Aotearoa businesses sitting on untapped goldmine of old tech

Only a quarter (26%) of senior New Zealand-based IT business leaders say they are very aware of the potential economic value that resides in their organisations' electronic-waste, according to new research released by Lenovo.

The research shows that despite most IT business leaders (83%) claiming their organisations place a moderate to high priority on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, only half (50%) say their e-waste is disposed responsibly. Furthermore, 60% don't track the amount of e-waste their companies produce each year. Meanwhile, according to the Global E-waste Monitor, high-value recoverable materials, such as gold, conservatively valued at US $57 billion, are currently being lost to landfill and incinerators.
 
To bring awareness to the potential value of e-waste and the power of the circular economy, Lenovo is introducing a collaboration with Holly Ryan, sustainable jeweller and founder of her eponymous label Holly Ryan. Through this initiative, Holly Ryan has created an exclusive range of rings made from metals from recycled e-waste.

'Lenovo Precious Metals' is a set of four unique, one-off designer rings created by Holly and made from metals retrieved from e-waste – gold, silver and platinum – breathing new life into old technology.

"Aotearoa IT business leaders clearly understand the importance of impacting the environment positively, but there is more we can all do when it comes to sustainable management of e-waste," says Libby Macgregor, Country Manager General NZ.

"Not only does a responsible approach to e-waste management mean a crucial contribution to the circular economy, but there is also a strong economic value for businesses," she says.

"I'm proud we're putting focus on e-waste management, and by 2025, we will have enabled the recycling and reuse of 362 million kilograms of end-of-life products and 76% of PC parts returned to our service centre will be repaired for future use."

Holly Ryan adds, "I'm deeply passionate about sustainability and have built my business sourcing recycled metals and stones for my designs, which is why I was so excited to find a partner in Lenovo to create these one-off pieces with. 

"The "Precious Metals" range – symbolic of the power of the circular economy – takes ethical jewellery making to the next level.

"I encourage all companies to be cognisant of what assets they may have within their business that can be recycled or upcycled and to put circular processes in place."

Lenovo intends to award the set of four rings to staff who volunteer in the community as a token of recognition and to raise money by auctioning off the rings to support other philanthropic initiatives.

Lenovo's Asset Recovery Services helps businesses get the most out of their end-of-life hardware, providing an end-to-end solution to mitigate the environmental and data security risks associated with asset disposal while maximising the value potential of those assets.