TALKING POINT
CIOS ARE PAYING FOR A WASTE PROBLEM VENDORS CREATED
Organisations are facing growing pressure to address the environmental and regulatory risks associated with IT equipment disposal and lifecycle management. Kwirirai Rukowo, Qrent Managing Executive, tells us why CIOs must demand full lifecycle accountability from technology vendors and why sustainability cannot stop at the point of procurement.
Kwirirai Rukowo, Qrent Managing Executive
CIOs pride themselves on digital leadership, yet one of the most dangerous failures in enterprise IT happens in plain sight. Vendors talk about the circular economy, sustainability and ESG, but when equipment reaches end of life, they vanish. The burden of disposal shifts onto the organisation while vendors keep the revenue. This is the dirty secret the industry would rather ignore.
We believe responsibility does not end when a device is delivered. We support reduce, reuse and recycle, but slogans mean nothing without ownership of the full lifecycle. Under the National Environmental Management Waste Act and the Extended Producer Responsibility framework, anyone who supplies or refurbishes equipment must take responsibility for the entire lifespan of that equipment. Vendors cannot hand off the burden to the client and pretend the work is done.
In practical terms, this means when a device becomes obsolete, we take it back. We prevent it from being dumped in landfill or polluting water systems. We refurbish it where possible and recycle it when required. We track the process and close the loop. Any vendor who refuses to do the same is working within an outdated and irresponsible model.
Organisations sign impressive contracts, but too many vendors disappear when hardware reaches end of life. The result is unmanaged liability, regulatory exposure and the risk of equipment falling into the wrong channels. This is not sustainability. This is a transfer of cost and risk from the vendor to the client, which ultimately affects total cost of ownership.
This is why we tell clients to demand evidence of real Extended Producer Responsibility. Insist on lifecycle management that covers acquisition, operation, decommissioning, return, reuse and recycling. If a vendor cannot show documented processes, metrics, chain of custody and certifications, they are not contributing to your sustainability mandate. They are convenience suppliers, not strategic partners.
The uncomfortable truth is that many vendors profit from waste. It is easy for them to sell new equipment, but when that equipment becomes redundant, responsibility evaporates. Clients pay premium prices believing they have chosen a safe option, only to discover the vendor is nowhere to be found when disposal becomes an issue. The result is mounting waste, expanding landfills and growing environmental risk.
Our position is clear. We accept obsolete equipment through our complete information technology asset disposition programme. We ensure nothing ends up in landfill or water systems. We refurbish devices to extend life where possible and recycle responsibly when not. We document the impact in kilograms of e-waste prevented, device lives extended and raw materials preserved.
CIOs must start asking difficult questions. Does the vendor guarantee secure and responsible decommissioning? Do they provide certificates that prove compliance? Do they take equipment back at no extra cost? Can they prove that nothing ends up in landfills or water streams?
End of life must be part of every vendor assessment. Sustainability is not a label. It is a chain of actions and a long-term commitment. Choose vendors who take ownership of the full lifecycle because your environment, your business and your reputation depend on it. •
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