Sustainability is a priority for businesses large and small, which means procuring IT devices that align with ESG goals is becoming more important. Increasingly, this includes refurbished devices.
Sustainability has been talked of for many years by businesses, but it is increasingly backed by action. A recent study by IntegrityNext, in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, found that more than 80% of organisations now regard sustainable procurement as a strategic priority, and a large majority are embedding ESG criteria into purchasing decisions.
“Sustainability has moved from a ‘nice-to-have’ to a core decision criterion in IT procurement – on par with cost, performance and security,” says Lynne Brown, managing director & VP Channel Sales, UK & Ireland at Xerox. “This shift has been strongly accelerated by regulation, particularly in the public sector.”
Alex Croft, managing director, UK at Alchemy, agrees that sustainability has become a boardroom priority. “Procurement decisions are now scrutinised for their environmental impact in a way they weren’t five years ago,” he says.
“For channel businesses, this translates to harder questions from customers: where does this device come from, is it built to last, what’s its carbon footprint, and what happens to it at end of life? Those that answer those questions confidently with data and real supply chain visibility are winning deals.”
Sarah-Jane McGaw, global head of environmental sustainability at Westcon-Comstor, notes that the picture is mixed. “Customers are looking more closely at lifecycle impact, energy use, end-of-life handling and the availability of credible product data and there is clear interest in products with longer lifespans,” she explains.
“At the same time, from our perspective, environmental procurement is not necessarily getting louder across every part of the channel. We are more often asked for data on our own carbon footprint and performance, while product-specific data usually still sits with vendors.”
Growing choice
Alex says the sustainable options available to businesses today are far stronger than they were a few years ago. “Manufacturers are now building repairability and longevity into devices from the outset – modular components, longer software support windows, and circular design principles that make refurbishment more viable and value-retaining,” he says.
“That’s good news for resellers and MSPs. Devices designed with longevity in mind are easier to refurbish to a high standard, and advances in standardised grading and quality control mean those devices now routinely meet the same performance criteria as new stock – with a fraction of the environmental footprint. For resellers, that means a compelling, quality-assured proposition to bring to customers. For customers tracking Scope 3 emissions, it means a measurable, reportable reduction in environmental impact.”
Printers form a key part of IT procurement. Lynne says Xerox pursues a holistic approach to sustainability. “The core housing of most of our devices is made of robust steel frames, and during development, we test our printers and multifunction devices rigorously in test labs to ensure their durability even under adverse conditions, helping to extend product lifecycles to seven years or more in many cases,” she explains.
“In the usage phase, we ensure low energy consumption thanks to sleep and toner saver mode as well as energy-saving toner. We reduce paper consumption through automatic duplex printing and managed print services. In addition to EPEAT® registration and ENERGY STAR® certification, most of our office devices sold in Europe are awarded Blue Angel, and thus certified for low energy consumption, low emissions and longevity.”
Xerox also focuses on refurbishment and remanufacturing to reduce new material demand, Lynne adds. “Enabled by our global hardware and supplies collection programmes, our refurbished and remanufactured devices help us achieve more than 90% material reuse by weight on average and near 99% landfill avoidance,” she says. “Lexmark and Xerox cartridges can be remanufactured up to 10 times. Recycling only comes as the last resort, when remanufacturing or refurbishment is no longer possible.
“We also focus on increasing our post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content. Xerox has established a new goal to increase the PCR plastic in Xerox branded office print products to 50% by 2030.”
Lynne adds that the Xerox Renewal Advisor and the Lexmark Smart Refresh programmes use predictive AI- and IoT-driven device diagnostics and analytics to retain and redeploy devices, prolonging useful life, preventing premature refreshes and cutting embodied carbon at fleet scale.
“For businesses, this approach can contribute to sustainability objectives, including potential reductions in Scope 3 emissions associated with new manufacturing, reduced e-waste, and increased circularity through reuse and recycling.”
Refurbish option
As Lynne notes, refurbished devices are becoming increasingly popular. Hayley Knott, marketing manager at KOcycle, says that giving a laptop a second life and keeping it in use for an additional two-three years can avoid the equivalent of hundreds of kilograms of CO₂ that would otherwise be generated in manufacturing a new one. “For businesses with meaningful Scope 3 targets, that’s a number worth paying attention to,” she adds.
“Refurbished is now a credible choice for business-grade deployments, not just cost-conscious consumers. We’re seeing enterprise customers specifying refurbished as a preference, or even as a percentage of their IT procurement strategy, not just as a back-up option.”
Alex says that uniform grading practices, direct-from-source supply through OEM and carrier trade-in programs, and stricter quality control have transformed the perception of refurbished and secondary devices from second best to smart procurement.
“Businesses are realising they can access reliable, high-quality devices at lower cost and with better sustainability credentials,” he adds. “For MSPs managing large device estates, the commercial and environmental case is increasingly compelling. We’re seeing more and more businesses leading with refurbished as a first choice procurement strategy, not falling back on it as a last resort.”
Sarah says that in the mobile and laptop space, refurbished and remanufactured devices do appear to be moving further into the mainstream, but the picture is not uniform across every category. “Within our own business, refurbished sales have been consistent rather than accelerating sharply, and one of the practical challenges is certainty of supply,” she says.
“If a customer needs equipment quickly, a new product is often easier to source. What matters most is confidence in quality, security, support and a clear route for redeployment or recycling at end of life.”
Reseller conversations
In conversations with customers about sustainable IT procurement, resellers should focus on certain aspects. “Resellers should approach sustainability as a business conversation, not just a technical one,” says Lynne. “The most effective starting point is to move beyond product features and instead focus on customer outcomes, particularly how sustainable IT can support ESG objectives, cost optimisation and compliance requirements.
“In practical terms, that means framing sustainability in terms of total cost of ownership and lifecycle value, not just upfront price, as well as highlighting measurable impact, such as lower carbon emissions associated with device use and production, reduced e-waste and extended device lifecycles. In the public sector, the conversation should be tailored towards addressing regulatory requirements and reporting obligations, while in the private sector the focus may be more on ESG performance and brand positioning.”
Hayley says resellers should be equipped with messaging that is outcome-focused, data-backed and linked to any regulation, compliance or governance requirements. “Having a trusted ITAD partner to support with education to sales communities is extremely important,” she adds. “Often, resellers will be talking to new personas and stakeholders within their clients around sustainable IT, and it is our role to equip the sellers with the right language, messaging and evidence to build confidence with the client.”
Alex says resellers should move from reactive to proactive with sustainable IT procurement. “Waiting for customers to request sustainability solutions is a missed opportunity,” he says. “MSPs and resellers are uniquely positioned to lead this conversation, bringing expertise that most end user procurement teams simply don’t have.
“That means reframing secondary and refurbished options as a strategic procurement decision, one that delivers on cost, quality and ESG commitments all at once. Come to the conversation with data – grading standards, lifecycle impact, material and carbon savings, recovery value – and position your business as the expert guide on circular procurement, not just the route to market for hardware. Customers are increasingly asking these questions, and the businesses who have the answers to hand will build deeper, longer-lasting relationships as a result.”
Sustained sustainability
All commentators agreed that the popularity of sustainable IT procurement will continue to grow. “Sustainability and ESG have turned into a long-term business imperative, driven by laws, investor expectations, and customer demand,” says Lynne. “Sustainability is now viewed as a key driver of competitive advantage and future growth within procurement.”
Hayley notes that younger workforces are asking more questions of their employers and it is becoming part of their career decision-making if a company stands by their commitments across ESG. “Also, as refurbished supply chains mature and AI-assisted grading improves quality consistency, the barriers to adoption keep falling,” she adds. “Resellers who build sustainable IT into their core proposition now will be well positioned; those who treat it as a niche add-on will find themselves playing catch-up.”
But Sarah notes that progress is unlikely to be linear. “Some areas are moving forward faster than others, and practical constraints such as supply, cost, infrastructure and data availability will continue to shape what is achievable,” she says. “The most credible approach for the channel is to stay pragmatic and transparent, focus on extending product life where possible, and make sure equipment that has genuinely reached end of life is handled responsibly.”
Alex says the regulatory landscape around e-waste and product lifecycle is shifting across the UK and Europe, while corporate ESG commitments are becoming more specific and more auditable. “Circular technology has reached a tipping point: what was once a niche corner of the market is now a business opportunity that’s hard to ignore,” he adds.
“For resellers and MSPs, the question is whether they’ll be positioned to meet demand for sustainable procurement. Businesses building circular offerings into their core proposition now are establishing the expertise, supplier relationships, customer trust and diversified supply sources that will define the channel’s leading players in the years ahead. For resellers and MSPs agile enough to move decisively, the window to establish themselves as the go-to sustainable procurement partner is right now.”
