Turning old tech into new opportunities
Many people find it difficult to recycle electronics responsibly. At Deloitte, we are tackling this problem head-on.
We all have them – those old phones, laptops, or forgotten gadgets gathering dust in a drawer. While seemingly harmless, this unused technology contributes to a growing global challenge: electronic waste, or e-waste.
Many people find it difficult to recycle electronics responsibly. However, for these devices, it’s often not the end of the road; they still have the potential to have a second, third or even fourth life. At Deloitte, we are tackling this problem head-on, working on multiple fronts to transform how we manage consumer waste, from empowering our own people to helping to shape policy across Europe.
Recycle for good – plugging in to a greener future
We believe in leading by example, which is why in February 2025, Deloitte UK launched 'Recycle for Good'. This month-long initiative empowered our 26,000 UK employees to conveniently recycle their broken, outdated or unwanted personal electricals and cables for free, thanks to a collaboration with our client, retail giant Currys. Recognising that many find recycling electronics a challenge, we made it simple: colleagues could drop off their old devices (anything with a plug) at any Currys store.
‘Recycle for Good’ was about more than just convenience; it was about creating new opportunities. Any reusable devices collected were refurbished by Currys and repurposed - extending their life. Where possible, some items were donated to charities and those in need. Electrical parts from items which could not be refurbished were reused to prevent them from becoming e-waste.
This initiative gave valuable technology a second life - providing essential tools to those who need them most. In just one month, 'Recycle for Good' collected over 225 items, including laptops, printers, TVs, gaming equipment, and even toasters! This effort complements our broader, existing programmes, through which over 21,000 refurbished devices have been donated, positively impacting 47,000 individuals.
Richard Houston, Deloitte NSE Senior Partner and CEO, highlights the dual benefit of this initiative: "Our 'Recycle for Good' initiative with Currys allowed us to turn old tech into new opportunities, ensuring that valuable devices didn’t go to waste. Access to technology changes lives, and by simply recycling their old tech, our colleagues made a real difference to bridge the digital divide."
Shaping Europe’s future
While we engage our workforce in practical recycling efforts, we’re also working to help shape future European policy. In Belgium, our experts have been working closely with the WEEE Forum, a leading association of fifty producer responsibility organisations managing e-waste across the globe.
The challenge? Existing EU targets for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) have proven to be not for purpose and too narrowly focused on maximising only the collection of e-waste, rather than fostering a truly circular economy - a system designed to keep resources in use for as long as possible.
Our Deloitte Belgium team, comprising specialists in circular economy, waste management, and modelling, conducted a comprehensive assessment of these targets. They analysed current trends and developed an analytical model to project future evolutions, identifying shortcomings in the current framework. Through collaborative engagement with WEEE Forum members, our team explored a broad list of potential alternative targets and benchmarks, including refinements to existing ones and the introduction of new concepts with a stronger focus on circularity.
The findings from this study have been presented at significant events including at the European Parliament and at the E-Waste World Conference & Expo in Frankfurt. These insights aim to contribute to the development of new, more effective EU rules, expected by the end of 2026, as part of the Circular Economy Act. This work ensures that our collective efforts to manage electronic waste are both ambitious and achievable, promoting sustainable resource management across the continent.
Pascal Leroy, Director General of the WEEE Forum, underscores the impact of Deloitte's contribution: “The Deloitte study provides a clear evaluation of the current collection targets in the EU legislation of waste electronics and offers a comprehensive perspective on alternative, more meaningful and robust management targets and benchmarks that support circularity in the EU. This project has established a solid foundation for the European Commission to draft new WEEE rules in the Circular Economy Act.”
From local action to global change
By tackling e-waste from grassroots engagement to European policy, Deloitte is not just managing waste; we are turning it into new opportunities, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.
