9,000 devices, 1.5 million kilograms of CO₂ saved, and winning the Leader of the Year category at the Inrego Circular Electronics Awards 2024. Here are their three keys to success.
Vattenfall has sent in around 9,000 IT devices to Inrego and managed to refurbish 85% of them. This has resulted in nearly 1.5 million kilograms of CO₂ savings – equivalent to the climate impact from producing almost 3,000 new laptops. For this achievement, Vattenfall was honored Leader of the Year at the Inrego Circular Electronics Awards 2024.
Here are three keys to their success – ready to inspire anyone looking to save money, emissions, and time through circular IT.
1. Make circular IT a natural part of your business
It all starts with awareness. Often, users have no idea about the size of the carbon footprint of their device – or how important it is that it gets a second life. Vattenfall has invested in education and internal communication, building a network of Sustainability Champions from across the organization. They meet regularly to discuss how to improve the strategy, set goals, and track progress.
By sharing concrete numbers, Vattenfall has made it clear how behavior matters – and built a culture where sustainability is a natural part of everyday work.
2. Create lifecycle policies for a second life
Circularity isn’t only about what happens at the end of a product’s life – it starts from day one. At Vattenfall, every new employee receives a laptop along with a simple guide with sustainability tips for the entire lifecycle of the device, from day one to hand-back. The goal is to build understanding of the value in taking care of the equipment – and why returning it in good condition for reuse is essential when it’s time for an upgrade.
3. Don’t underestimate the “small” things
You don’t need a grand three-year sustainability plan – what matters is to start now.
Small choices can have a big impact. One example is Vattenfall’s decision to switch to PVC-free laptop chargers, which has led to significant reductions in CO₂ emissions.
It’s not about doing everything at once, but about doing something – and letting it grow from there.
Start where you are
Vattenfall’s work shows that real change happens when circular IT becomes a natural part of the company culture. As Miguel Lampreia says in the video below:
“You don’t have to be great to start – but you have to start to be great.”
Watch the interview with Vattenfall below and learn more about their journey toward a more circular approach to IT.
