While most businesses set their ITAD timelines around accounting and financial depreciation schedules or warranty terms, Sustainable ITAD also considers how much good life is still left in these devices and the carbon impact of replacement. Since 80% or more of an electronic devices’ carbon footprint comes from the mining/manufacturing stage, using your devices just a little longer isn’t just good for your bottom line. It can make a positive impact on your carbon footprint as well. For example, if you use a device for 4 years instead of 3, over the course of 12 years, your organization purchases one fewer device, and that’s one less device that has to be manufactured. Now, multiply that by all your employees and all their devices, and simply by using electronics just a little longer, not only do you save money, you also reduce the carbon footprint of your electronics as well.

The clock is always ticking on electronics, and that clock doesn’t stop when you stop using them. Too often, used electronics end up on a shelf in some storeroom, wasting away. While your 4-year-old laptop most likely still has good life left in it, that utility decreases every day. So, once you are done with your electronics, get them into someone else’s hands as soon as you can to maximize the life left in them.

Most enterprise level electronics are higher quality and are only used for a relatively small portion of their natural lifespans, so even though you might be done with them, we want to make sure they find good second or even third homes! Besides not letting them sit around, you can also increase their reuse value simply being a little more thoughtful with how you collect used electronics. Some organizations just dump the old stuff into boxes in an empty office space or in the IT room. But screens crack and other damage naturally happens, and that isn’t good for reuse.

For many organizations, the primary driver of ITAD is simply getting your used electronics out of your hands. And sure, there are financial considerations to take into account. But your ITAD function can impact far more than just your bottom line depending on where they go next.

• Before they leave your organization, you could cascade used electronics within your own business, moving upgraded devices to other employees or departments.
• You could set up a “friends and family” purchase program, where corporate assets become available for employees and their families to purchase for their own personal use.
• Your organization’s used devices can help bridge the digital divide. Some companies want to maximize their return for remarketed electronics, and that’s perfectly fine. But there’s also an opportunity to get used devices into the hands of people who otherwise can’t afford new devices. As the global COVID pandemic reinforced, there’s a pretty wide digital divide between those who have access to technology and those who don’t. Not only can your used electronics make a big positive difference here, but your organization can gain some powerful CSR stories to tell your stakeholders.There are lots of great stories of corporations who donate their used electronics to schools, charities, or other organizations, helping families in need or children learn and grow. Your used devices could also help a disadvantaged small business take it’s first steps.
• Or, you could tab your old electronics for remarketing and look to get a return from your old devices.

Finally, get yourself a good vendor who will align with your sustainability policies. We will make this easy for you: Select R2v3 Certified ITAD Vendors. The development and worldwide adoption of a standard such as R2v3 takes a lot of work out of your evaluation process for potential ITAD vendors. There. You can check that box off. You’re welcome.