Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1517668
104 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2024 Feature Article by Kelly Scanlon IPC LEAD SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIST When we look at existing IPC standards, we see that most were created and intended to communicate and clarify expectations for superior quality, reliability, and consistency in electronics manufacturing. At first glance, their connection to sustainability is not obvi- ous. Yet as we continue to evaluate existing IPC standards against sustainability reporting best practices or requirements for companies in the electronics value chain, there are more than a dozen IPC standards that address important and relevant sustainability topics. For example, training and education—a rel- evant and important industry sustainabil- ity topic covered by GRI standards—is rep- resented in popular IPC standards, including IPC-A-610, Acceptability of Electronic Assem- blies; IPC J-STD-001, Requirements for Sol- dered Electrical and Electronic Assemblies; and IPC-7711/21, Rework, Modification and Repair of Electronic Assemblies; and the certifi- cation programs built around these standards. e GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) stan- dards focus on the environmental, social, and economic impacts of a company in relation to sustainable development. ey represent global best practices for reporting publicly. GRI is just one of four frameworks sustain- ability disclosures identified as a driver caus- IPC Standards and Electronics Sustainability: More than Meets the Eye