Once a ‘nice-to-have’, today a central topic in the IT/CE sector: the ‘green’ properties of IT products. Due to the deteriorating climate with increasingly extreme weather events on the one hand and rising energy prices, tens of millions of tonnes of electronic waste and a general shortage of raw materials on the other are making it clear that there can be no ‘business as usual’ in the energy-intensive manufacture of IT products.
The global sustainability certification ‘TCO Certified, generation 10’ not only identifies which companies have set out to tackle these immense challenges, it also shows environmentally conscious consumers how to directly benefit from this commitment.
One company that has been setting standards in this area is the technology provider MMD, which, as brand licence partner of Philips Monitors, can be found in many offices with high-performance and sustainable displays. Philips Monitors will soon be one of the very first display manufacturers to launch its first business series for professional environments with the ‘TCO Certified, generation 10’ seal and a five-year warranty. The first product, the 34″ business monitor 34B2U3600C, has been on the market since the end of February. It features a curved VA display with USB-C docking and combines high-performance technology with sustainable functions.
The five-year warranty is just one criterion for achieving this prestigious hallmark, which aims to promote longer product lifecycles and reduce electronic waste. Another key measurement for TCO 10 is the energy efficiency of the appliances.
While energy efficiency classes D and E are still commonplace in the monitor market, current Philips products have already achieved the status of the new energy label with classes B and C, which leads to drastic savings in power consumption and therefore in overall operating costs.
This is made possible not least by environmentally friendly, innovative technologies such as the PowerSensor and LightSensor.
PowerSensor uses harmless infrared signals to detect whether someone is in front of the monitor and automatically adjusts the screen brightness. This alone can save up to 80% of energy costs. Whilst the LightSensor technology measures the intensity of the ambient light to adjust the screen brightness accordingly. And all this without sacrificing any viewing quality.
Ergonomics is another important aspect that benefits everyone who works at a suitably equipped workstation. This new line-up of Philips monitors is not only energy-saving, but also easy on the eyes. To protect against potentially harmful effects, they reduce the amount of blue light to a safe level and have been certified by TÜV Rheinland with the Eyesafe RPF 40 seal. In addition, the LowBlue Mode and hardware-based SoftBlue technology further reduce the blue light emitted by the screen – making the viewing experience more pleasant. For a healthy posture in front of the screen, the displays can also be adjusted in height, rotated, tilted and swivelled using the ergonomic stand.
However, saving energy and being ergonomic alone are not enough. Truly environmentally conscious users demand products that are made from ecological, sustainable materials and are part of a circular economy.
Here too, Philips monitors impress with TCO 10-certified models that are made from 85% recycled plastic, contain no mercury and whose casings are free from PVC and brominated flame retardants. They also come in packaging made from 100% recycled material.
For Philips this is just the beginning. The company is striving to ensure that ‘circular thinking’ permeates all internal design and production processes in the future. The aim is to continue reducing the carbon footprint of the devices and setting industry standards that will change display production altogether. This is because the rapid technological development of the IT/CE industry is leading to a product sequence that is unique in the industry, which makes it more difficult to manufacture more sustainable devices, but also promotes them. This results in a holistic approach along the entire value chain: from the procurement of sustainable materials for production to the greatest possible reduction of packaging and plastic.
The ‘TCO, generation 10’ seal helps buyers to quickly recognise technology products that have been developed and manufactured with climate protection in mind – leading to informed decisions and selecting products in line with their environmental responsibility values.
