The government’s path to net-zero is sprinkled with ambition, deadlines and no shortage of challenge. But as public sector professionals and communities rally to cut emissions, influence procurement and reshape the British sustainability story, are we asking the right questions about the tech we rely on? It’s time to get the conversation going.
What Will It Take for Public Sector to Hit Net-Zero?
The edie “Destination 2030” report makes it perfectly clear. The UK’s legally binding net-zero by 2050 isn’t just a distant milestone. Local authorities and NHS Trusts are bringing that deadline forward, with 2030 marked in red on their calendars. Yet, the report shows uneven progress. Some areas are steaming ahead, while others are slowed by complex funding, skill gaps and outdated infrastructure.
Steve Haskew, Group Director of Sustainability & Growth at Circular Computing noted, “We live in the age of the net zero commitment. Almost two-thirds of the UK’s largest companies have pledged to reach net zero by 2050, and 87 of the 100 largest listed companies have signed up to the BRC Roadmap to reach net zero by 2040. Yet despite this pledge, only 29% of UK businesses have a strategy in place to reach their net zero goal. Two in five (42%) business leaders say they feel overwhelmed by the steps they need to take to reach that goal. Fewer still have plans to reduce their scope 3 emissions”.
The Supply Chain Challenge and the Power of Procurement
If you pick through government balance sheets, you’ll spot a standout number. £300 billion a year, representing a third of all public spending, goes straight into procurement. The NHS alone makes up 4-5% of the UK’s carbon emissions, with a staggering 70% attributed to what it buys, not what it burns.
The edie report highlights that shifting public sector buying habits, especially in IT, could radically shift the emissions needle. But this needs confidence and clarity. Are we as IT leaders and procurement teams properly equipped to challenge “business as usual”? Or do we default to the familiar, the shiny, and the new?
Could a Circular Economy Unlock Progress?
The conversation is changing. Circularity isn’t a buzzword in policy circles; it’s emerging as a critical lever for emissions reduction, cost saving and long-term resilience. The report calls for a move from “take-make-dispose” to models based on reuse, repair and refurbishment. But what does that look like for public IT estates?
Melanie de Vigan, Head of Portfolio and Pre-Sales for Digital Workplace from Atos pinpoints it well, “Ultimately we cannot compromise experience and sustainability so yes, we want to extend the lifetime of the device, but we do not want to impact the user experience, so we really must make sure that the device that we’re bringing to the end user is always performing so that’s really the key.”
Circular Computing’s work, though only part of a much bigger solution, demonstrates exactly how subtle but powerful this shift can be. We aren’t rewriting the IT procurement rulebook, we’re enabling public bodies to rethink how to get more from devices without compromising quality or the taxpayer purse.
Case in Point from Boroughs to Boards
Look at the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD). Confronted with mountains of outdated laptops, the Borough set out to bridge the digital divide and cut e-waste, all on a tight budget. Circular Computing provided comprehensive reverse logistics and IT asset disposition (ITAD) services, including data destruction, collection, asset tracking, and reporting. The market value of LBBD’s laptops covered the ITAD costs, and the surplus was used to procure 350 remanufactured Chromebooks.
The impact?
- 110,600kgs of carbon avoided
- Achieved zero e-waste during production
- 420,000kgs of resources preserved
- Digital access for 350 children who’d otherwise be excluded
Jodie Jones, Voice of the Customer & Digital Access Manager at LBBD, reflects, “Partnering with Circular Computing prompted us to rethink the purpose of our IT – serving the community, for the community, and with the community. Initially, our old laptops were destined for recycling. However, learning about Circular Computing’s impactful work with other authorities inspired us to participate”.
This isn’t a story of “best in show” tech. It’s a demonstration that when local government questions what “waste” means and seeks true value, solutions open up. And it happens without compromise on quality or end-user experience.
Beyond Borders – Ireland Sets a Precedent
This isn’t only a UK movement. The Pensions Authority in Ireland, guided by the “Buying Greener” strategy, also chose remanufactured, BSI Kitemark-certified laptops through a partnership with Circular Computing and GreenIT.
Anthony O’Dea, Commercial Manager at Green IT, remarks, “Collaborating with Circular Computing has underscored the immense potential of sustainable procurement. It’s gratifying to see our efforts translate into tangible environmental benefits.”
Here, the Irish government’s procurement framework explicitly allowed for remanufactured devices, enabling savings in cost, carbon and water consumption while maintaining service levels on par with new.
Are We Making Circular Mainstream?
There’s good reason to pose tough questions to tech providers. “One of the key things we are looking at is to use the data from this study to drive some specific changes in strategic behaviour. For example, 76% of all the devices in that study can be remanufactured by a remanufacturer like Circular Computing,” says David Welling, Head of IT Sustainability at National Grid. “We are looking at an 8, 9, 10-year lifecycle investment, which has significant cost savings and massive environmental reduction impacts. It’s not reinventing the wheel; it’s doing what we should have always done.”
If this sounds like common sense, why isn’t it standard practice? Do we mistakenly conflate “second life” with “second best” even though evidence demonstrates that performance is on par, and warranties match those of new devices?
Gareth Banks, Head of Sustainability at Orangebox voices the shift, “Clearly, second-life does not mean second-best! Great performance, every day so far, but with a fraction of the environmental impact of purchasing new (and cheaper too of course).”
Time for a Sector-Wide Dialogue
The edie “Destination 2030” report doesn’t just chronicle challenges. It’s a call to action, and a chance to start a sector-wide conversation. How might we collectively drive circular best practices deeper into public sector tech procurement? Can sustainable IT finally become the backbone for net-zero, rather than a “nice to have” afterthought?
Circular Computing isn’t the story. It’s a catalyst, an enabler, nudging the debate forward. By breaking the inertia around public sector IT and daring to pose questions about device lifespans, e-waste and embedded carbon, we create space for new solutions and new behaviours.
Steve Little, Area Vice President Global MSP’s , Nexthink, said, “I definitely recommend that people talk to Circular Computing because what they’re doing with rebuilding devices is huge and what we can do around decarbonisation with this type of technology is endless.”
Your Move
Isn’t it time we challenged procurement norms and closed the loop on technology waste? If circularity is at the heart of future-ready public services, whose responsibility is it to push for change? And what barriers do we still need to overcome, in our own teams and supply chains, to build this future together?
Tell us where you’re seeing wins, gaps, or resistance in your own net-zero efforts. Dialogue is the first step. The solutions may already be at your fingertips.
