BT helps customers accelerate towards a circular economy New service with Cisco will reduce e-waste, supporting a more sustainable world
New York City
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October 05, 2022 04:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
BT today announced a new programme aimed at reducing business customers’ e-waste by recycling end-of-life equipment and helping them achieve their targets for a circular economy.
It is the latest step in BT Group’s Manifesto pledge to move to circular products, networks and operations by 2030, and then extend this across its supply chain by 2040.
The new programme comes as organisations around the world are transforming their network and IT infrastructure to support the latest multi-cloud deployments. As part of this transformation, BT environmental specialists will work with customers to better understand and map the role of sustainability in a digital world.
Replaced or decommissioned electronic equipment from a customer’s network will be shipped back to Cisco to be responsibility re-used or recycled through its takeback and reuse programme. Up to 99.9 per cent of what is returned will be re-used or recycled.
BT has Cisco-certified environmental specialists in the UK, US, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland and Singapore to manage the process. Further countries will be added by end of 2022.
The programme adds to BT’s existing take-back and reuse services for smartphones providing an easy way to upgrade, securely dispose and recycle the devices using a single, complete solution that handles everything.
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), 57.4 million tonnes of e-waste was generated during 2021 with only 20 per cent recycled. If left unchecked, this could rise to 120 million tonnes each year. WEF also reported that 70 per cent of hazardous waste deposited in landfills is from e-waste.
“E-waste is a growing concern and according to WEF now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. Our customers and partners have made commitments to report on and improve performance in this critical area,” said Hriday Ravindranath, chief product & digital officer at BT’s Global unit. “Creating a more sustainable, circular economy, where we prioritise dematerialisation and avoid equipment going to landfill, is vital. It builds on our leadership in sustainability and will help deliver on our BT Group Manifesto commitments and ambition to connect for good.”
ENDS
About BT Group
BT Group is the UK’s leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications and related secure digital products, solutions and services. We also provide managed telecommunications, security and network and IT infrastructure services to customers across 180 countries. BT Group consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer serves individuals and families in the UK; Enterprise and Global are our UK and international business-focused units respectively; Openreach is an independently governed, wholly owned subsidiary, which wholesales fixed access infrastructure services to its customers - over 650 communication providers across the UK. For the year ended 31 March 2022, BT Group’s reported revenue was £20,850m with reported profit before taxation of £1,963m. British Telecommunications plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information, visit www.bt.com/about
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