Pace sets the standard for green set-top boxes

Pace plc (LSE:PIC), the leading developer of digital TV technologies, today sets out its goal to be the world-leader in low environmental impact (LEI) set-top boxes.

Neil Gaydon, Chief Executive Officer at Pace plc, comments: “We are taking action to reduce our environmental impact across all aspects of our business – from products to our operations and supply chain.

“Product development is where we have the greatest impact on the environment. Growing demand for our products across the world, which increasingly include more advanced and power hungry applications, means this is at the heart of our strategy.”

Pace is targeting the three key areas where its products have the highest environmental impact. These, together with Pace’s environmental initiatives are:

1. Power consumption – the hardware design of every Pace product from this point onwards will comply with or exceed the EU Code of Conduct, EnergyStar and MEPS guidelines¹. In regions where no guidelines exist, Pace will apply the closest guidelines to these areas². Pace will work with its key partners to drive compliance across all aspects of the final product, including software.
2. Packaging – all materials used in the packaging of Pace products will be 100% recyclable. Pace is setting a minimum standard of 50% of all materials used in packaging to be sourced from recycled materials.
3. Hazardous substances – Pace is going beyond current legislation with its own extensive ‘Restricted Substances’ list. Pace will phase out these additional hazardous substances from all future products going forwards.

To achieve these goals, Pace will be launching its ‘Design for Environment’ standard at IBC. This will be introduced to all new product developments going forward. Pace product innovations that will move the industry towards an LEI future will be demonstrated at IBC.

Neil adds: “It is essential that we work with our partners and customers to minimise energy demands through innovative product design. By working together the industry can significantly reduce the amount of power consumed worldwide.”

Supply Chain

Pace is driving its key suppliers (which represent over 50% of all components used in Pace products) to match Pace’s approach to reduce their impact on the environment. Two key measures will be the requirement of all key suppliers to adopt the ISO14001 standard and to pledge to reduce their CO2 emissions year on year.

Pace is working with its partners, including conditional access, silicon and middleware providers, to enable Pace’s hardware innovations to be implemented through the required software processes. “It is essential that all parts of the set-top box industry come together to make low environmental impact (LEI) set-top boxes a reality,” Neil added.

Further information on Pace’s environmental initiatives will be unveiled at the Pace Press Conference at IBC – 11.00am Sunday 14th September, Room T, IBC.

1. EU Code of Conduct applies to all products sold in the European Union. EnergyStar relates to all products sold in the United States. MEPS (Minimum Energy Performance Standard) applies to products sold in Australia and New Zealand.
2. For information on these guidelines visit
http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/energyefficiency/html/standby_initiative_digital%20tv%20services.htm
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=revisions.settop_box_spec
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=dta.pr_dta
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/considered.html#electronics