New service with Cisco will reduce e-waste, supporting a more sustainable world
BT Ireland has announced a new programme aimed at reducing business customers’ e-waste by recycling end-of-life equipment and helping them achieve their targets for a circular economy.
It is the latest step in BT Group’s Manifesto pledge to move to circular products, networks and operations by 2030, and then extend this across its supply chain by 2040.
The new programme comes as organisations around the world are transforming their network and IT infrastructure to support the latest multi-cloud deployments. As part of this transformation, BT environmental specialists will work with customers to better understand and map the role of sustainability in a digital world.
Replaced or decommissioned electronic equipment from a customer’s network will be shipped back to Cisco to be responsibly re-used or recycled through its takeback and reuse programme. Up to 99.9 per cent of what is returned will be re-used or recycled.
BT has Cisco-certified environmental specialists in Ireland, UK, US, Italy, Switzerland and Singapore to manage the process. Further countries will be added by end of 2022.
The programme allows for Cisco equipment trade-in and offers a take-back incentive that applies to what’s replaced. This provides BT’s customers an easy way to upgrade, securely dispose and recycle devices using a single, complete solution that handles everything.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 57.4 million tonnes of e-waste was generated during 2021 with only 20 per cent recycled. If left unchecked, this could rise to 120 million tonnes each year. WEF also reported that 70 per cent of hazardous waste deposited in landfills is from e-waste.
“E-waste is a growing concern and according to WEF now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. Our customers and partners have made commitments to report on and improve performance in this critical area,” said Hriday Ravindranath, chief product & digital officer at BT’s Global unit. “Creating a more sustainable, circular economy, where we prioritise dematerialisation and avoid equipment going to landfill, is vital. It builds on our leadership in sustainability and will help deliver on our BT Group Manifesto commitments and ambition to connect for good.
Peter Evans, Commercial and Wholesale Director at BT Ireland added:
“At BT Ireland we’re committed to driving positive environmental changes and as part of the BT Group Manifesto we have made a pledge to move to circular products, networks and operations by 2030, and then extend this across our supply chain by 2040. Our new circularity programme is a fantastic example of how we’ll deliver this. It shows how working with BT and our ecosystem of partners, like Cisco, can help customers achieve their own circularity goals. We recently achieved the Cisco Environmental Sustainability Specialisation that recognises BT Ireland for its efforts to help customers responsibly repurpose or recycle end-of-use products and we look forward to continued engagement with our customers to support them on their sustainability journey.”