Extreme wins first EPEAT registry for network gear

Extreme Networks has achieved EPEAT registry status for its switches and access points, becoming the first networking vendor to secure the designation in those product categories.

The recognition covers the 5420 Series switches and AP4020 Wi-Fi 7 access points, the first products in Extreme's portfolio to be listed under the ecolabel. Managed by the Global Electronics Council, EPEAT is used by buyers to assess environmental standards across the life cycle of IT products.

The designation gives Extreme an environmental certification that can carry weight in procurement, particularly in sectors with formal sustainability requirements. Government and manufacturing organisations are among the buyers that often face reporting obligations tied to carbon reduction, materials use and supply chain practices.

EPEAT identifies products that meet criteria on climate impact, resource use, chemicals and responsible supply chains. For technology suppliers, inclusion on the registry can help products qualify for tenders and purchasing frameworks that require independent sustainability verification.

First products

The newly registered hardware includes Extreme's 5420 Series switches and AP4020 wireless access points. Both are part of a broader hardware portfolio that Extreme plans to expand on the registry, although it did not name additional products.

Networking equipment has become a bigger part of corporate and public-sector sustainability reviews as businesses look beyond data centres and end-user devices. Switches and wireless access points are core parts of digital infrastructure, yet environmental product labelling in that segment has been less established than in other areas of enterprise IT.

Bob Mitchell, chief executive officer of the Global Electronics Council, described the listing as a milestone for the category.

"Extreme Networks' registration of the first networking equipment products in the EPEAT Registry marks an important step in expanding responsible choices for enterprise IT. Because these technologies underpin modern digital infrastructure, improving their environmental and social impacts is essential. We appreciate Extreme Networks' leadership as the first company to register products in this category and look forward to continued collaboration to help accelerate sustainable innovation across enterprise networking," said Bob Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer, Global Electronics Council.

The Global Electronics Council oversees EPEAT as a labelling system for electronics and IT products. Its standards are intended to give institutional buyers a common framework for comparing products on environmental and social criteria, rather than relying only on supplier claims.

Procurement focus

For networking vendors, the development reflects a broader shift in buying behaviour as environmental criteria move further into mainstream procurement. Large organisations increasingly ask suppliers for documented data on emissions, materials and product stewardship during contract evaluation.

That trend has affected technology purchasing across hardware categories, especially in public bodies and regulated industries. In those settings, a third-party registry can reduce the burden on procurement teams that would otherwise have to assess company-specific environmental submissions on their own.

Extreme presented the registration as a way for customers to address sustainability mandates and carbon-reduction goals without changing core network requirements. It also linked the move to its own corporate responsibility objectives.

Katy Motiey, who leads legal, administrative and sustainability functions at Extreme, reinforced that message.

"Customers shouldn't have to trade performance for responsibility. With the first and only enterprise networking solutions that are EPEAT-registered, Extreme is setting a new standard for the industry, making progress toward our goals for corporate responsibility while helping our customers move toward more sustainable IT operations. We're proud to be the first networking vendor recognised on the EPEAT registry," said Katy Motiey, Chief Legal, Administrative & Sustainability Officer, Extreme Networks.

The registration comes as sustainability labels become a more visible part of competition in enterprise hardware. Manufacturers face pressure not only to improve energy efficiency and materials disclosure, but also to provide documentation that can withstand audits and public reporting.

While the announcement applies to two product lines, it points to a potential new benchmark for networking equipment suppliers seeking to meet the procurement standards now common in larger IT contracts. The 5420 Series switches and AP4020 access points are Extreme's first networking products listed in the EPEAT Registry.