R2 NEWSLETTER: JULY 2023

FEATURE STORY:

AFTER THE TRANSITION, LOOKING BACK...

AND FORWARD

In this month’s feature, we take one final look at the transition to R2v3 through some actual data before we discuss where SERI and R2 are heading next. We hope you’ll read the full article, where we take a deeper dive into these topics, but here’s a quick synopsis. 

As of July 1, 2023, 985 facilities were Certified to R2v3, and that number has grown to more than 1,020 since then. We know every facility put considerable effort into becoming certified to the latest version of R2 and that it was no easy task as the R2 TAC raised the bar again with R2v3. 

Behind the transition statistics, there are some takeaways that we think are worth noting.

• The rate of facility attrition during the transition is similar to what we normally see, meaning we didn't experience additional dropoff because of the transition to R2v3.
• R2 continues to grow in the total number of Certified Facilities and the number of countries where they are located.
• An overwhelming number of R2v3 Certified Facilities are Certified to Appendix B, Logical Data Sanitization, and C, Test & Repair, further demonstrating how R2v3 is built for and delivering Sustainable ITAD.

Looking forward, though it isn’t yet time to begin our ANSI-required five-year review of the R2 Standard, we are having some interesting conversations on a wide range of topics -more on those in the full article.  

The one big takeaway that we hope everyone gets from this article is that we recognize how much effort went into every R2v3 Certification. We hope your entire organization is very proud of the accomplishment. Together we will continue to raise the bar for our industry and lead the way to electronics sustainability and a circular future. 

APPENDIX G:

PV MODULES UPDATE

The first public comment period for Appendix G-PV Modules has closed, and we wanted to share the next update on the progress of its addition to the R2 Standard.

ASK THE R2 GURU PODCAST

In our latest “Ask The R2 Guru” Podcast, Roger Greive spends some time with Mike Watson, a current SERI Board member and one of the original architects of the R2 Standard. We think it’s a pretty interesting look back at the roots of the R2 Standard from inception through today, and we hope it will provide a little perspective by way of history.

Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and give it a listen today.

MARKETING YOUR R2 CERTIFICATION:

HOW SERI IS HELPING

Another area of focus for us is taking the next step to help R2 Certified Facilities market their certification. To that end, we’ve just relaunched our R2 Resource Center, which we’ve filled with an even wider variety of helpful tools that you can use to educate your customers on what your R2 Certification means to them and how that differentiates you from the rest. It’s got everything from videos to share to copy points to strengthen your website, email marketing campaigns, sales presentations, and RFPs. We’ve built a marketing kit that talks about which R2 logos to use and when, and we’ve also developed sell sheets and some social media image templates. We’ll continuously add to the R2 Resource Center as we build even more marketing tools for R2 Certified Facilities.  

We’re also starting a marketing newsletter specifically targeted toward the marketing and sales teams at facilities where a few times a year, we’ll go in-depth into how we’re talking about R2 to customers on behalf of facilities and how you can reinforce those messages within your communications. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can do so here. 

In September, at the combined E-Reuse/E-Scrap Conference in New Orleans, we’ll be leading a pre-conference workshop on Marketing your R2 Certification, and we hope you’ll join us for that. More details to follow soon. 

While we believe that most facilities are interested in doing the right thing, we recognize that R2 Certification is also a business-level decision, and we’re here to help make sure you get as much value out of your certification as you can.  

A HELPFUL R2v3 REMINDER

FROM THE R2 DIRECTOR

COVERING POTENTIAL

ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITIES

Appendix E(8) requires R2 Facilities certified to Appendix E to maintain pollution liability insurance, guaranteed reserves, or government guarantee to cover potential environmental incidents, per Core Requirement 9. So, in instances where pollution liability insurance isn't available in your jurisdiction, guaranteed reserves can be obtained. Ensure that a risk evaluation is done in accordance with Core Requirement 9(d) to determine what is the appropriate amount to cover your environmental liabilities.

AVAILABLE R2v3 TRAINING CLASSES

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.

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!

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 that 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, R2 Director Mike Easterbrook led the panel discussion on R2v3 and Beyond: SERI’s Commitment to Sustainable Electronics at ITAD Summit in Scottsdale, AZ.

Here's where we're headed next:

• Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, Atlanta, GA, August 14-16 - SERI's Chief Provocateur Jeff Seibert will be joining a panel at the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Summit to teach institutional purchasers how R2 can increase their sustainable purchasing policies.

• WRF '23, Geneva, Switzerland, September 4-6 - Catch SERI’s R2 Certification exhibit at the World Resources Forum promoting R2 and sustainable electronics practices to various stakeholders from around the world. 

• ERC/E-Scrap Conference, New Orleans, LA, September 18-20 - The SERI team will be engaged at this year’s combined E-Reuse/E-Scrap Conference in New Orleans, with a variety of workshops and conference sessions. We’ll also be showcasing all the new SERI programs. Find new opportunities to enhance your sustainability engagements. 

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