If you are not certain what happens to your retired or surplus electronic equipment after it leaves your possession, you’re taking a great risk. To have your brand turn up in a random landfill on the other side of the globe can have a devastating impact on your business, not to mention the environment.
So, how do you safeguard against such a scenario?
The answer is simple: Make sure you work with a R2-certified supply chain partner.
The definition of the certification sums up why it matters to your business: The R2:2013 Standard is the leading global certification standard for the electronics reuse and recycling industry. The requirements in the R2 Standard are designed to protect people, protect the environment, protect data, and preserve resources. This is achieved through rigorous annual audits conducted by R2 authorized certification bodies, and through transparency and accountability throughout the entire reuse/recycling/repair chain of used electronic products.
Let’s break it down further.
Here’s how a R2-certified supply chain partner can help you alleviate risk and stay committed to environmental responsibility:
- The R2 Standard goes hand in hand with three additional certifications: ISO 9001, OSHAS 18001 and ISO 14001. A facility cannot get the former without meeting the standards of the latter. In other words, you know your R2-certified supply chain partner complies with comprehensive quality standards, worker health and safety standards as well as environmental standards.
- Data security is another pillar of the R2 Standard. It requires your partner to use best industry practices to wipe all confidential and personal residual data from electronics.
- R2-certified facilities go through rigorous audits on an annual basis by certified bodies to ensure materials are tracked throughout the supply chain and downstream vendors are vetted in accordance with best industry practices. You reap the benefits in reduced data and environmental liability.
- Maximum material recovery for end-of-life electronics is one goal of the R2 Standard. Landfilling or incineration is prohibited when reuse and recycling options exist. With a R2-certified supply chain partner, your products essentially contribute to the preservation of resources.
- When you work with a R2-certified supply chain partner, you are part of the forward-thinking “Circular Economy.” The R2 Standard, with its emphasis on reuse and resource management over e-waste management, is a leader of this new movement that increasingly seeks to replace the dated and environmentally destructive “Take-Make-Throw” practices.
With a R2-certified supply chain partner, you can tout your green credentials and rest assured your data is secure. To learn more about Mainstream Global’s environmental commitment and how we can help you recycle responsibly, click here.
Read More:
This is Mainstream Global — Your Edge in Reverse Logistics
4 Telltale Signs of a Data Wipe Solutions Team You Can Trust
