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R2 NEWSLETTER: AUGUST 2023 | |
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FEATURE STORY
THE EVOLUTION OF R2: FROM RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING TO REUSE & RECYCLING
When R2 was introduced in 2008, the 2 “R’s” originally stood for “Responsible Recycling” since that first version of R2 really was meant to address the responsible management of electronics at the end of life. Even though “Responsible Recycling” was attached to the R2:2013 certification mark, the R2 Standard was already shifting to include best practices for electronics reuse as well as recycling. Today, there is significantly more emphasis on reuse in the R2 Standard. And that is why, with the release of R2v3, the two “R’s” in R2 now officially stand for Reuse & Recycling, and you’ll note that “Responsible Recycling” has been dropped from the R2 certification mark.
The numbers demonstrate this evolution pretty clearly as nearly 75% of all R2v3 Certified Facilities are certified for ITAD. That is more than 750+ facilities certified to Appendix B for Logical Data Erasure and Appendix C for Test and Repair. And that’s why R2 is built for ITAD.
In all of our marketing materials, we refer to R2 as the Sustainable Electronics Reuse & Recycling Standard, and we hope you will as well.
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A SPOTLIGHT ON ESG
A topic that continues to gain traction within the electronics industry is ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), and while there is plenty of debate around the subject, one thing that is clear is that ESG is important to customers, and it’s no longer a question of “if” it will impact your business, but “how” and “when.”
Engaging with panelists Naomi Manahan, Senior Operations Program Manager, Reverse Logistics Group Americas, Curt Greeno, President, Dynamic Lifecycle Innovations, and Natalie Betts, Assistant VP of Sustainability, Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), SERI’s Executive Director Corey Dehmey will moderate the panel Leveraging Your ESG Expertise at the joint E-Reuse/E-Scrap Conference in New Orleans in September.
This panel is part of the new Marketing Track at the conference and will explore how facilities can increase partnership value by helping customers meet their ESG goals.
Also, on the topic of ESG, look for SERI’s article in the E-Scrap News conference print edition, as well as an upcoming bigger announcement from SERI in the coming weeks!
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A HELPFUL R2v3 REMINDER
FROM THE R2 DIRECTOR
BUILDING YOUR INTERNAL
AUDIT PROGRAM
Remember, the R2 Standard requires three types of internal audits:
1. An internal audit of the R2 Core Requirements and applicable Process Requirements (Core 3(c))
2. A legal compliance audit (Core 4(d)(3))
3. An internal data security and sanitization audit (Core 7(c)(3)).
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APPENDIX G UPDATE:
THE STRENGTH OF THE PROCESS
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With the first public comment period for Draft Appendix G complete, the R2 Technical Advisory Committee (R2 TAC) continues to discuss the comments received, working to ensure the addition of Appendix G meets the high bar set by SERI’s Standards Development process and the R2v3 Standard.
As we reported in the last update, the comments created good discussion and debate among the R2 TAC members, which is still ongoing and expected to continue through September. While the R2 TAC has responded to the individual commentors, full comments and the R2 TAC’s responses will be made public when the R2 TAC has reached a conclusion on each individual comment.
Our expectation is that the R2 TAC will revise Draft Appendix G based on this first round of public comment, and in that case, the revised draft will be released for a second round of public comment this fall.
Taking a step back, we want to again thank those who participated in the process of public comment thus far. Public comment plays an important role in making R2 better and a powerful tool for the entire industry, and we appreciate your participation in the process.
Please continue to follow the SERI Newsletters and LinkedIn posts for updates on the progress of Appendix G!
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In our latest “Ask The R2 Guru” Podcast, Roger Greive discusses how to maintain the Data Sanitization Plan to keep up with changes in your internal operations, new data devices, and changes in technology, such as the oncoming wave of materials from the Internet of Things (IoT).
Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and give it a listen today.
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THE POWER OF THE R2
KNOWLEDGE BASE
UNDERSTANDING THE R2v3
REMOTE SURVEILLANCE AUDIT
While nearly all remote audits for other standards are built to emulate an in-person audit that just happens to be conducted virtually over a platform like Zoom or Teams, SERI knew that if we were ever going to add remote audits as an option for R2, they would need to be very different. Instead of just making the auditor and facility personnel sit on a video call for hours, wasting time, any remote R2 audit would need to take advantage of the technology to be flexible, efficient, less disruptive to facilities, and most importantly, produce the same quality results as an in-person audit.
With the continued global adoption of R2, SERI had already begun considering remote audits, and then the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated our timeline.
After building an asynchronous step-by-step process from the ground up and then two years of piloting and testing remote audits, we’re very proud to say the R2 Remote Audit has even exceeded our high expectations.
Whether you are a facility, an auditor, a consultant, or a customer who relies on R2 Certified vendors, you should understand how and why R2 remote audits work to produce positive outcomes. Learn more about the benefits of remote surveillance audits and the process in this new Knowledge Base article.
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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. Space is limited so sign up for the class today!
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EVENTS:
CHAMPIONING ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY AROUND THE WORLD
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Each month, we let you know where we’re going and what conversations we’re having for two reasons. First, we simply hope you’ll catch up with us if you are planning to be in the same places. But even more importantly, we want you to know how we are talking to and educating the customers of R2 Facilities because they are the ones who have the ability to influence the decisions that their organization makes as well as the vendor selection process for their used electronics. We see choosing R2 Certified Facilities as a big part of the solution to getting to electronics sustainability and believe that educating all the various audiences is a powerful way to get there.
This past month, SERI's Chief Provocateur Jeff Seibert joined a panel at the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Summit in Atlanta to teach institutional purchasers about Sustainable ITAD and how choosing R2 Certified partners can support their sustainable purchasing policies.
Here's where we're headed next:
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WRF '23, Geneva, Switzerland, September 4-6 - Catch our team at the World Resources Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, as we talk about R2 and how R2 Certified Facilities promote electronics sustainability around the world.
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ERC/E-Scrap Conference, New Orleans, LA, September 18-20 - The SERI team will be fully engaged at this year’s combined E-Reuse/E-Scrap Conference in New Orleans, with an exhibit booth and a couple of exciting workshops and conference sessions in the new Marketing track. First, Jeff will lead a session helping R2 Facilities leverage and get the most out of their R2 Certification. Then, Executive Director Corey Dehmey will moderate a panel to help facilities increase partnership value by helping their customers meet their ESG goals. In addition, R2 Director Mike Easterbrook, R2 Guru Roger Greive, and Outreach Director Patty McKenzie will be helping facilitate the sessions and staffing our exhibit booth to answer all your questions about R2. If you are going to be at this year’s conference, make sure you catch up with the SERI team!
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The European Broker Meeting, Malta, October 5-6 - Roger will be speaking with more than 1,200 electronics refurbishers and resellers from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East as he presents his session, “How to Put R2 Certification to Work for You.”
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Sustainable Brands, San Diego, CA, October 16-19 - Jeff will be educating about the importance of practicing Sustainable ITAD and how working with R2 Certified partners can support organizational sustainability goals to a unique mix of sustainability and regenerative businesses and leaders in a nonprofit and startup exhibit space at this year’s conference.
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Wisdom APAC, Albert Park, Victoria, Australia, November 15-16 - Corey will be engaging with IT asset managers and helping them understand the value of R2 Certification in vendor selection as he presents the session, “Transforming Your ITAD to Sustainable ITAD.” While in Australia, SERI is also interested in opportunities to host additional meetings with R2 Certified companies and even provide a workshop on R2 Certification. If you are interested in meeting, attending an R2 Workshop, or even helping us with the event, please let us know at Marketing@SustainableElectronics.org
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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 the R2 Newsletter as a forward? Sign up to start receiving your own copy. | | | | |
