Choosing an R2 Certified partner doesn’t just make you environmentally responsible.

When dealing with returns, warranties, and trade-ins, you are likely in need of a refurbisher who legitimately tests the equipment. In R2v3, the specialization for test and repair is written in Appendix C.  You also probably need the incoming devices to be free of any residual user data to prevent data breaches. Rather than physically destroying the device to destroy the data, you need logical data sanitization capabilities. Appendix B of the R2v3 Standard covers this, and furthermore, it is required for facilities specializing in Appendix C Test and Repair.

You can use R2v3 Certification as a tool to qualify your vendors and gain confidence for your business that returns, warranties, and trade-ins are being responsibly processed to protect your brand and reputation, as well as your legal liabilities. For these business streams, you should ensure your returns are going to a facility that is R2v3 Certified to Appendices B & C.

As quickly and frequently as business changes and evolves, the technology that we use to support it seems to run at an even faster pace. Upgrading electronics is simply a part of business life. Fortunately, electronic assets designed for business are typically higher quality and have a considerable amount of residual value left in them, even after they no longer meet the needs of your specific business.

So, getting maximum value for those assets just makes good business sense.  But the return needs to be balanced against risk because those electronics also contain data that needs to be protected.  And, customers are increasingly demanding that businesses act in more socially responsible ways. Besides the obvious impacts of data breaches, having your used electronics show up in an electronic graveyard in some remote part of the world can be incredibly damaging to your brand.

On the flip side, handling your used electronics utilizing sustainable practices can be a strong proof point of your commitment to being a socially responsible business, not just environmentally, but also socially by providing affordable used electronics to the developing communities around the world.  Looking at the whole landscape, you should recover a good value for your used electronics that can be legitimately reused, but you should not sacrifice your whole business for the additional margin you can get by auctioning your broken or obsolete electronics to the highest bidder.

Partnering with R2 Certified facilities certified to Appendix C gives businesses the confidence to know that all the different risks associated with maximizing your return are minimized.

Many vendors make claims of doing the right things with your used electronics.  They want you to trust them, but without verification, why would you take a risk that your electronics might end up as e-waste in an electronics graveyard half-way around the world?  Or that workers are using unsafe techniques to recover precious metals.  Working with an R2 Certified facility gives you the confidence to know that you will be recycling your electronics responsibly.

However, if you are a business that deals with a larger volume of used electronics with little remarketing value, you might benefit from choosing an R2 facility that is certified to Appendix E – Materials Recovery.  Whereas some R2 Certified facilities utilize a downstream network of partners to process their scrap, R2 facilities certified to Appendix E are certified to process recycling in-house, including dismantling, separation, and recovery. Since there is less transport involved and fewer hands in the pie, using a facility with in-house capabilities can be more efficient and cost advantageous for businesses that deal with higher volumes of old electronics.

Over the years, there have been many studies that continue to find residual employee, customer, and business sensitive data on electronics, even after they’ve passed through internal cleansing protocols.  While all R2 facilities have high standards for protecting any data left on your electronics, some businesses need an additional layer of assurance. In those cases, look for R2 facilities certified to Appendix B which includes enhanced data destruction processes that can provide tracking down to the serial number level.

R2v3 offers a new path to recognize the legitimate reuse of Specialty Electronics because specialty equipment such as telecom, medical, scientific, and other commercial grade electronics require a different approach and expertise.  Appendix D – Specialty Electronics Reuse recognizes those facilities capable of responsibly managing this type of equipment, from de-installation to getting it back into use.  Businesses decommissioning this type of equipment should look for potential vendors that have been certified to the additional R2 requirements in Appendix D.

Customers looking for specialized equipment can have increased confidence in the quality and functionality of the products purchased when buying from R2 Certified facilities certified to Appendix D.