Many of our customers aim to make a difference in their communities.
As part of enhancing their Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) policy they may want to use their redundant IT to support a local charity – turning a redundant asset into a valuable contribution to a person’s life or provide a charitable organisations with additional income:
However, managing this internally has many challenges:
1. The donated equipment must have all the data completely destroyed.
2. Assets must be cleaned and brought back to an as new state, with no asset tags or identifying labels.
3. Configuration and Risk Management compliance means there must be a full audit trail of equipment donated, destination, donating officer, authorising officer confirming the successful completion of data eradication and refurbishment.
Re-Tek provides this service on behalf of our large corporate clients. Assets are selected by Re-Tek based on specifications and quantities supplied. They are:
1. Erased using CESG approved data sanitisation software.
2. Refurbished and or repaired to an as-new condition.
3. Packed and shipped to the charity specified.
Audit compliance is achieved through a full audit trail that demonstrates successful data sanitisation and destination of every individual asset.
Re-Tek also work closely with regional and international charities in a collaborative approach to identify business models that help recover more EEE for re-use. This has the added benefit of job creation and providing alternative income opportunities for the charity.
The Turing Trust
The Turing Trust (www.turingtrust.co.uk) is an international charity that provides low end technology ICT to schools in rural Ghana. As a major exporter of quality refurbished used EEE to emerging markets, Re-Tek are happy to partner with The Turing Trust to provide ICT, that would normally go for recycling, to a third world economy for educational benefit.
The charity have said “The Turing Trust are honoured to be supported by Re-Tek, who have helped us in our mission to transform schools in rural areas of Ghana…We’re looking forward to a long working relationship together”.
Strathcarron Hospice
Strathcarron Hospice (www.strathcarronhospice.net) is a free palliative care resource in Scotland, caring for patients with an active, life-limiting disease. Re-Tek have made a number of donations to the hospice, notably the donation of three reconditioned iPad’s, which made a massive difference to some patients everyday life. Ward Manager Susan Bateman explained “some of our patients find themselves unable to speak as a result of their conditions or treatments, but the iPads will give them a voice, as they can be used to communicate with both staff and family, expressing vital choices regarding their care at the most important times… so much more than just a window to the outside world, this will be a gift which enriches the life of many of our patients”.
Collaborations
Local Authorities
Re-Tek partnered with Dumfries & Galloway Council, Enscape Consultancy and The Furniture Project and, for a similar project, partnered with Falkirk Council, with approval from Valpak. The projects involve the consolidation of redundant ICT equipment (such as laptops, PCs, tablets, mobile phones etc.) from local recycling centres, retail donations and kerbside collections which are then picked up by Re-Tek for processing in our secure facility. Any data bearing products are wiped using our CESG approved software and refurbished, where possible, for re-sale. The aim of the projects is to encourage re-use and reduce the recycling and landfill of ICT products. Any profit generated from re-sale is passed to a charity nominated by our council partner.
ng2
ng2 (www.ng2works.com), a Social Enterprise company that is a wholly owned subsidiary of ng homes (www.nghomes.net) who maintain a large estate of social housing in North Glasgow. The partnership with Re-Tek provides opportunities for both organisations to capture more used EEE and create new jobs in the recycling sector. A successful project in 2015, collecting ICT product from residents and local businesses, resulted in a significant financial rebate to ng2 under our income sharing model.