You work for an electronics manufacturer that does not belong to ...

[wenmo]

You work for an electronics manufacturer that does not belong to the EICC. Present a strong argument for your firm to join. Then present a strong argument for why it makes sense for your firm not to be a member.

Question 2

Visit the EPEAT Web site (www.epeat.net), and use the organizations tool to select your next laptop computer. How would you make trade-offs between an expensive machine with a Gold rating and a less-expensive machine with the same features and performance but only a Bronze rating?

[guyanai]

Answer to Question 1

Some may say that they would want to join the EICC since the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition promotes an industry code of conduct for global electronics supply chains to improve working and environmental conditions. The Code covers five areas that may be important to your companyLabor, Health and Safety, Environment, Management System, and Ethics. The leading electronics firms such as Microsoft, Apple, Cisco, and Dell, all belong to the EICC and get additional exposure and positive publicity from their membership. Members have access to EICC-provided tools such as a Risk Assessment Tool, Supplier Self-Assessment Questionnaire, and an Audit Protocol.

However, some may say that prior to the the adoption of the EICC Code of Conduct, many electronic manufacturing companies developed their own codes of conduct and used them to audit their suppliers. Since companies have their own audit programs and internal quality check mechanisms, it would not be necessary for them to be members of the EICC.

Answer to Question 2

Consumers, businesses, and governments have been demanding greener electronics so most major manufacturers of laptops already produce notebooks that meet the Gold rating. It is likely that buying the same performance and features with only a Bronze rating would mean buying from a less established manufacturer, or buying a product produced with components of lower quality. One may rationalize the purchase of a Bronze notebook that is cheaper but still has a good warranty from an established manufacturer by noting that all the required EPEAT criteria are still met at the Bronze level.