ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY ACROSS THE GLOBE
FROM SILICON VALLEY TO SÃO PAULO, FROM MUMBAI TO MELBOURNE
ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY TAKES MANY FORMS. THE CHALLENGES – MANAGING E-WASTE, PROTECTING DATA, AND PRESERVING RESOURCES – ARE UNIVERSAL, BUT THE SOLUTIONS? THOSE NEED TO WORK FOR YOUR MARKET, YOUR REGULATIONS, AND YOUR REALITY.
BUILDING ELECTRONICS SUSTAINABILITY,
REGION BY REGION
SERI brings together global expertise and local understanding to advance responsible practices worldwide. Our regional teams work directly with businesses, regulators, and facilities to create practical solutions that fit each area's unique needs.
True sustainability requires more than collection programs or recycling targets. And it requires more than just managing e-waste. It demands an ecosystem where repair, reuse, and recycling work together to create value for businesses, communities, and the environment.
Real progress comes from balancing quality with quantity. It's not just about how much we collect – it's about extending device lifespans to reduce waste from the start, and then ensuring responsible handling when electronics do reach end-of-use. When we combine meaningful scale with responsible practices throughout the lifecycle, we keep devices in use longer, protect data, recover valuable materials, and keep harmful substances out of our communities.
THE PATH TO ELECTRONICS CIRCULARITY
Creating a circular economy for electronics means building capacity across three essential components:
REPAIR
extends device lifespans through maintenance, fixes, and upgrades – keeping electronics at their highest value while reducing environmental impact and protecting data throughout the process.
REUSE
gives electronics second and third lives through refurbishment, redistribution, and component harvesting, maximizing utility while reducing demand for new manufacturing.
RECYCLING
ensures end-of-life electronics are properly processed to recover valuable materials and safely manage harmful substances, returning resources to the production cycle.
CREATING VALUE
ACROSS THE ELECTRONICS ECOSYSTEM
Every region develops these capabilities at different rates based on economic conditions, regulatory frameworks, and cultural contexts. Some excel at reuse but lack recycling infrastructure. Others have advanced recycling but miss opportunities for repair and reuse.
But infrastructure alone isn’t enough. The quality of how repair, reuse, and recycling are performed is equally critical. It’s not just having facilities that process electronics, it’s having facilities that do so responsibly, protecting data, workers, communities, and the environment at every stage.
R2 IS HOW YOU KNOW this work is happening and how it’s being done. While SERI runs a variety of programs to advance electronics sustainability, we’re best known for the R2 Standard – and for good reason. R2 is the most widely adopted standard for used electronics and a global benchmark for responsible electronics practices, providing a proven framework that delivers real value across the ecosystem.
WHEN REPAIR, REUSE, AND RECYCLING WORK TOGETHER, EVERYONE BENEFITS:
BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS
Can reduce risks through R2 Certified partners who prioritize data security, lower total costs of ownership, and strengthen sustainability credentials with measurable impact.
REGULATORS AND POLICYMAKERS
Can leverage R2 as a proven framework that complements policy objectives while fostering economic development and environmental protection without having to build everything from scratch.
FACILITIES
Can differentiate themselves through R2 Certification, accessing new types of customers, new business opportunities, and joining a global network of over 1000 certified facilities committed to responsible practices throughout the electronics value chain.
THIS ISN’T JUST WASTE MANAGEMENT, IT’S VALUE CREATION AT EVERY STAGE OF THE ELECTRONICS LIFECYCLE. SERI ADVANCES SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH MULTIPLE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES, WITH R2 CERTIFICATION SERVING AS ONE KEY DRIVER IN OUR WORK TOWARD GLOBAL CHANGE.
