1978
Awareness is beginning to grow, especially among women, about problems associated with radiation emissions from computer displays. Problems with the neck, arms and wrists as well as different forms of eye complaint such as burning, eye fatigue, a gritty sensation and aching eyes.
1982
TCO realizes that nothing is going to happen unless they take matters into their own hands.
A letter is sent to the Technical Research Institute of Sweden about starting the testing of displays.
1986
The screen checker is launched, an aid for individual employees to check the ergonomic properties of their own displays and keyboards by filling in a protocol. It soon becomes extremely popular and is available in nine languages within a few years.
1992
A close collaborative arrangement is initiated with the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation, Nutek (the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth) and Semko (today Intertek). The realization dawns that demand needs to be stimulated globally to ensure a raising of awareness of the problem as only one per cent of all displays are sold in Sweden.
The first TCO standard, TCO’92 is launched on 1 September 1992 in Berlin at an international science conference concerning health risks associated with display work. It includes standards for emitted radiation, energy effectivisation and electricity and fire safety.
1993
Nokia is the first company to succeed in securing certification for one of their display models.
They are then followed by Eizo and ICL.
Nato’s headquarters are quick to ask for TCO’92-labelled displays.
The co-operation between TCO, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and Nutek is broadened. A major initiative extending over many years is conducted to create energy-efficient offices adapted to the working environment and external environment.
1994
TCO Information Centre opens in Chicago in co-operation with the Trade Council. The Centre plays an important role in spreading the word about the label in the USA.
TCO seminars for manufacturers of displays in Tokyo and Taiwan.
Boeing purchases 25,000 TCO-labelled displays.
Having put up stiff resistance initially, Hewlett-Packard and IBM follow suit and begin to secure certification for their displays.
1995
TCO’95 is launched with new requirements for visual ergonomics and picture quality, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, heavy metals and recycling, e.g. to avoid mixing different types of plastics. The labelling system encompasses displays, keyboards and system units.
1999
TCO’99 is launched with stricter requirements including visual ergonomics. Labelling is extended to include flat panel displays, laptops and printers.
2001
TCO labelling of mobile phones is launched.
2003
TCO’03 Displays is launched with more stringent requirements for the picture quality of flat panel displays. Eizo, LG, Philips and Samsung are the first companies to label their products. Asus is the first company to meet the updated requirements for laptops contained in TCO’99. The first test laboratory outside the Nordic region, TUV Rheinland Taiwan, is approved for TCO testing.
2004
The TCO label, TCO’04 Office Furniture, is launched for office furniture, work tables and chairs.
2005
TCO’05 Notebooks and TCO’05 Desktops are launched for laptops and desktop computers with stricter requirements for picture quality and environmental properties.
2006
TCO’06 Media Displays is launched. The label is chiefly intended for multi-function displays which are used for showing moving graphics, but also for TVs, mainly of the LCD type.
2007
A new label, TCO’07 Headsets for both ordinary and cordless headsets, is launched. Plantronics is the first manufacturer to certify its products. Dell is the first company to meet the tough requirements contained in TCO’05 for computers.
2009
Announcing TCO Certified, the new look for the TCO certification program for ICT products.
TCO Certified is the global label that ensures the product is designed for the environment and usability.
The TCO Certified label will gradually replace all current TCO labels. All the current TCO product standards will transition to be TCO Certified on their next scheduled update. TCO Certified displays is the first product standard with the new TCO Certified label.
The fifth generation of TCO standards for displays is released; TCO Displays 5.0.
Search for TCO certified product here
Information for manufacturers
1993
There are now 18 display models with certification.
1994
There are about a hundred certified display models from 17 different suppliers.
1999
There are now 3,000 certified display models in the world.
2003
There are 5,500 certified display models in the world.
2007
There are more than 7,000 certified display models and several hundred million certified displays in the world. Of the approximately 150 million displays produced, at least half are TCO-labelled.
