From Zero-Carbon Factories to Reporting Environmental Impact: Sustainability Takeaways from APEX EXPO 2026

By Seth Jacobsen, Sustainability Program Manager, Global Electronics Association

Key Summary

• During in-depth panels and technical sessions at APEX EXPO 2026, industry leaders highlighted how sustainability has transformed into a competitive mandate for the electronics sector. From tracking and reporting environmental data to the business benefits that accompany sustainability efforts, electronics leaders are navigating how to increase sustainability in their operations. 

Sustainability is moving from intention to implementation. That was our resounding takeaway from APEX EXPO 2026, where industry leaders convened to discuss the measurable outcomes, real-world progress, and solutions for overcoming decarbonization challenges.

In sustainability-focused sessions, the Association celebrated measurable sustainability gains – including Panasonic’s strides toward a zero-carbon factory by 2030, Jabil being ahead of schedule on its greenhouse gas emission reductions, and Koh Young helping customers reduce waste via “smart” inspections and data-driven manufacturing. 

What did we hear from industry about their sustainability efforts at APEX EXPO 2026?

• Industry players from around the world shared how sustainability has become a core part of their business strategies, helping to drive tangible benefits to bottom lines. 
• Sustainability measures like reducing defects, improving manufacturing efficiencies, and optimizing energy use are helping electronics players to improve profitability and performance. 
• Improved recycling systems are also aiding the industry to reduce its outsized waste – currently less than 20% of electronics products are recycled – while enabling manufacturers to repurpose working components and metals.
• While the electronics industry clearly aspires to reduce its environmental impact, many electronics players grapple with where to start – and how to report their impact. Companies that track, measure, and report sustainability data have a competitive edge: for some, this data has been the differentiator in winning or losing business.

John Mitchell moderated an executive-level panel featuring Association members Andy Behr, Director of North America, Panasonic Industry – Electronic Materials Division; Thomas Cetta, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at Jabil; and Joel Scutchfield, General Manager of Koh Young America.

A deep dive into better sustainability data at APEX EXPO 2026:

One common challenge we hear about all the time is how do we track, measure, and report sustainability data better. At APEX EXPO, this conversation took the spotlight. 

Here are our takeaways: 

• Aligning industry through standards: Companies rarely have a standardized approach to measuring sustainability, making results hard to compare. Common standards are needed so customers can trust and compare the numbers they receive.
• Streamlining data: The data that underpins product carbon footprints, life cycles, material composition details, and supply chain information is often missing, disconnected, or hard to use. This information tends not to exist in a single place, follows consistent standards, and can be difficult to obtain from suppliers. 
• Decarbonizing in tandem with suppliers: Supplier data that is detailed and comprehensive can be hard to obtain. While manufacturers may know a lot about their own processes, they have less visibility further down the supply chain – requiring them to engage with suppliers. 
• Automatizing data collection: Manual data gathering is too slow and difficult for large, complex electronics supply chains. Better tools like AI and other forms of automation can help collect data faster and improve estimates, making sustainability reporting easier. 

Association members shared insights on why data Is sustainability’s biggest bottleneck.

The message at APEX EXPO was clear: The electronics industry is making significant strides in addressing its environmental impact. The Global Electronics Association is proud to lead the industry towards an accelerated path to sustainability.