With more reliance on technology, electronic waste is an increasing challenge that business owners have to navigate.
While conscious E waste management can aid towards your corporate recycling responsibilities, there are several sustainable ways to get ahead with your asset management strategy, from point of purchase to data-safe disposal.
In this article, we will look at practical policies that you can implement to maximise the value of your tech investments to reduce your business e-waste.
Implementing procurement practices that are future-thinking
The first way to future-proof your electronics is to invest in quality technology. From physical products and hardware, like laptops and computers, to tools and services, like cloud software or even AI assistants, it’s good to take a 360 view of your technology requirements.
Though for large companies it may be tempting to choose cheaper models when having to buy in bulk, investing in durable, quality tech can be beneficial in the long run. Instead, look for devices that prioritise energy efficiency and have modular designs, as this will mean it is easier to fix individual parts of a product, rather than having to fully replace it.
Be sure to think about the needs of your employees, and what they will be using devices for, to ensure that you select products that meet these requirements, and where possible, preempt future needs. This will lead to future-proofing your investment and reducing your ongoing technology costs.
Picking partners that prioritise sustainability
We now know that technology can be damaging to the planet, with many cloud services relying on gallons of water in their cooling systems. While artificial intelligence (AI) has provided transformative ways of working, it is predicted that AI adoption will lead to an increase in global water usage from 1.1bn to 6.6bn cubic metres by 2027.
Therefore, it’s incredibly important to look for tech partners and platforms that are committed to eco-friendly practices, like using renewable energy and designing energy-efficient data centers, especially for cloud services and AI.
When it comes to hardware, consider sustainability credentials and seek suppliers that offer end-to-end management, with incentives such as buy-back schemes to help you sustainably manage product upgrades and recycling.
Prolong the technology lifespan with regular maintenance and auditing
Even if you’ve chosen products with the highest spec and carefully selected software, maintenance is key to sustaining the lifecycle of your tech stack. Schedule regular maintenance, implement software updates and set reminders for all tech users to look after their work-related items.
Encourage employees to report issues and endeavour to repair damaged items promptly to help prolong the life of devices. Look to take a ‘repair before replace’ policy, considering how to repair, reuse, refurbish or redistribute products among your teams before simply buying a new device.
For digital products, make sure to take regular inventories of what is and isn’t in regular use and audit what could be offloaded or even deleted to free up space and maximise your storage.
Data protection at the point of disposal
Despite conscious consumption and maintenance, there will be a time when all products must be disposed of. How companies manage this disposal and destruction can have a big effect on their impact on the environment and e-waste.
Before responsibly disposing of IT hardware, it’s important to implement an IT Asset Management strategy to ensure that your private records, including personal employee data and financial information, are protected even at the point of destruction.
Robust IT asset management will eliminate any potential for security risks or data breaches, and ensure that you are remaining GDPR compliant.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the best way to tackle e-waste and manage your business technology is to balance maximising product lifespan with creating minimal e-waste. By adopting a circular economy model, creating an asset management strategy that prioritises sustainable investment, scheduling regular maintenance and finding responsible, data-savvy disposal will lead to ultimate efficiency.
