In a bid to preserve both budget and the environment, many UK organizations are opting for refurbished instead of new hardware when it comes time to upgrade.
According to a new report from information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider Stone Group, more than half (59 percent) of UK firms now choose refurbished hardware when possible.
A quarter purchase refurbished IT gear as well, while almost half (42 percent) mix refurbished with new equipment.
When asked why they chose refurbished kit over new gear, businesses listed environmental considerations (55 percent) and value for money (55 percent) as the two key factors. At the same time, they expressed concerns about the quality, longevity and the guarantees of these second-hand devices.
Another way firms are helping the environment is by giving away used equipment. Four in ten businesses donate old IT hardware to either charities or schools, while a third restore it for continued use. Another third disposes of it responsibly through a professional third party, while a quarter said they plan to use an IT asset disposition (ITAD) facility within the next two years.
But being socially responsible is not the only reason firms choose to use a third party when ditching old hardware. They are also concerned about potential data leaks that could occur as a result of poor data erasure practices, and so enlist a specialist partner to ensure all information is deleted.
Ironically, however, Stone Group found that half of the businesses that do not want to use an ITAD service made that choice because they were worried about data leaks.
