UN's Sustainable Development Goals
Our ambition is to contribute to all of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in one way or another, but we focus on the ones most relevant to us. Simply put, where we can make the greatest impact.
12. Sustainable Consumption and Production
To achieve sustainable development, we must reduce our ecological footprint by changing the way we produce and consume goods and resources. Inrego’s business is built around doing exactly that—creating more sustainable production and consumption of IT hardware in line with Goal 12. We do this by:
– Extending the life of IT products by sourcing unused hardware from companies and organizations, repairing it, and upgrading components as needed.
– Selling reused IT equipment with up to 85% lower climate impact compared to new products.
– Helping organizations connect IT and sustainability by offering guidance and carbon footprint analysis of their IT usage.
In doing so, we support a circular approach to IT consumption and production—offering a resilient alternative to the unsustainable, linear model of mass production, overconsumption, and waste.
12.2: Sustainable Management and Use of Natural Resources
By running a circular business, we contribute to the sustainable management and use of natural resources. Instead of discarding a computer when an employee no longer needs it, we recover the value of the resources already used in its production and extend the device’s lifespan.
The longer an IT product is used before being recycled or scrapped, the fewer new products need to be manufactured—and the fewer natural resources are consumed.
12.4: Responsible Management of Chemicals and Waste
By promoting reuse, we reduce the waste and harmful chemicals associated with the production of new IT hardware. The more people choose reused over new, the less waste ends up harming human health and the environment.
We have a robust program for responsible handling that applies to all of our downstream customers. Our process minimizes the risk of devices ending up in countries under sanctions or similar restrictions. We also work closely with our customers to share our perspective on the importance of proper e-waste management.
12.5: Substantially Reduce Waste Generation
E-waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream—and we’re working to slow it down. The greatest environmental burden from IT products arises during production, particularly through the mining of metals and virgin materials. In line with UN STEP (Solving the E-waste Problem), reuse is better than recycling.
At Inrego, we operate a responsible stewardship program for the resale of IT equipment. Its goal is to ensure that every product we handle is put to meaningful use, while actively preventing the export of electronic waste. A key principle of the program is to avoid selling products with too short a remaining lifespan—even if the device isn’t officially classified as waste—in order to fully eliminate the risk of illegal e-waste exports.
Learn more about our commitments to waste reduction and responsible handling.
12.6: Encourage Companies to Adopt Sustainable Practices and Sustainability Reporting
Inrego’s marketing strategy is centered around encouraging companies to adopt sustainable practices in the use and procurement of IT equipment. By choosing reused IT, refurbished and repaired by Inrego locally in the Nordics, companies can reduce their overall climate impact by approximately 12%. Opting for reused electronics over new ones contributes to sustainable development, both environmentally and socially.
Inrego also offers climate impact analyses of corporate IT operations, which companies can use in their sustainability reporting and as a foundation for strategically reducing emissions from their IT usage.
12.7: Promote Sustainable Public Procurement Practices
By participating in public procurement processes—such as those involving Swedish municipalities—Inrego helps ensure the public sector becomes part of a more sustainable IT consumption model. Our efforts include market-focused initiatives such as publishing reports on municipal IT management, as well as public advocacy through opinion pieces, articles, and other forms of outreach.
Read our latest news and articles here.
12.8: Increase Public Awareness of Sustainable Lifestyles
A large part of Inrego’s marketing and communication efforts is focused on raising public awareness about reuse, circularity, and sustainable IT. Choosing reused IT from Inrego is a step toward a more sustainable lifestyle, both environmentally and socially.
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12.A: Strengthen Developing Countries’ Scientific and Technological Capacity for Sustainable Consumption and Production
Countries facing poverty and social challenges are not excluded from purchasing Inrego’s affordable electronics. Schools in developing countries have a significant need for IT equipment, yet very limited access. This growing global inequality is a challenge we’re committed to addressing.
A used computer can cost up to 80% less than a new one, making it possible for people in lower-income regions—particularly within the education sector—to access knowledge and digital tools that might otherwise be out of reach.
We don’t exclude any country based solely on geography or economic status. Instead, we conduct thorough country risk analyses and assess each potential partnership on a case-by-case basis. By selling IT equipment globally to evaluated countries and carefully vetted customers, we avoid contributing to the e-waste problem and deliver on all three pillars of sustainability—environmental, social, and economic.
Other key goals we contribute to:
4. Quality Education
More than 774 million people worldwide cannot read or write. Access to education is a fundamental human right—yet millions are still excluded. That’s why it’s essential to significantly increase the number of youth and adults with relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent work, and entrepreneurship.
Inrego was founded to make it affordable for students to own a computer. Today, we continue to make high-quality IT equipment accessible to more people in society, supporting lifelong learning. We also help schools acquire more IT products at a lower cost than new—enabling broader access to education through digital inclusion.
13. Climate Action
Climate change and the rising global temperature continue to accelerate due to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The effects of global warming are already visible, making it critical to act now through greater education, awareness, innovation, and legislation to drive the necessary change.
The majority of an electronic product’s climate impact occurs during production. By extending the lifespan of electronics, we can significantly reduce that impact. In 2023 alone, Inrego and our customers helped avoid a total of 87,000 tons of CO₂e emissions, simply by choosing reuse over new.
Our Environmental Goals
We aim high because our mission is to help our customers reach their goals and move closer to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
As part of this commitment, in June 2021 we introduced a new global standard for environmental reporting in the reuse sector.
