The TCO Certified certification was initially created by the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO) to guarantee that computer products purchased by employers maintain ecological standards and were sufficiently ergonomic to prevent long term health issues for users.

In fact, early generations of computer displays were frequently related to eye strains and headache due to flickering, jitter and radiation.

[2][3][4] In 1986, TCO published a basic list of requirements and test protocols to verify if a display was fit for continuous daily use as a help for employers to choose the right hardware for work places.

[5] The test became an early success and was translated into multiple languages and used also by unions in other countries to push for a more ergonomic work environment.

Starting with TCO'92 in 1992, the TCO certification minimum standards for emissions, jittering and electronic safety for computer monitors.