ETSI has announces the publication of ETSI EN 304 132: Product Specific Requirements for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Smartphones, the first standard of its kind for the ICT industry that enables the environmental impact of smartphone models to be assessed consistently and comparably.
The standard is derived from the international recognised and widely adopted ETSI EN 203 199 which defines a methodology for environmental Life Cycle Assessment of ICT goods, networks and services. It will help the ICT industry demonstrate environmental improvements over time.
1.3 billion smartphones were sold globally in 2023. Of all smartphones in use, around 580 million tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) are emitted annually—around 1% of all worldwide emissions.
Although smartphone manufacturers regularly publish sustainability reports, differences in methodologies, assumptions and data used make it increasingly difficult to compare results between devices.
A standardised format is required to not only fairly compare players in the industry, but to ensure the credible tracking of environmental reductions. ETSI’s new standard establishes this common framework, covering the full life cycle of a smartphone–including raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end of life.
Environmental performance is becoming an increasingly important factor in product design, procurement and corporate sustainability reporting. Until now, differences in LCA methodologies have created difficulties, and limited the value of environmental data for manufacturers, operators, customers and other stakeholders.
By making it easier to distinguish genuine environmental improvements, manufacturers have a more credible way to demonstrate progress; operators and other buyers can compare devices and multi-vendor portfolios consistently; and customers have greater confidence in the environmental information published about smartphones.
“Smartphone manufacturers are working to reduce the environmental impact of their products, but those efforts need a credible and consistent way to be measured,” said Anders Andrae, Chair of the working group Mobile ICT devices within the ETSI Technical Committee Environmental Engineering. “Our standard, which is a first for the industry, gives a common benchmark for everyone to adhere to, and ensures that all players are making genuine progress towards sustainability goals.”
