Sustainable workplace can double the lifespan of end devices

Since 79 percent of a laptop's CO2 footprint is created during production, 338 kilograms of CO2 even before the first use, extending the product life cycle can make a big difference. What's more, this is possible without affecting user satisfaction, according to the new study. Companies that extend the refresh cycle from three to four years can reduce the associated emissions by 25 percent. A data-based refresh in combination with remanufacturing can even increase the product life cycle to eight to ten years.

The Atos study also revealed that 76% of laptops in large companies are suitable for remanufacturing. The remaining 24 percent of devices could be refurbished or recycled.

CO2 emissions can change several times in the course of a day

In the study, Atos also emphasizes the essential role of employees in meeting IT sustainability targets. 75 percent of employees would be prepared to leave their laptops running for longer if they were aware of the environmental benefits. However, the common practice of leaving laptops running continuously shows that users need to be made more aware of energy-saving use. The CO2 emissions of a device can change several times in the course of a day. Automatically informing the user about the best time to charge the battery can increase energy efficiency.

Data suggests that 57 percent of ICT emissions are caused by the devices themselves and the working environment. Atos, a global leader in the digital workplace, has analyzed a total of 28.5 million devices in medium-sized and large companies and evaluated the data with its partners Nexthink, Tier1 and Circular Computing to derive important recommendations for the sustainability of IT.

Leon Gilbert, Senior Vice President Digital Workplace at Atos, says: "We wanted to use the large amount of data available to us as Atos and our partners to challenge previous conventions in dealing with devices and to identify new opportunities for companies and their IT service providers. Some of the results surprised even our experts. We can now maximize the financial, environmental and social value of each device without minimizing user satisfaction."

David Welling, IT Sustainability Governance Lead at National Grid, adds: "In our own organization, we want to use data to make better sustainable decisions about usage. Today, few of us think about using our own devices in line with our energy suppliers' usage. However, no one would doubt that it makes sense to charge your laptop at night when demand is lower and energy sources are more environmentally friendly. If we combine this flexibility with ICT, we have a real opportunity to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire energy system of entire countries."

Implementation neither lengthy nor expensive

In summary, the current Atos study shows that the implementation of sustainable management, sustainable processes and the adaptation of common practices does not have to be lengthy or expensive. On the contrary: companies can benefit from the findings of the study. What we can measure, we can also change, is Atos' motto, which once again underlines the importance of coherent real-time data for achieving environmental goals.

Atos teams provide end-to-end user experience solutions through digital collaboration and productivity tools and intelligent customer service solutions. The Atos Sustainable Digital Workplace Suite includes over 20 "Tech for Good" services and solutions that address social value and accessibility as well as data analytics and user interfaces. In March of this year, Gartner named Atos a Leader in its 2024 Magic Quadrant for Outsourced Digital Workplace Services (ODWS) for the eighth consecutive year.

Source: www.atos.net