IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1509763
IPC COMMUNITY 45 FALL 2023 blies; and the certification programs built around these standards. The GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) stan- dards focus on the environmental, social, and economic impacts of a company in relation to sustainable development. They represent global best practices for reporting publicly. GRI is just one of four frameworks sustainabil- ity disclosures identified as a driver causing companies in the industry to disclose data and information on various sustainability top- ics and targets. A recent exploratory material- ity study of dozens of industry sustainability reports revealed that GRI, along with SASB, TCFD, and CDP, was strongly preferred and most used of the four. I provided an overview of a recent explor- atory materiality study that evaluated dozens of industry sustainability reports to determine the drivers for disclosing data on sustainabil- ity targets. Companies reporting against the GRI 404 Training and Education requirements, for example, must document their approach to training and upgrading employee skills, includ- ing training programs inside or outside the company. The IPC standards that I've men- tioned require personnel proficiency at tasks, and associated IPC training programs ensure industry-traceable certification. Companies should consider these IPC standards and certi- fication activities when they are compiling data and information for their sustainability reports in the topic area of training and education. A new IPC standard, IPC-1402, Standard for Green Cleaners Used in Electronics Manu- facturing, applies to direct-use chemicals to clean electronic products or components, as well as to clean manufacturing machines or tooling during operation and maintenance. It establishes practical criteria for cleaning prod- ucts used in electronics manufacturing work- places that can be efficiently applied by deci- sion-makers and purchasing parties to pro- tect workers. IPC-1402 is used as a baseline to determine qualifications for programs aimed at promoting safer chemical alternatives. Companies reporting against the GRI 403 OHS requirements must demonstrate com- mitment to worker health and safety—the prevention of harm and promotion of health through processes that assess risks and apply methods to eliminate or minimize those risks. Given the expertise and financial resources necessary to complete hazard analyses and more comprehensive risk assessments neces- sary to meet this GRI requirement, it is useful to have an industry standard that enables effi- cient risk evaluation. Companies should con- sider this IPC standard when looking to move toward safer chemical cleaning products and demonstrate their commitment to prevention. There are many other relevant sustainabil- ity topics, including product life cycle man- agement, product security, and procurement practices, that can be addressed using existing IPC standards. We continue to evaluate them to determine their utility in documenting sus- tainable practices for your company. Please contact me if you have questions about IPC standards and their applicability to sustain- ability requirements. Dr. Kelly Scanlon is enjoying her role as the lead sustainability strategist at IPC. In a recent podcast, Kelly said, "My role at IPC is cross-functional. We do education, workforce training, advocacy, standards, events, and industry intelligence. I get to work across those functions to make sure we are doing what we can to integrate sustainability into those offerings and enable the industry's sustainability activities." Kelly works to determine what IPC can do to make relevant sustainability topics more tan- gible and realistic for the industry and she's able to do that because she cares a lot about our industry and a lot about sustainability. IPC COMMUNITY 45 FALL 2023