Greener Gadgets: The Case for Sustainable IT Asset Management

We highlighted in our previous article the unapparent energy hunger of IT systems—and how neglecting their environmental footprint can sabotage even the best corporate sustainability initiatives. But energy consumption is just one facet of IT's environmental burden. There's yet another piece of the equation that's just as significant, but not always part of the discourse: the physical equipment itself.

Servers, laptops, routers, and monitors are the physical devices that drive the virtual world. And though each may appear innocent as an individual, their entire lifecycle, from manufacturing and use to disposal, leaves a wake of emissions, depletion of resources, and growing e-waste.

If companies are to take the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) seriously, it's not simply about powering IT infrastructure efficiently. They need to procure and manage IT hardware sustainably throughout: from initial procurement to end-of-life.

Let's have a closer look at why sustainable IT asset management is important, and how businesses can incorporate it into their procurement processes.

From Extraction to E-Waste: The Lifecycle of IT Assets
What comes to mind when you consider the environmental footprint of IT? Plugged-in gadgets and data center power. But the real story starts earlier—and frequently ends much later.

1. Materials and Manufacturing
The IT equipment's carbon footprint is weighted towards the front end. Producing one laptop or server takes several processes that involve the mining and processing of metallic elements such as lithium, cobalt, and gold—activities which are energy-hungry and frequently destructive to ecosystems and human rights.

Studies have indicated that as much as 80% of the overall emissions of a device are generated in the production phase alone. When a new laptop finds itself in the office, the bulk of the damage to the environment has already been caused.

2. Use and Consumption of Energy
Once they are deployed, devices continue to use power—particularly if they are old, inefficient, or improperly managed. Older devices tend to use more power and may not have the power-saving technologies of their modern counterparts.

3. E-Waste and End-of-life
Within several years, hardware tends to be decommissioned and discarded. Global e-waste, however, is an increasing problem, with millions of tons being sent to landfills or uncontrolled recycling operations which put workers and communities at risk of contact with hazardous materials.

In spite of its enormous size, very little e-waste is recycled, with the remainder posing an environmental risk and lost opportunity to recover valuable resources.

Why procurement matters: the leverage point for sustainable change
Procurement is where sustainability begins—or ends. All choices made here have far-reaching effects on the environmental footprint of your IT operations for years to come. Through the integration of sustainability into procurement policy, businesses can significantly cut emissions, save resources, and align with CSRD reporting more closely.

Here is how it can be done:

1. Prioritize Permanent, Effective Equipment
Invest in devices that are made to last, and prioritize:

• Equipment with energy-efficient certifications (e.g., ENERGY STAR or EPEAT).

• Designed with modularity, repairability, and future upgrades in mind.

• Suppliers who release lifecycle carbon information and sustainability pledges.

The longer-lasting device not only minimizes the replacement cycle but also decreases overall emissions over the lifespan.

2. Adopt Refurbished and Remanufactured Alternatives
Purchasing refurbished enterprise-grade equipment can significantly reduce embodied carbon emissions. Sourced from accredited suppliers, pre-owned equipment can provide performance that's equal to new products—with much less environmental cost.

It's an affordable and sustainable method of maximizing the use of current technology without stimulating demand for new production.

3. Ask Suppliers to Provide More
Your procurement team needs to actively screen vendors for their environmental and social behavior. Ask:

• Do they have take-back and recycling programs?

• Are their supply chains free of conflict minerals and labor violations?

• Do they offer both third-party sustainability ratings and environmental disclosures?

Selecting responsible suppliers minimizes your own exposure to ESG risk and makes your sustainability credentials even more robust.

4. Extend Asset Lifecycles with Improved In-House Practices
Sustainability does not stop when the product leaves the store. Ensure that your internal policies promote:

• Device reallocation among departments in place of premature replacements.

• Ongoing maintenance and repair.

• Clear end-of-life processes that prioritize reuse, donation, or certified recycling.

These little tweaks can cut the amount of new devices you need to purchase—and the resulting waste—dramatically.

5. Track and Report IT Asset Sustainability
To satisfy CSRD, it is essential to monitor and report your impacts relating to hardware. Report:

• The portion of IT equipment purchases that are aligned with sustainability.

• Average lifespan according to device category.

• E-waste quantities and recycling rates.

• Total emissions prevented, due to refurbished purchases or lifecycle extension strategies.

Measuring these initiatives makes them transparent to stakeholders—and worthwhile to the company.

From Blind Spot to Strategy: IT Procurement in the CSRD Era
As we have already mentioned in our earlier post, IT can no longer remain an afterthought when it comes to sustainability planning. Its energy usage, physical infrastructure, and supply chain intricacies all have material impacts—both economic and environmental.

Sustainable IT procurement closes the gap between business aspiration and operational reality. It makes intangible climate objectives tangible business choices that define your business footprint each and every day.

And with CSRD driving businesses into greater transparency and responsibility, it's time to take IT hardware seriously, not merely as an expense center, but as an engine of positive transformation.

Closing Thoughts…
We frequently speak about creating a smarter digital future. But that future can only truly be smart if it is sustainable. From powering our data to acquiring and retiring our technology, the decision around IT is no longer technical—it's ethical, it's green, and it's strategic.

So, as your company makes its sustainability plan more precise, ask yourself:
Are we shopping for the present, or are we investing for a greener future?