EPEAT Program
Continuous Monitoring Plan
Computers and Displays
CD-2020-02
August 23, 2020
Background

The EPEAT Program is a comprehensive Type 1 ecolabel that helps purchasers identify sustainable electronic
products with superior environmental and social performance. Central to EPEAT are conformity assurance
activities that meet the technical rigor and credibility needs of the institutional purchasers who rely upon
EPEAT. These conformity assurance activities include the continuous review and monitoring of product claims
against EPEAT criteria.
The continuous monitoring process is conducted throughout each year in discrete Verification Rounds anduses both documentation review (Level 1 investigations) and independent laboratory evaluation of products(Level 2/3 investigations) to confirm validity of products claims against EPEAT criteria. Each Verification Round
has a specific time period where the investigation and/or data collection to support product claims must becompleted.
Annually EPEAT Program staff prepare a schedule and plan for the year’s continuous monitoring activities. For
each discrete Verification Round, EPEAT Program staff select products and criteria for investigation, prepare aplan for that Round, and assign investigations to EPEAT-approved Conformity Assurance Bodies (CABs). CABs
must implement the specified activities and work directly with those companies with products in the EPEAT
Registry, referred to as Participating Manufacturers.
The annual continuous monitoring schedule is published at the beginning of each year to allow resource
planning by both CABs and Participating Manufacturers. Specific Verification Round details are only provided
at the time when the Round occurs.

Verification Round CD-2020-02 Investigation Activities

Verification Round CD-2020-02 will use documentation review to confirm the validity of product claims in theEPEAT Registry. EPEAT Program staff assign specific products and criteria for evaluation to CABs. Participating
Manufacturers have a discrete time period in which they must provide evidence that supports conformancewith the selected criteria. CABs review the documentation, make recommendations on conformity based
solely on the evidence provided by Participating Manufacturers, and send Investigation Reports to EPEAT
Program staff, who make the final decisions on conformity.

Verification Round CD-2020-02 Criteria and Product Selection

Criteria were selected for Verification Round CD-2020-02 based on the positive sustainability impact thecriteria will have when adopted and the potential to drive change in the sector. Each Participating
Manufacturer selecting the criteria was assigned investigations and products were chosen randomly. Any
Participating Manufacturer that received a proven nonconformance during 2019 continuous monitoring
activities for the Computers and Displays category will receive an additional investigation in Verification Round
CD-2020-02. Participating Manufacturers may receive up to three investigations in this Round.
The table below identifies the criteria selected and the number of products chosen for investigation.

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Overview of Criteria and Products Selected
Product Category

Number of Products Selected
Criteria Selected

Computers and Displays
64
4.2.1.1
4.10.1.1

Required product criterion
Minimum post-consumer recycled plastic, ITE-derived post-consumer
recycled plastic or bio-based plastic content
Optional corporate criterion
Socially responsible supplier manufacturing: Labor

Verification Round CD-2020-02 Schedule
Phase of Verification Round

Investigation Phase (CABs performing investigations)

Date

Round Launch

September 14, 2020

Investigative period begins

September 14, 2020

Investigative period ends

December 13, 2020

CABs submit investigation reports to EPEAT

January 8, 2021

Deliberation period begins

January 11, 2021

EPEAT returns final conformity decisions/reports to CABs. Notice of Corrective Action Phase.

February 8, 2021

Corrective action period begins

February 15, 2021

Corrective action period ends

March 17, 2021

CABs submit corrective action reports to EPEAT

March 24, 2021

EPEAT returns final investigation reports with corrective action decision to CABs

March 31, 2021

Outcomes Report publishedApril 7, 2021

Deliberation Phase (EPEAT making conformity decisions)

Corrective Action Phase (Participating Manufacturers restoring accuracy of EPEAT Registry)

Reporting Phase

Process Details – Continuous Monitoring Using Documentation Review

Continuous monitoring activities that use documentation review to assess validity of product claims are
conducted in accordance with current EPEAT policies and procedures identified in the EPEAT Policy Manual(P65), EPEAT Requirements of CABs and Conformity Assurance Procedures (P66) and EPEAT Program
Procedures (P67).
•EPEAT Program staff download a list of all products actively listed in the EPEAT Registry, selectproducts from the list for investigation and assign criteria to each product, as per the Verification
Round Plan.

•CABs receive the list of products and criteria selected for their client Participating Manufacturers but
do not yet notify the Participating Manufacturers of the imminent investigations.

•EPEAT Program staff publish the Verification Round Plan on the launch date of the Round.

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On the launch date, CABs notify the Participating Manufacturers that their products have been
selected for investigation.

•Participating Manufacturers have a discrete time period in which they must provide evidence thatsupports conformance with the selected criteria.

•CABs review the documentation, make recommendations on conformity based solely on the evidence
provided by Participating Manufacturers, and prepare an Investigation Report for each product.

•CABs submit the Investigation Reports to the EPEAT Program. At the same time, CABs forward thesesame Reports to the Participating Manufacturers.

•EPEAT Program staff review Investigation Reports and makes the final decisions on productconformance with the selected criteria. The EPEAT Program then sends the Investigation Reports backto the CABs.

•CABs send the Investigation Reports with the final conformity decision to the ParticipatingManufacturers.

•For decisions of nonconformance, Participating Manufacturers must take corrective action within 30
calendar days to restore the accuracy of the EPEAT Registry.

•The EPEAT Program publishes an Outcomes Report identifying the nonconforming products andParticipating Manufacturers, as well as the actions taken to restore accuracy of the EPEAT Registry.

Document Control and Change History
Issue

Revision

Owner

ApproverDescription

Approval Date

Effective Date

10

Sr Manager,
Ecolabels andResources

Director, EPEAT
Program

Initial release2020 Aug 20

2020 Aug 23

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