Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1355791
96 I-CONNECT007 I REAL TIME WITH... IPC APEX EXPO 2021 SHOW & TELL MAGAZINE 2. Rave Reviews for This Year's Technical Conference I spoke to more than a few APEX EXPO par- ticipants who said this year's technical confer- ence was among the best, if not the best ever. A lot of great content on big issues like cyber- security, data analytics, traceability, assembly materials and design, but a special nod to the interest generated by those sessions focused on reliability. e high attendance in these sessions spoke volumes; the industry is facing rising expectations about the reliability of elec- tronics products and services. High-reliability systems oen involve miniaturized commercial electronics function 24/7 in harsh-use envi- ronments. And they must meet these require- ments even as the industry moves away from the use of lead, introduces new laminate mate- rials, and leverages innovative manufacturing technologies to support smaller vias on higher density designs. e industry's intense interest in reliabil- ity should be a wake-up call for policymak- ers, many of whom have ignored the need for heavier investments in R&D and capital equip- ment in assembly and PCB manufacturing, even as they have deployed billions to sup- port the semiconductor and microelectron- ics industries. It is past time for governments in Europe and North America, in particu- lar, to adopt a more holistic approach to the industrial ecosystem that supports electronics manufacturing. e ecosystem's strength relies on meaningful investments across its many sub-sectors if we are to realize goals around resiliency, security, and innovation. 3. IPC Launches ESG for Electronics Initiative A recent online poll found that only a quarter of the executives who responded felt their organi- zations' leadership had a strong understanding of ESG, the acronym for Environment, Social and Corporate Governance. ESG is the new approach to corporate social responsibility, premised on the notion that companies that integrate ESG into their business decisions and operations are stronger by having accounted for concerns that create liabilities or risk. e financial services community is increasingly relying on ESG ratings and rankings to steer investments. Today, many IPC members that are public companies have ESG programs and are performing ESG-related data collection and reporting. In many cases, reporting obli- gations are increasingly flowing down to their suppliers. At the suggestion of our members, IPC decided greater leadership was necessary to help our industry navigate this new terrain. In his APEX keynote, IPC CEO John Mitchell announced the launch of a new ESG initiative that, in the short-term, will develop guidance that advances an industry-specific approach to ESG practices and reporting. A working group of electronics manufacturers is being formed, and the industry can expect to see the products of their work as early as this summer. In the longer term, the initiative will aim to marshal IPC's extensive resources and capa- bilities—in standards, workforce, research, and advocacy—to achieve industry-backed ESG goals.