Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1500520
12 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2023 ics manufacturing supply chain is even more challenging. John Mitchell has elevated sustainability at IPC, which has a robust sustainability for elec- tronics initiative. We aim to identify the envi- ronmental, social, and corporate governance sustainability topics that are most pressing and put a roadmap into place for reassessing these topics over time. By identifying the most rele- vant or material topics, IPC wants to support the industry so it can focus on those things that matter, that is, that can be measured and adjusted to ensure sustainability goals for elec- tronics are appropriate and achievable. e sustainability initiative incorporates industry insights from electronics manufactur- ing experts with industry data and information. is industry-led, evidence-based approach ensures that IPC will be able to create industry solutions that move the design, development, and production of sustainable electronics for- ward to build electronics better. e Sustainabil- ity for Electronics Leadership Council, estab- lished in March 2023, meets regularly to priori- tize sustainability topics, and identify solutions to address challenges the industry has with these topics. Supply chain communications, terminology harmonization, and greenhouse gas reporting are some of the highest priorities, based on current regulatory drivers. From a recent review of more than 60 industry sustain- ability reports, we see that emissions, product lifecycle management, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), worker health and safety prac- tices, business ethics, and security issues are more frequently mentioned than other envi- ronmental, social, and corporate governance topics. By the end of 2023, IPC plans to have more insights into the relevant topics for the indus- try following the completion of an industry- wide materiality assessment, the first step in understanding the state of sustainability for electronics. Barry Matties: Can a fabricator do a sustain- ability self-audit, if there is such a thing, for our industry? Is that something IPC envisions? Our sustainability initiative officially kicked off in January 2023. We have only done a handful of things, but we have more on the way. ere's a balance—what is the most right way to frame up an audit verification program? Is it built against a standard or a reporting protocol? If so, which one? For example, let's consider a soldering iron that turns itself off when not in use. at is a new technology that allows it to heat up to temperature efficiently, and even more safely. You don't have a hot iron all day long. How do you classify that? Is that reducing greenhouse emissions, utility conservation, or worker safety? What is the electronics industry's role in dealing with social issues like the number of working hours or child labor? Is forced labor— people who are working against their will— relevant to the industry? If so, how does it get addressed? You see it's that mantra of continuous improvement. When you translate that into a micro view of electronics as an industry, your business models may need to change. You are Kelly Scanlon