Ethics, society and environment

The Elektronikkbransjen Foundation is engaged in the industry's social responsibility and works to promote ethical thinking, responsible business practices, and good environmental solutions. Since the products that members sell are often produced outside Norway by international corporations, we work on two levels to influence:

Internationally: We collaborate with European industry associations and try to influence international producers through their Norwegian representation.

Nationally: Here we collaborate with a number of organisations, and we inform and encourage our members to actively engage. Elektronikkbransjen discusses challenges related to sustainability, environment, and ethical issues with Norwegian representatives of global producers and works to influence global development from the Norwegian market.

Ethical trade and guidelines (Code of Conduct)

The Elektronikkbransjen Foundation is a member of Ethical Trade Norway and participates in the Nordic region's largest network of companies working in a committed and systematic way for sustainable supply chains. The aim is to promote responsible business practices in supply chains, so that trade takes into account human rights, workers' rights, society, and the environment.

We support and promote the industry's international guidelines for long-term and coordinated social responsibility. Electrical and electronic products can contain components from up to 200 subcontractors, and it is challenging to have a complete overview of working and environmental conditions throughout the chain. Therefore, we believe it is crucial for global electronics companies to coordinate and take joint responsibility for standardising work with subcontractors. Only through presence and long-term, coordinated efforts - especially in conflict areas - can the industry truly influence and contribute to ethically defensible and sustainable growth.

To clarify the requirements and expectations for ourselves and our business connections, the board of the Foundation Elektronikkbransjen has developed guidelines for ethical trade - our Code of Conduct. The guidelines apply to conditions in our own operations and requirements for production conditions, including basic requirements for human rights, workers' rights, and the environment, in line with international conventions and national legislation. Goods and services delivered to the Foundation Elektronikkbransjen must be produced in accordance with our guidelines, and suppliers must pass on and follow up the guidelines with their subcontractors.

Circular economy and reuse

OmBrukt AS is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Elektronikkbransjen Foundation. The company administers an approval system that covers the entire value chain for the reuse of products. The system provides consumers with extra security and makes it easier to choose reused products, ensuring that used products safely return to the value chain. We collaborate with several actors within and outside the industry to take the step into the circular economy. Visit OmBrukt.no.

Environmental responsibility and WEEE

The industry has a collective responsibility to take care of the environment - from the use of environmentally friendly materials in production to the development of products that use little electricity and water, and not least responsible handling when the products are disposed of. This is solved through the collection of **WEEE**. Everyone who sells electronics is obliged to accept WEEE equivalent to what they sell. The waste is reused or recycled.

The Elektronikkbransjen Foundation is active in all areas of the environment, influences politically, has ownership in the recycling company Norsirk, and is a member of several standardisation committees, including for energy labelling.

Energy labelling

Energy labelling makes it easier for both consumers and producers to act in a climate-friendly manner. A new labelling system is under development with an intended duration of ten years, and the requirements are set so strictly that they cannot be met by technological development during the period. Product groups subject to labelling requirements must be labelled in-store.

The electronics industry is very positive about the fact that information about products' energy consumption is easily accessible. Such information makes it easy to choose energy-efficient products and gives producers an incentive to develop even more energy-efficient solutions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy efficiency is among the most effective, simple, and affordable climate measures in the world.

The electronics industry is a consultation body for the EU's energy labelling directive and collaborates with our members and the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) on implementation and follow-up. We are also strongly involved in European cooperation, and the labelling system should be uniform across all European

Chemicals and regulations

The main goal of chemical policy is to reduce the use of chemicals that are harmful to health and the environment. For the electronics industry, this particularly applies to raw materials and chemicals used in production. There is ongoing work to reduce and replace hazardous substances, driven by strong global forces among producers, customers, and authorities. Much has happened, including the replacement of **brominated flame retardants** with more environmentally friendly alternatives.

The Electronics Industry Foundation desires a well-functioning Norwegian electronics market with demanding customers - but without **specifically Norwegian regulations** that hinder competition without being effective environmental measures. The electronics industry is a global industry, where the majority of equipment is produced in Asia. Measures against environmental toxins are therefore most effective when developed and implemented jointly. We believe that Norway should work closely with Nordic neighbouring countries and the EU on joint measures, and that authorities should rather impose strict environmental requirements in their own purchases and thus reward the best products.

Norsirk

The Electronics Industry Foundation is the main owner of the recycling company Norsirk together with the Norwegian Electrical Suppliers' Association (NEL). The two are main owners with a total of 60 percent: the Electronics Industry Foundation (30%) and NEL (30%). Other shareholders are TEK Norway (30%) and Abelia (10%).

Waste regulation

The regulation on the recycling and treatment of waste (Waste Regulation) obliges producers and importers of EE products to take environmentally correct care of discarded products and utilise the resources in them. Most of what is recycled is material - mainly metals - which is remelted and reused.

The purpose of the waste regulation is 'to reduce the environmental problems caused by EE products when they become waste. This should be achieved through separate collection, sorting, and treatment of materials and components that are hazardous waste, and a high degree of recycling of other parts of the waste. The provisions should ensure that such waste is recycled, where it is justified after considering environmental concerns, resource aspects, and economic conditions.