Reduce Testing With Third Party Certification
In the quest for the holy grail of RoHS due diligence, many have wondered about the role of testing. But what kind of testing, and when, and how much? The organic food industry lives with very similar restrictions, and these questions have already been answered. The solution minimizes the amount and cost of testing while delivering solid, legally supported compliance.
The global collection of organic food businesses faces stringent requirements that exclude hundreds of substances from food production, handling and processing. The exact local requirements vary from country to country. And yet, food certified as organic in one nation is just as readily accepted as organic by any other. Furthermore, testing is done only once per ingredient by the originating supplier of the ingredient.
The heart of the solution is third party certification. Organic certifiers support standards by spelling out precisely what must be done to obtain certification. There is no guesswork here. The banned substances are listed, and processes that guarantee compliance are written up into handbooks.
Testing is done at the lowest level possible and then documented up the supply chain. A raw ingredient is certified organic when the grower is in compliance and test results prove the absence of specific substances. As the ingredient flows through the supply chain, its certification is passed along in a legally recognized paper trail.
By working with independent, third party certifiers, organic businesses gain an enviable legal standing. The clearly defined processes and highly visible paper trails provide irrefutable proof of compliance that is recognized by courts around the world.
The electronics industry can benefit from this same model. Certification removes risk and uncertainty. It levels the playing field, eliminating competing solution models. It lets business get back to the job of designing products that consumers want. IPC recognizes this and has introduced the first Pb-free certification program.
In business terms, the benefits translate directly into profits. A direct consequence of certification for the organic food industry has been 20% annual growth since 1990. The certification marks on product labels increase consumer confidence in the products. That increased confidence translates into increased sales.
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Environmental legislation is a global trend. It is not driven by governments. Bureaucracies do not innovate. They simply accede to the wishes of their bosses, the public. Environmental laws are on the rise because the public is demanding them.
Businesses that recognize this paradigm shift stand to gain market share and enjoy explosive growth. Japanese electronics firms have already recognized this trend and have been the first to advertise compliance. They have also been going beyond the requirements of the new laws and establishing themselves as true leaders in this arena.
It is still early in the game. Ultimately, as the value of certification becomes more apparent, more certification programs will appear. Later, these programs will become merged into national, or possibly global programs. Then the barrier to compliance will become lower because it will be standardized and well understood.
Part Two: Third Party Certification, How It Works
Additional Resources
IPC has announced a Pb-free certification program. A great start.
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