one for all, but our team will still be making appearances at various conferences around the globe. Check this space and our LinkedIn account to see where we’ll be next.
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HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
Let us know what questions you have or what resources you would find valuable. The SERI Team is here to help!
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The R2 Newsletter is a publication of SERI, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to create a world where electronic products are reused and recycled in a way that promotes resource preservation, the well-being of the natural environment, and the health and safety of workers and communities. | Got the R2 Newsletter as a forward? Sign up to start receiving your own copy. | | | | |
