If the pandemic threw off your efforts to recycle electronics, market dynamics make this the ideal time to regroup.
Most businesses want to recycle electronics but following through is not always as easy. Employee turnover and other issues can make the company lose focus on the effort to recycle electronics.
When it comes to creating an effective e waste management strategy, there’s no one size fits all.
Among corporate buzzwords, “sustainability” is here to stay. The drive to build a sustainable operation is not only a moral imperative. Consumers also reward companies that show a real commitment to doing what’s right for the environment, according to several studies.
Corporate e waste is the inevitable reality of modern business. But by getting the disposition right, you can make it part of your green pitch.
We generate more electronic waste today than ever before in history. Data centers, IoT technology, smartphones, ventilation equipment, GPS systems — the list is endless and growing. The Americas alone produced 13.1 metric tonnes (Mt) of e-waste in 2019. In just four years, the global e waste management market is projected to hit $40 billion.
But the need to recycle electronics does not only present an opportunity for those of us in business to provide those services to you. With corporate sustainability rising in importance, consider how you can reap the benefits too. For instance, make the way you choose to part with your retired electronics part of your company’s green pitch.
Interestingly, a KPMG survey shows North American companies have the highest rate of sustainability reporting in the world. Yet, one study found many firms have not linked their e waste management with their sustainability strategies practices. This suggests there’s an untapped business opportunity. You can turn your efforts to correctly discard and reduce corporate e waste into a sustainability — and competitive — advantage.
Our reliance on technology is as inevitable as the need to eventually upgrade to something newer and better. As a result, you could choose to spotlight your own company. Why now showcase how you’re taking a responsible and environmentally sound approach to the disposal of your corporate e waste?
Consider the following points and potential benefits of correctly tackling the corporate e waste challenge:
Improving business perception
KPMG notes more and more companies are taking ESG reporting — the disclosure of data that details a business’s impact and added value in the areas of environment, social, and corporate governance — beyond industry and SEC requirements. The stakes are real. KPMG writes: “ESG reporting can impact access to capital and the ability to attract new investors. It can allow companies to understand risks that threaten their business model, help build customer loyalty and affect competition for top talent.”
Our take: A responsible corporate e-waste management is indeed your leg up on the competition. It gives you a chance to demonstrate how your business is making a concerted effort to reduce its carbon footprint. In the end, minimized environmental impact can affect how prospects and investors evaluated and perceive your company.
Joining the circular economy
A Brookings Institution survey of 40 companies with a strong record of sustainability found 80 percent cite business-case drivers for integrating sustainability into their business strategies. While those companies said the focus was rooted in an effort to maximize growth opportunities and minimize risk, a few had also moved their corporate strategy beyond financial returns to a values-case by adopting a corporate value or purpose statement.
Our take: The Brookings survey captures two trends that are bound to grow even stronger. It also confirms the KPMG observation that sustainability initiatives can give companies a competitive edge. In the realm of electronics recycling, it could mean working with an R2-certified partner that takes its commitment to environmental and social goals well beyond industry standards.
A partnership that aligns with your corporate electronic recycling strategy can give you an opportunity to extend your organization’s sustainability practices to include corporate e waste and market your business as an active participant in the circular economy.
Leading the sustainability charge
Big players like Apple and Amazon have certainly upped their sustainability game. Both recently vowed to make their supply chains and products carbon neutral by 2030 and 2040, respectively. Their pledges have come amid calls for an industrywide reckoning and increased focus on the impact large companies can have in solving the growing electronic waste challenge.
Our take: With the alarms sounding on the role of electronic waste in climate change, it’s easy to realize the power of sustainability as a business pitch. Again, one of the most effective ways organizations of all sizes can lead the sustainability charge is to responsibly recycle their discarded corporate electronics.
And, as you’re doing so, why not let end-consumers and business partners know you’re pulling your weight in tackling the global e waste challenge?
Do you need help setting up a plan for your corporate e waste? We have the certifications and expertise to create and execute your new plan. It’ll be good for your business — and the environment.
The B Corporation Certification sets the gold standard for good business. Now, GER seeks to join the race to the top.
At Global Electronic Recycling, we call ourselves the “GER team” for a reason. The way we treat each other is, after all, a telling indication of the way we treat our customers. When our team members thrive, so will your business. Now, we seek to make official our effort to be a force for good.
Earlier this year, we decided to pursue a B-Corporation Certification. Certified B Corps are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose.
With a B-Corporation Certification, GER will join the likes of Patagonia, Stonyfield, Eileen Fisher, and close to 4,000 other companies across 150 industries that have committed to using profits and growth to build a more sustainable and inclusive economy.
The requirements are strict. Only 1 in 3 companies that submit for certification succeed. That’s because certifying as a B Corporation goes beyond product- or service-level certification. B Corp Certification is indeed the only certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance.
Taking the impact assessment to become a certified B Corp
The first step to becoming certified starts with the B Impact Assessment, a tool that will help us measure GER’s impact on our workers, community, environment, and customers on an 80-point scale. This means we’ll get to share features that have long been part of our company and company culture, like our commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Employee benefits
GER’s late founder Gary Kirkpatrick imbued the company with a spirit of generosity and compassion that permeates everything we do.
For example, we offer a comprehensive employee benefits package, including:
Health insurance with 100% premium coverage. No one should ever have to question whether they can afford medical care.
Competitive pay. Everyday living should not be a struggle.
Competitive bonus plan. After a year of employment, everyone gets a share in GER’s success. When the company is doing well, all team members reap the benefits, whether they are managers or entry-level workers.
Leadership training. Again, it doesn’t matter what position a team member holds. At GER, we want to empower everyone to be more.
Community support
In addition, Gary co-founded The Love House Kids Program, a nonprofit that works to break the cycle of child abuse by providing job training and one-on-one counseling. GER continues to support this important organization with monthly donations as well as physical support for fundraisers.
Environmental commitment
As an R2-certified electronics recycler, GER certainly undergoes rigorous annual third-party audits to ensure we comply with the highest environmental standards for our industry. R2 stands for Responsible Recycling and is a standard specifically created for the electronics recycling industry by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International. In other words, we believe we’re well equipped to fulfill the environmental requirements of becoming a certified B Corp.
Getting the seal of approval
Moreover, protecting people and the planet through electronics sustainability is at the heart of what we do. And it all starts right here at our facility in Phoenix, Ariz. Our passion statement also centers on the value of our people and creating an environment in which they can grow.
We have long shared with our customers and prospects our commitment to social responsibility. Becoming a certified B Corp would give us the seal of approval and show we back our promises with action. During the next 12 months, we will work hard to align every aspect of our company with the requirements of the B Corp Certification.
B Corps set the gold standard for good business and inspire a race to the top. How could we not officially join this force for good?
Here’s how to take action on your sustainability policy and achieve your corporate e recycling goals
Establishing sustainability goals has become second nature to most companies. Some of you may have entire departments dedicated to sustainable practices. Others may have hired a director to take charge of anything environmental. The challenging part is often what comes next: translating the goals into action. That is particularly true for corporate e recycling.
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