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FEATURE STORY:
WE'VE COME TO THE END OF THE TRANSITION
As we release this R2 Newsletter on the last day of the three-year transition from R2:2013 to R2v3, we wanted to take a moment to reflect and even celebrate a little. But before we do, we also want to make it clear that the official end of the transition doesn’t mean it’s the end of the work. SERI staff, Certification Bodies, and Auditors are still working nonstop to push every facility that is still somewhere in the process across the finish line.
Sitting here on June 30, 2023, we want to congratulate the 955 facilities all around the globe that are currently R2v3 Certified! We know it takes commitment and work to meet this high bar, and we appreciate your contributions toward creating a world where all electronics are reused and recycled sustainably!
We also want to extend a big thank you to the huge support network that made all this possible, from the R2 Technical Advisory Committee that wrote R2v3 to the CBs and Auditors who have worked their way through stacks of paperwork and auditing trails to separate those who say they do the right thing from those who really do. We also want to thank the consultants who served as guides through the process for those facilities that chose to use them.
By their nature, transitions present a set of challenges. But transitioning to a new standard with a new structure (Core + Appendices) during a global pandemic made things even trickier. So, I also want to take a moment to thank my SERI staff who worked to answer every question that came in, filled the R2 Knowledge Base with tons of valuable resources, trained auditors and consultants, collaborated with the R2 TAC to provide guidance and adopt formal interpretations, and even integrated remote auditing into the process.
Looking forward, we will continue to support R2 Facilities, keep adding resources to the R2 Knowledge Base, work to increase adoption of R2 from the customer side, help R2 Certified facilities market their certification, and do what we can to help expand R2 to more facilities, all around the globe.
From ambitious but relatively humble beginnings to what has become the world’s most adopted voluntary standard for electronics reuse and recycling - now in 41 countries - we are proud of where we are today and look forward to continuing to be a collaborative leader for our industry now and into the future.
Sincerely,
Corey Dehmey
Executive Director, SERI
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Q&A: TRANSITIONING TO R2v3 | |
We know you might still have some questions about what happens to your facility or to your downstream partners that didn't finish their certification by the deadline and we've got some answers. | |
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ReTHINKING ELECTRONICS:
SHIFTING THE THINKING
As we continue on our theme of ReThinking, we’re thrilled to release our second animated video, ReThinking Electronics. We hope you’ll enjoy watching it as much as we did making it!
Our goal is to have as many people see this as possible, so feel free to share it on your own sites and communications and from our LinkedIn pages. If you are interested in obtaining a copy for distribution, reach out to us at: marketing@sustainableelectronics.org
We've also published an article on our website that lays out how we're ReThinking that we hope you'll find valuable.
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A LOOK BACK:
E-WASTE WORLD CONFERENCE & EXPO RECAP
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What a week of thought-provoking conversations we had in Frankfurt! For three days, we explored different ways to ReThink the e-waste challenge and shift the thinking along with other thought leaders from around the world.
We kicked things off on Tuesday with two great pre-conference workshops in collaboration with CTIA and ASCDI, and then on Wednesday and Thursday, moderated and contributed to the Circular Electronics, Remanufacturing, and ITAD track of the E-Waste World Conference. Carrying the theme of “ReThinking Electronics,” we started by redefining e-waste and then explored the roles of circular design, ESG reporting, repair, reuse, and data security in making electronics sustainable. We finished off the conference by taking a look at a couple of channels for electronics remarketing.
In the spaces in between, we had great conversations with a wide range of folks from all over the world on a variety of topics, not the least of which is the role that R2 can play in the world’s journey to electronics sustainability.
Thanks to the E-Waste World Conference and the presenters who gave their time and perspectives to deliver insightful content and challenge all of us to think differently!
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WEBINAR: INTRODUCING THE R2v3 CERTIFICATION
STANDARD IN INDIA
The National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) and SERI will co-host a webinar on the R2v3 Certification Standard. Topics will include an overview of the R2 program, how R2 fits with the current e-waste rules in India, available training and resources, and setting up the R2 infrastructure. The webinar will be held July 10, 2023, from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. ET and will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. Anyone can attend by following the link below. We hope to see you there!
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A HELPFUL R2v3 REMINDER
FROM THE R2 DIRECTOR
GUIDANCE FOR DEVELOPING
AN R2v3 DATA SANITIZATION PLAN
When developing your Data Sanitization Plan, make sure you include smaller data-containing media such as SD cards, USB flash drives, and SIM cards. Here is a helpful link to provide guidance on developing your Data Sanitization Plan.
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RESOURCE CENTER
CALLING ALL MARKETING TEAMS
Whether you are a marketing pro by trade, or it’s just one of the many plates you have to keep spinning, if you are charged with marketing for your R2 Certified organization, we want to talk to you!
We’re ramping up our resources to help R2 Certified Facilities market their R2 Certification to customers, and we’ll be releasing some excellent new resources very soon, including an R2 Marketing Kit, videos, and more from the R2 Resource Center.
Please click below to add yourself to that email distribution list to make sure you don’t miss out on any R2 marketing support!
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AVAILABLE R2v3 TRAINING CLASSES | |
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NEW TO R2: INTRO TO R2 WEBINAR
If you want to learn more about R2, join us on our Intro to R2 Webinars. They are held 3-4 times per month and are offered to accommodate time zones on all continents.
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R2 AUDITOR TRAINING CLASSES
Looking for in-depth, online, and interactive training on R2v3? These classes are open to auditors, consultants, and facilities. Sign up for the class today!
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RECENTLY ADDED TO THE R2 KNOWLEDGE BASE
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CAN'T FIND YOUR DSV REGISTRATION CONFIRMATION? | A new feature in the Knowledge Base now helps facilities to retrieve their Downstream Vendor Registration confirmation in minutes. With a form submission, the current DSV Registration confirmation email will be sent to all email addresses on the original report. | |  |
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LOSE YOUR
SERI LICENSE ACKNOWLEDGMENT?
| In the midst of an audit and in need of your License Acknowledgment? We have you covered. By entering your Account Key, the License Acknowledgment will be sent to the Certification Contact on file and a copy to the Certifying Body on file on demand. | |
EVENTS:
CHAMPIONING ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY AROUND THE WORLD
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SERI’s mission is to create a world where electronic products are reused and recycled in a way that results in resource preservation, the well-being of the environment, and the health and safety of workers and communities. To accomplish our mission, we look for opportunities to engage with various stakeholders on electronics sustainability and the value of R2 Certification and working with R2 Certified partners.
This past month, Executive Director Corey Dehmey and Chief Provocateur Jeff Seibert promoted the value of R2 and Electronics Sustainability at Circularity 23 in Seattle. R2 Guru Roger Greive was also busy discussing Sustainable Returns and Sustainable ITAD at RLA EMEA Summit in Amsterdam, and at the ITAM Review Wisdom EMEA Conference in London. Finally, R2 Director Mike Easterbrook was part of a panel discussion exploring how the requirements in R2v3 can direct the mobile industry to Sustainable Mobile at Mobile Disrupt in Las Vegas.
Here's where we're headed next:
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HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
Let us know what questions you have or what resources you would find valuable. The SERI Team is here to help!
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The R2 Update newsletter is a publication of SERI, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to create a world where electronic products are reused and recycled in a way that promotes resource preservation, the well-being of the natural environment, and the health and safety of workers and communities. | Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails. | | | | |
