Global Electronics Council Celebrates 2026 EPEAT Purchaser Award Winners for Driving Historic Environmental and Cost Reductions
PORTLAND, OR / ACCESS Newswire / July 7, 2026 / Leading a global movement toward responsible technology, the Global Electronics Council (GEC) today proudly unveiled the winners of the 2026 EPEAT Purchaser Awards. This year's honorees have demonstrated the extraordinary power of intentional procurement, making collective purchasing decisions that eliminated 224,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, an impact equivalent to removing roughly 48,000 passenger cars from the road for an entire year.
The annual EPEAT Purchaser Awards celebrate visionary institutions that actively prioritize EPEAT registered products. In doing so, these organizations do more than meet internal sustainability milestones; they fundamentally shift the market toward responsible electronic supply chains. Highlighting the intersection of institutional mission and environmental stewardship, this year's cohort features the University of California, Santa Barbara, showcasing how educational institutions are uniquely positioned to champion social and environmental responsibility.
Showcasing the immense power of university procurement to drive systemic environmental change, the University of California, Santa Barbara stands out as a premier honoree this year.
"As institutions of higher education, we have a responsibility not only to teach sustainability but also to practice it. Institutional procurement can account for a significant share of supply chain emissions, making sustainable purchasing one of our strongest tools for reducing environmental impact" explained Jen Bowser, Sustainable Procurement Program Manager. "Receiving the 2026 EPEAT Purchaser Award recognizes the collective efforts of staff, faculty, and students across UC Santa Barbara to make sustainability part of everyday decision-making and reflects our commitment to purchasing electronics that support both our campus community and the future of our planet."
The awards also spotlighted global leadership in the public sector, honoring the Scottish Government for an incredible eighth consecutive year. Their enduring commitment underscores how national procurement frameworks can actively build a sustainable future.
"These frameworks continue to support Scotland's Net Zero ambitions through the circular economy and environmental best practice," said Calum Elliot, Deputy Director, National Collaborative Procurement Division. "We can only achieve this with the support of our wider public sector colleagues, and our gratitude goes to them, our suppliers, and the Global Electronics Council for helping us move towards our sustainability goals."
By collectively purchasing more than 1.5 million EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners did not just protect the planet-they also demonstrated that responsible procurement is smart business, securing an estimated $43 million in operational savings over the lifecycles of the products. Beyond massive greenhouse gas reductions, this year's winners achieved remarkable conservation milestones across the board, collectively reducing:
978 gigawatt-hours of energy, enough to power 80,500 average US households for a year.
20,400 metric tons of solid waste, matching the annual waste output of 11,000 US households.
2.25 billion liters of water, saving enough water to fill 903 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
"This year's winners demonstrate that when leadership and sustainability converge, the environmental dividends are immense," remarked Bob Mitchell, CEO of the Global Electronics Council. "EPEAT is proud to empower these trailblazers with the tools they need to confidently advance their impact goals, protect vital resources, and lead the global marketplace toward a more responsible future."
By choosing EPEAT registered products, the 2026 award winners are doing more than reducing their own footprint-they are establishing a bold blueprint for institutions worldwide. The Global Electronics Council applauds these pioneers and invites organizations everywhere to join this vital movement, leverage their purchasing power, and help accelerate the transition to a sustainable, circular economy.
To learn more about the EPEAT Purchaser Awards and view the full list of 2026 recipients, visit: globalelectronicscouncil.org/epeat-purchaser-awards.
Global Electronics Council
The Global Electronics Council (GEC) envisions a world with only sustainable electronic technology that enhances the well-being of people and planet. Our mission is to accelerate the transformation of markets toward prioritizing the most sustainable electronic products and services.
As stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel, we set global standards for electronics that empower brands, their value chains and their buyers to achieve ambitious sustainability goals. Through our thought leadership, advocacy, and EPEAT ecolabel, GEC is helping to reshape the electronics industry into a driving force for environmental preservation and global well-being.
Our EPEAT Ecolabel
We are stewards of the EPEAT ecolabel - the definitive global standard to drive change across the technology sector from extraction to end of life. EPEAT enables manufacturers to follow strict third party verified standards while providing transparency for buyers.
Since its launch in 2006, procurement professionals have reported purchases of over 3.2 billion EPEAT products, generating cost savings exceeding 39 billion USD and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 370 million metric tonnes.
Media Contact
Erik Fessler
Senior Manager, Global Communications
Global Electronics Council
Direct Line: +1 (971) 380-4088
U.S. Eastern Time Zone
efessler@gec.org
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SOURCE: Global Electronics Council
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/utilities/institutions-cut-224-000-metric-tons-of-co%e2%82%82-through-epeat-registered-procurement-1187474
