Being a responsible e-Steward is important
There is a huge emphasis these days on being eco-friendly. This extends to corporate and private entities alike, be it in a person's home or as part of a major business endeavor to clean up everyday activities. Companies especially need to enact these policies when it comes to IT asset disposition, since old hardware that's left to rot in landfills can present significant hazards to the environment. Even when sending these devices off to certified resellers, businesses need to be thoughtful and responsible in terms of ensuring that these third parties are handling hardware properly, since there can be significant issues once the devices change possession.
Remaining responsible for corporate resources
Business 2 Community wrote that firms need to check up on the track record of buying organizations that claim to handle reâ-marketing of refurbished hardware. There have been many reports of resellers dumping old hardware into landfills or allowing broken equipment to be shipped to buyers who then throw them away themselves. While it may seem impossible for companies to keep abreast of how their buyers are handling their equipment after it leaves their premises, it's up to the original owning firm to ensure that the resellers they're doing business with are responsible, certified entities. This reduces the likelihood of hardware being disposed of inappropriately or risking the integrity of devices after they've been sold.
In a separate article, Business 2 Community recommended that companies get more invested in e-Stewardship programs to further the interests of IT asset distribution protection. These endeavors consist of committing corporate standards to meeting regional and national standards of excellence for health, environment and safety elements of corporate hardware management. Such tenants mean that firms don't move property with potentially hazardous waste off their premises without first ensuring that these resources will be handled appropriately. In order to do so, companies should check with entities they choose to do business with to be certain that these organizations are certified and have a good standing history of product reselling.
Looking for pitfalls
Both owning firms and third party vendors can get certified as e-Stewardship certified organizations. Pursuing deals only with these kinds of firms ensures that companies are partnering with businesses that will handle their resources appropriately. Similarly, firms interested in buying refurbished goods should seek out these resellers so that they know the hardware they're acquiring is in proper working order and won't wind up costing them more in the long run.