A circular approach means acknowledging that the planet’s resources are finite and that we need to protect and nurture natural biotopes and assets such as oil, freshwater and rare earth metals. Today, IT products are often manufactured and used in a linear manner. Large amounts of virgin natural resources are consumed to produce products that are often difficult to repair and upgrade. Products are often discarded after a relatively short time, and only a small share of the materials is safely recycled to manufacture new products. The result of linearity is a depletion of scarce resources and the loss of natural habitats. Huge amounts of e-waste are generated, and today, most of it is handled in unsafe ways, which risks human health and the environment.

In a circular economy, products are designed to be durable, upgradeable and repairable to ensure they can last longer. Instead of disposing of them after a few years, we take good care of them, and once the product no longer meets the needs of the first user, reselling or donating options are considered, to give them a second life.

Circularity has positive impacts on a wide scope of sustainability issues. Natural resources are preserved and the amount of e-waste is reduced. Extending the product’s life also significantly lowers its climate impact. By doubling a notebook computer’s use time from three years to six, the annual greenhouse gas footprint is almost halved. Even holding onto your device for just one more year will make a big difference — keeping it for four years instead of three reduces its annual footprint by an impressive 23,5 percent. (Source: Report Generator)

One aspect that is often overlooked in the circular agenda is social sustainability. This is unfortunate from a human perspective, but it also reduces our chances of succeeding with the circular transition. In fact, human and worker rights can be used as leverage to accelerate the pace of change.

One reason why IT products are discarded prematurely is that they are relatively cheap to buy — we pay far from the full cost if the value of natural resources and human well-being is factored in. Stopping the exploitation of people in the IT product supply chain will lead to higher production costs, and that is the single most effective way of driving the innovation and development of longer-lasting products that users want to keep, service, and repair rather than dispose of and replace. By protecting worker rights and raising wage levels, we can more quickly move toward a circular production and consumption of IT products.

Circularity means keeping products and materials in use as long as possible. Therefore, it’s essential to take a whole-life cycle approach to products, from procurement through longer life, repair, redeployment and recovery strategies.

Before acquiring new products, evaluate whether the products you have can be used for a longer period. Establish a program for refurbishment and redeployment. If you need additional devices, consider refurbished and remanufactured alternatives.

When it’s time to procure new equipment, you can adopt strategies that promote a more circular, life cycle approach. Include criteria for circularity in your procurement policies and specifications to ensure that the products you source are durable, repairable, upgradeable, and include recycled materials. Additionally, make sure that the batteries in portable devices are of high quality and can be replaced easily. To support longer procurement cycles, request an extended product warranty from your supplier and ensure that security and functionality updates will be available for as long as possible. Your work with circular IT will be easier if you select the right supplier. Make use of pre-competitive dialogs, such as RFIs, to gather information.

Once you have selected and acquired the appropriate products, it’s crucial to use them in a circular manner. Repair, upgrade, and reuse products to maximize their value until they can no longer be used. Also, check with your supplier for buy-back options, which can give products a second life and ensure they are handled safely at the end of their lifespan.

More tips are available in our guide How to procure IT products for the circular economy.

TCO Certified includes a comprehensive set of criteria designed to support your circular IT strategy. We’re setting a new standard for product longevity with a minimum of five years use time. Extensive circular requirements on hardware, software and information availability help extend product life, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decrease e-waste levels.

Sourcing certified products allows you to plan for longer procurement cycles to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, minimize e-waste, and maximize the value of your IT investments.