With CSR, also known as Corporate Social Responsibility, underpinning many business strategies, it’s important to bridge operational activity with those initiatives which demonstrate a commitment to the impact that a business has on its surrounding environment – social, economic, and environmental.
Computer recycling is the kind of initiative which not only supports an organisation’s commitment to becoming more environmentally sustainable but also contributes towards their work to benefit others – with computer recycling and particularly reusing working on an international and a local scale depending on your preference.
With that said, what is the impact of computer recycling on CSR and why should every business embrace recycling initiatives as part of their CSR work?
The issue with computer and technology waste
Let’s be honest, deciding to donate unwanted and unused computers and technology to a charitable organisation is a relatively easy and low-effort action. However, the impact it can have is huge.
E-waste is a growing problem which, bolstered by consumer and corporate desires for new and upgraded devices, seems to be increasing year on year. When you invest heavily in new technology without balancing this through donating your old technology, or worse still simply discard old technology as waste, you add to this growing issue which has a negative and lasting impact on the environment.
E-waste contains a number of toxic chemicals and components which, when left in landfill, slowly start to disintegrate and leak into nearby water sources. This enters the food chain and ultimately makes its way back into our bodies, wreaking havoc as it moves.
When you decide to donate unwanted technology and computers rather than throwing them away, you support an alternative pattern which sees technology stripped of all data and then either broken down into recyclable parts, or else done up and passed on as a donated device via a number of local and international charity partners. That’s where CSR comes in play.
How computer recycling benefits your CSR
As a business or company, you want to be seen to be supporting initiatives which have a positive impact on less fortunate communities and on the environment. Donating and committing to recycling your computers via one of our programs acts as a double-edged sword, preventing your unwanted tech from being funneled into landfill, and instead transforming it into a low-effort donation from your company to a charity group.
To help ensure that any and every piece of kit that you donate does contribute towards your public CSR records, we provide a full report for all our corporate donors. This report dissects exactly where your donations have gone and the impact that they have had on those less fortunate, whether that is via local schools and community groups or through international charity partners seeking to upskill and improve the opportunities for those in marginalised communities.
What else can businesses do to improve their environmental output?
There’s nothing wrong with embracing the value of new technology and upgraded devices on a regular basis, however, there are ways that you as a business can improve your environmental impact and output by donating outdated goods to us. Even if they are unable to be reused, our team work through donated tech and break down those devices that cannot be fixed – ensuring that they are recycled and disposed of safely and effectively rather than through standard waste.
We encourage all of our corporate partners to consider their donation as part of their CSR and will continue to do all we can to help you understand where your donation has gone and the impact it has had. To learn more about this and how Computer Aid works, get in touch with our team today!