CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Completing the circle Sustainability is a priority for many businesses now, and many are looking towards buying pre-owned equipment, or ensuring that devices are recycled at the end of their life and resellers have a key role in this developing circular economy.
With many businesses now having an environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) policy in place, sustainability is a corporate priority that’s here to stay, and it is changing how businesses look to purchase and dispose of devices. A survey by Alchemy of 4,000 businesses globally revealed that 58% are considering buying refurbished devices in the next two years. On average, 83% businesses have an ESG policy in place. “However, this drops significantly when looking at businesses with fewer than 50 employees, with just 46% having an ESG policy,” notes Stephen Wise, global marketing director, circular economy at Alchemy. “While it’s great that so many businesses have an ESG policy, Alchemy’s research shows that 40% do not consider the impact of their device tech estate – mobiles, laptops and tablets – within it. This is a huge oversight, as buying refurbished IT devices, rather than new, avoids on average 76.05kg of CO2 emissions per device. For example, if you needed to buy 100 smartphones for your team, by buying refurbished you could save more than eight tons of CO2 emissions. Reducing a business’s CO2 impact through refurbished tech is particularly important for companies with large Scope 3 emissions, such as service companies or those that outsource most of their operations.
“Opting for an 18-month-old smartphone can save businesses and consumers as much as 70% on that of a new device, and up to 50% on laptops, fundamentally reshaping the overall ownership costs for numerous employees.” Arjan Paulussen, managing director Lexmark UK, Western Europe and English-speaking Africa, notes that sustainability and the implementation of circular business models is de rigueur as environmental protection laws are being tightened throughout Europe. “In addition, the environmentally conscious generation of millennials is moving into decision-making positions and their purchasing power is increasing,” he says. “We are also seeing an increasing demand for sophisticated sustainability strategies from our partners and customers, across the board – from large enterprises to medium-sized and small businesses. We work closely with partners in this area and support them in tenders, for example, where the environmental aspect is becoming increasingly important.” It isn’t just a priority among businesses. Taranpreet Rai, corporate sustainability manager at Epson UK, adds that recent research by Epson highlighted the importance of sustainability to consumers with 26% indicating a willingness to boycott brands perceived as ‘unsustainable’. “Therefore, embracing a business model rooted in the circular economy offers businesses the chance to drive long-term profitability by minimising waste, optimising resource use and enhancing brand reputation,” she says. Richard Eglon, CMO at Nebula Global Services, agrees, adding that in a partner- led market such as the technology channel it is imperative that companies of all sizes acknowledge the circular economy and the part they play in that value chain. “The chain is only as strong as the weakest link so building an ecosystem of sustainability conscious businesses is not about outperforming
Stephen Wise
alchemyglobalsolutions .com
A survey by Alchemy of 4,000 businesses globally revealed that 58% are considering “ buying refurbished devices in the next two years.
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