Green IT policies and practices in companies: where do things stand?

What if green IT started first with optimizing the way IT equipment and associated IT services are used, in order to extend their lifespan?

This is the conclusion of our barometer on green IT policies and practices in companies.

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40% of businesses say that at least two-thirds of their equipment is refurbished.

Although the adoption of a mostly refurbished IT fleet seems to be more common than before in some companies, others are not far behind. 75% of companies say that at least 30% of their equipment is refurbished.

This choice is driven in particular by significant financial benefits and growing awareness of responsible digital practices.

A growing demand for performance and reliability in IT equipment

53% of respondents said that quality is, and may have been in the past, a point of friction when ordering refurbished computers and IT equipment.

Beyond this observation, hardware performance, especially over time, is now essential for the SMEs surveyed.

“This need for performance and reliability is exactly what we focus on at Largo. As a 100% French refurbisher, our mission is to bring tested and verified equipment back to market, with performance that meets professional expectations,” says Christophe Brunot, co-founder of Largo.

More than 50% of employees have never contacted an IT support service…

… even though, on average, an employee loses 109 hours per year due to slow IT systems: a real source of frustration for employees and a major loss of productivity.

This is why we have integrated all IT services into a SaaS platform, enriched with an unprecedented AI dimension in IT management.

This centralization of IT tools and topics simplifies time-consuming yet essential tasks, both for managers and employees, while maximizing the use of equipment over time.

To develop a complete B2B offering, we have joined forces with the rzilient teams to provide a 360° experience, from the acquisition of refurbished equipment and its enrollment into company tools, through to fleet optimization, enabling refurbished equipment to meet professional requirements,” says Benjamin Glaenzer, General Manager of Back Market for Business.

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Positive signs for closing the green IT loop

When equipment reaches the end of its life, nearly 60% of companies say they send it to a dedicated organization for recycling.

ZACK, the circular economy subsidiary of the Manutan Group, a partner of this barometer and a committed player in the circularization of electronic equipment, explains:

“We know that the circle will only be complete when we manage to collect computer and electronic equipment in order to reuse or repair them as much as possible. Recycling should only be the last solution, although it is always better than doing nothing! That is why we resell, for our customers, their products that still have value. The others will be donated to our partner associations. We have a 45% reuse rate of the used products we collect, when the average rate in France for WEEE collected as part of an eco-organization is barely 2%.”

40% of the companies surveyed want to commit to a more responsible digital policy in the short term, which shows significant room for improvement.

However, 20% believe they do not have the necessary resources to implement such a policy, despite a strong willingness to do so.

Indeed, this approach cannot be initiated alone, and the need to rely on specialized players or solutions is becoming increasingly clear.

That is precisely rzilient’s purpose: to support companies in making IT management simpler and more responsible.