IPC International Community magazine an association member publication
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IPC COMMUNITY 59 SUMMER 2024 Talking About Sustainability Another win for sustainability for electronics at IPC APEX EXPO was the program organized by the Taiwan Printed Circuit Association, where the afternoon sessions discussed sustainability initiatives. It was a phenomenal opportunity for IPC to demonstrate its global commitment to environmental stewardship as the invited guests explored avenues for enhancing sustainability across the supply chain. Conversations about sustainability were hap- pening behind the scenes as well. In a panel dis- cussion with IPC President and CEO Dr. John W. Mitchell, TTM CEO Tom Edman, and Greg Maxwell, VP of global supply chain at Northrup Grumman, they underscored the importance of sustainability in driving innovation and busi- ness success. We hope this becomes a platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas and strat- egies for integrating sustainability into corpo- rate agendas. Change often must start at the top. When leaders establish sustainability as a core value, their employees feel empowered to look for ways to make changes, both big and small. At the EMS Leadership Summit, Kelly initiated crucial discussions about sustainability for elec- tronics with key stakeholders who were eager to Dr. Kelly Scanlon, IPC's lead sustainability strate- gist, led many formal and informal conversations surrounding sustainability, particularly about how the electronics manufacturing industry can address its issues and concerns with compliance and implementation. Sustainability Track The Sustainability for Electronics track in the Technical Conference featured presentations, posters, and Professional Development Courses focused on critical topics such as sustainable alternatives to traditional substrates, and impact assessments of materials used to manufacture electronics. In some workshops, particularly those in PCB design and Factory of the Future, presenters shared research findings on innova- tive technologies that are driving sustainable manufacturing practices. Each sustainability-re- lated agenda item was marked with a green leaf icon on the IPC APEX EXPO website, making it easy to find. The Technical Program Commit- tee—industry experts volunteering their time to organize and review the abstracts submitted to the Technical Conference—were quite dedi- cated and supportive of this track. Standards Committees It was equally encouraging to look on the show's website and find stan- dards committee meetings marked with the green leaf, such as the stan- dards committee meeting on data exchange and communication of information relevant to sustainabil- ity-related reporting and disclosure. Other standards meetings explored critical topics, such as digital twin technology and materials declara- tion, highlighting the industry's com- mitment to sustainable practices at every stage of production. (To learn more about sustainability topics within IPC standards committees, click here.)