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Community-based energy projects
Community-based energy projects As a consumer organisation, our historic roots are in local groups of consumers and citizens coming together to improve things for people of
READ MORESafety By Design - Digital Products
Safety by Design for Digital Consumer Products
The traditional ways of launching a physical product to consumers has been continually built up over time to include well over 4,500 related British Standards, with their fundamental aim to protect consumers.
Most consumers now know that when purchasing products, they can be confident that it has gone through a rigorous set of standards and procedures, that make it eligible for them to purchase safely. The safe design of consumer products is the “front line” in consumer protection.
But what happens now in the digital world?
Traditional standards were not built for the world of digital products. Many new digital products are invented every day and will turn on all your lights, mow the lawn, be a child’s toy, do the washing and control your home heating.
This raises a number of key concerns for consumers purchasing these new digital products and services, where an organisation had not taken into account how their digital interface can in fact cause real accidents and potentially loss of life.
The NCF Plan and Approach
It is key that NCF and it’s stakeholders, partners and influencers need to help consumers understand what’s happening in the new worlds of standards in the digital space. Everyone of us has already come into contact with a digital products, whether it’s an application downloaded to our phone or tablet, or opening our phone with a smile and facial recognition software, these should all be government by the right standards that protect consumers.
But, with the mainstream advancements in 3D printing machines, anyone, anywhere can create their own digital product and print it at home. The question here – is who’s responsible for ensuring if that product is sold or made available for consumer use, who’s liable in the event of an irreversible product failure.
The following details our approach with our partners, Electrical Safety First (ESF) developed functional safety principles developed to form a basis for safe digitally controlled consumer products through UK law and British Standards to support our Theme.
Plan
NCF and ESF have developed an initial functional safety principle document to share with key industry stakeholders.
Discuss
An initial webinar has been performed with over 25 organisation representing a range of industry and consumer organisations, where the initial functional safety principles were discussed, debated and future objectives and actions agreed.
Lobby
The final outcomes were documented in the form of a discussion document and has been developed to lobby Government on introducing new standards that help protect consumers when using Digital Products
Further information and relevant links
Website Links
TrustMark
TrustMark is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme covering work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home.
Click Here to visit their website: www.trustmark.org.uk
BEIS
BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) is responsible for a number of UK Government policy areas such as business and industrial strategy, science, innovation, energy and climate change.
To visit their website, click here.
Energy Saving Trust
Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation – working to address the climate emergency.
To visit their website, click here.
Consumer Rights - Government Website
The law protects your consumer rights when you buy goods or services. Find out who to contact for consumer protection advice.
You can get help if you’re treated unfairly or when things go wrong.
To visit their website, click here.
Trading Standards - Friends Against Scams
Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams.
To visit their website, click here.
WWF - Carbon Footprint Calculator
The planet is in crisis – from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It’s up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator.
To take the WWF questionnaire, click here.
Third Party Documents
NCF - Consumer Guide - Where to go for help?
For the full report, click here.
Government 10 Point Plan for Green Industrial Revolution
For the full report, click here.
Brexit: Consumer Protection Rights
For the full report, click here.
Citizens Advice - Introduction Booklet
For the full document, click here.
Net Zero - UK Contribution to stop Global Warming
For the full document, click here.
News
Seize the Day – A time to train for Net Zero Homes
Pete Eisenegger writes: It’s a pandemic. Consumers are being cautious. People are losing jobs. Meanwhile Global Warming continues and the need to adjust and bring our
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Resources
Where to go for help
Contact Information Website links and Telephone numbers Click Here
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Resources
Consumer Charter for Regulators
Consumer Charter for Regulators Promote and protect the interests of consumers in sector where market forces alone would not deliver the best outcomes Click Here
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