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Like other sectors, the EEE sector (electrical and electronic equipment) is fully committed to the ecological transition. Taking more virtuous paths is now an undeniable environmental necessity, and the approach is encouraged by increasingly demanding regulatory constraints. One thing is certain, transforming the EEE sector and adopting processes with reduced impacts must involve all actors. Manufacturers, subcontractors, distributors, installers and consumers: all have a role to play!
A role to play for each player in the sector
In order to meet the challenges of ecological transition, the sector must be profoundly transformed. To do this, each actor directly involved in the value chain of the EEE sector must find solutions, at their level, that will reduce their impact.
The role of industrialists
The electrical and electronic equipment industry is being hit hard by the climate emergency. Many expectations therefore weigh, first and foremost, on manufacturers:
- Designing products that are more durable and easier to repair
- Processes with lower GHG emissions
- Products designed to consume less energy during their use phase
These developments require the systematic implementation of comprehensive LCA (Life Cycle Analysis). It is on the results of these LCA that the ecodesign of new products can be based.
With the AGEC law, manufacturers in the EEA sector are also subject to new standards, in force or to come, which encourage sustainable production and consumption. Among them, we can mention:
- The display of the repairability index since 2021
- Information on how long it has taken to update software since 2021
- The sustainability index forecast for 2024
The challenge of subcontracting
Companies that subcontract manufacturers in the EEE sector are essential partners in the ecological and energy transition. As such, they must meet specifications with increasing requirements. They are asked to adopt more virtuous practices and to decarbonize their processes. Increasingly, subcontracting companies are selected for their responsible choices and transparency, both in terms of the materials used and the logistical solutions put in place.
On the vending side
Distributors are essential links in the electrical and electronic equipment value chain. They also have a role to play in the decarbonization of the sector and in the overall reduction of its impact on the environment.
For them, the challenges lie at several levels:
- In a responsible selection of suppliers
- In clear consumer information
- In the ethical prescription of solutions, through products and services adapted to needs
The role of installers
Closer to consumers, installers make the link between the upstream and downstream stages of the EEE value chain. A virtuous commitment is therefore also expected from them. In order to be part of a sustainable development approach and to participate in the transformation of the sector, they must ensure:
- An effective advisory mission for end consumers
- Taking into account environmental indicators
Finally, consumers
In parallel with regulatory changes, consumer expectations are affirming and strengthening.
In France, according to a survey by UNDP, three-quarters of citizens already considered climate change to be a global emergency in 2021. However, at that time, people's minds had plenty to be busy with by the Covid-19 pandemic. A large part of consumers is therefore ready to change their buying habits and their habits of use.
Many French people are turning to responsible products in a triple approach:
- Of discount
- Of reuse
- Of recycling
The emergence of new players, on the side of distributors as well as on the side of waste management, confirms this trend: sale of refurbished equipment, face-to-face or remote repair, donation platforms, etc.
Consumers have more and more tools to make more responsible choices, thanks to new communication and information standards:
- Repairability index
- Sustainability Index
- Communication of (GHG) emissions related to internet and mobile consumption
They are also helped by more and more resources, especially online, with the multiplication of sites and applications that assess or compare the durability and repairability of electrical and electronic equipment.
The role of actors who revolve around the sector
Working in a constellation around the direct actors of the EEE value chain, other actors have an important role to play in enabling the sector to achieve its sustainable development goals.
The role of consulting firms and design offices, in particular, is to effectively support the sector through analyses and recommendations with high transformative value: impact measurement work and optimization recommendations, evolution of production strategy through eco-design, etc.
At Qweeko, we thus offer all actors in the EEA sector concrete solutions, promote the most sustainable choices and support them towards more environmentally friendly processes.
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