Manufacturers are under constant pressure to produce safe, environmentally friendly products. Following the European Union's recent directives such as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction on the use of Hazardous Substances (RoHS), it's clear that the electronics industry is expected to clean up its act. Already, buyers are asking suppliers to provide proof of their product's compliance upfront, while manufacturers are limiting or stopping the use of hazardous materials and responsibly dealing with e-waste. The slightest sign of a company's disregard or failure to comply with regulations can result in steep fines, or it could be the beginning of the end for your business. Therefore, now is the time to act and safeguard yourself against the imminent risks your products may pose to others and the environment.

Consistant with the growing demand of environment friendly electronic products, the International Electrotechnical Commission has introduced the IECQ HSPM QC 080000 standard for Hazardous Substance Process Management.

The IECQ HSPM provides a framework for the management of hazardous substance control. Organisations applying for certification need to adopt the measures outlined, and remain in accordance with its framework. The standard itself, defines the requirements for establishing processes that identify and control any introduction of hazardous substances into your products.

The procedure for establishing the HSPM system has four stages:
1. Plan the system
2. Establish the system
3. Develop and execute the system
4. System certification and continuous

Certifying your HSPM systems proves that your manufacturing process makes products that comply with the present environmental legislations and regulations. What's more, an IECQ HSPM certificate from SGS is a boost to any company's reputation and helps you to not only stays in business, but can also open up new opportunities.

Regular assessment performed by SGS helps you to continually use, monitor and improve your HSPM systems and the relevant processes. This will improve the reliability of your internal operations to meet customer requirements, as well as overall performance.