Skip to Search Skip to Content Skip to Footer
Sims Lifecycle Services
  • Locations
  • Blog
  • Client Portal
  • Contact
  • English
    • Deutsch
Menu
  • For Data Centers
    • Overview
    • Decommissioning
    • Staffing
    • Cloud Services
    • Edge Data Center Decommissioning
    • Colocation Data Center
    • Data Center Shutdown
    • Infrastructure Reuse
    • Data Destruction
    • Recycle the Cloud
    • How To Checklist
    • FAQ
    • SLS plays a key role in helping companies manage ongoing technology shifts in data centers. Our record of success includes working with businesses, data centers and major cloud companies to provide periodic decommissioning of older data center equipment. We provide bulk on-site data destruction services, and provide complete resell and recycling services for retired data center equipment. SLS proactively develops solutions for our client’s emerging data center technologies.
  • For Businesses
    • Overview
    • ITAD
      • RFP Template for ITAD
      • Gartner ITAD Report
    • IT Asset Recovery
    • Data Destruction
      • On-Site Data Destruction
      • Bulk Data Destruction Services
      • Storage Device Types
      • Data Destruction Standards
      • Vendor Selection
    • Data Center
    • E-Waste Recycling
    • Reporting
    • Logistics
    • Equipment We Process
    • SLS provides secure and compliant global IT asset disposition (ITAD), e-waste recycling and data center decommissioning services for businesses. We refurbish, repair and restore materials for continued useful life. In addition to facilitating reuse of equipment, SLS also recycles discarded electronics, transforming waste to raw material. Recycling diverts material from landfill or incineration and provides a feedstock for making next generation products.
  • For Manufacturers
    • Overview
    • Returns Management
    • Refining
      • Governance
      • How We Do It
      • Plating Industry
      • Aerospace Industry
      • Electronics Industry
      • Other Industries
    • Certified Destruction
    • Defense Contractors
    • Recycling
    • Extended Producer Responsibility
    • Portal and Reports
    • Recycling Innovation
    • How Computers Are Recycled
    • We work with manufacturers to manage reverse logistics and recover value from returned equipment. We resell whole units, manage spare parts recovery and responsibly recycle obsolete equipment. We also work with manufacturers in managing their extended producer responsibility requirements.
  • Global
    • Overview
    • Compliance
      • GDPR FAQ
    • Client Sustainability
      • Sustainability Reporting
      • Circular Economy Explained
    • International Associations
    • Consumer E-Waste
    • Leading companies trust SLS to provide a globally coordinated e-waste recycling and ITAD single solution with a high focus on data security, regulatory and corporate compliance, value recovery and sustainability.
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • Certifications
    • Sustainability at Sims
    • EH&S
    • Equipment We Process
    • Careers
    • As a business division of Sims Limited, SLS has the global reach, expertise, and infrastructure necessary to ensure to our customers that all electronic devices are processed in a secure and environmentally responsible manner.
  • News
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • Resources
    • Infographics
    • Press Releases
    • Backed by a global network of IT asset disposition and e-recycling facilities, SLS is a leader in compliant disposition and recycling of electronic equipment. Stay up-to-date with our press releases, blog, newsletter, case studies, white papers, tip sheets, infographics and videos.

HOW TO GUIDE: Template for Developing IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) RFP

Get Your Copy

COVID-19: What ITAD Challenges are Global Enterprises Faced with Today?

Menu
  • Locations
  • Blog
  • Client Portal
  • Contact
June 10, 2020
by Sims Media

The coronavirus has continued to impact telecommunications and technology industries in many ways. Recently, the tech industry has shown a 14 percent decrease in global device shipments. IT spending, purchasing and manufacturing is down, but cloud infrastructure is currently coping with increased traffic. These behaviors have led to a sustainable trend of resourceful IT asset management and reverse logistics.

Some legacy technologies have found use in the circular economy as opposed to making their way to e-waste streams sooner. Reuse of a company-owned asset in a less demanding environment helps enterprises support remote workers and extend the lives of replaced IT devices as a part of a larger IT asset disposition program. These efforts help reduce total cost of ownership, as well as greenhouse gases, contributing to corporate sustainability initiatives.

We expect to feel the impacts of this global pandemic through the end of the year and potentially beyond. As these behaviors continue to evolve, here is an outline of major challenges facing enterprises today as they manage their global IT asset disposition programs.

CHALLENGE: Limited IT budgets

39 percent of surveyed CIOs and IT executives worldwide expect a decline in their IT budget for 2020 because of the coronavirus. Gartner, a leading research firm, revised their predictions for worldwide IT spending in 2020 to be $3.4 trillion instead of $3.9 trillion. As more employees work remote, some budget may go toward accommodating and managing that, which could take away budget and resources from the reverse supply chain.

As an enterprise, reusing or reselling IT equipment can support areas with limited budgets by recovering value on assets typically written down to zero. Limited budgets, from a sustainability perspective, can prevent green procurement if products with lower footprints are perceived to be lower quality or higher cost.

Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) works closely to determine the right asset recovery strategy that most closely aligns with your business objectives. Learn more about IT asset recovery options offered at SLS.

CHALLENGE: Complications with transboundary compliance

There are separate and evolving laws and regulations that must be managed by companies sending or receiving shipments across borders.

With rapidly changing COVID regulations, closed borders and operational shutdowns, it is best to work with an ITAD vendor who has expertise in global reverse logistics including transboundary movements of material and the Basel Convention, so they can provide you proper guidance.

CHALLENGE: Collection and handling limitations

Since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, health and safety protocols have forced many changes when it comes to collecting and processing electronics for disposition. ITAD companies have had to move quickly adjusting their workspace internally to accommodate social distancing and enforce risk mitigation efforts. Examples of risks mitigation include additional cleaning and disinfecting of electronic equipment, quarantining items, and internal warehouse and transportation adjustments that reflect local applicable health and safety guidelines regarding the coronavirus.

Dramatic changes to infrastructure and process flows may cause delays and raise concerns for asset tracking and logistics. Make sure you have access to your ITAD vendor’s online portal system for asset tracking of devices to ensure visibility to any adjusted process flows.

Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) provides easy online access to clients for requesting pickups, tracking equipment and generating inventory reports and certificates of destruction. Read more about The Sims Portal

CHALLENGE: Concerns for data security

The novel coronavirus has shown to live for hours and up to days on surfaces, depending on the material the surface is made from. This has caused some to implement a section of their receiving department for quarantining items for a certain amount of time after they arrive. You may have to weigh out the risk of leaving data vulnerable by letting packages sit for a couple days, particularly if it is in an unsecured area.

As businesses and services start to reopen, on-site data destruction services are a great option for clients to safely destroy data in line with social distancing and sanitation requirements. For those with employees around the world working from home, there are remote data wiping options available as well.

CHALLENGE: On-site audit restrictions

Under normal circumstances, it is recommended to visit a facility in person to audit the ITAD vendor’s process. While this is still ideal, safety precautions in a time like this must be prioritized. Ask your vendor if they have any virtual options to view their process with a representative available to answer questions.

Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) has options available for virtual tours. Learn more.

These unprecedented times have strained resources, disrupted supply chains and affected every industry in one way or another. There has been a natural gravitation towards resource recovery and frugality, bringing light to waste that can be repurposed. Some will come to realize the more you can reuse something, the more it can be available.

As ITAD companies remain an essential service, the industry is doing what they can to innovate and accommodate clients with minimal disruption in service. It is a challenging time in the world, however it is also a time for the innovators to thrive and create new ways to accomplish these tasks.

VISIT OUR CONTACT US FORM TO INQUIRE MORE ABOUT OUR SERVICE FULFILLMENT OPTIONS DURING THIS TIME.

Posted in: Data Center Decommissioning, Digital Data Destruction, E-Waste (WEEE) Recycling, Global ITAD Solutions, IT Asset Disposition, IT Asset Remarketing, IT Asset Tracking
Previous Post Next Post

Circular Newsletter

Subscribe to the Circular Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

Name
Country*
*

Data Center Services

Learn More

SLS on the Road

We will be attending these upcoming industry related trade shows and conferences.

Join us!

Regions

  • Americas
  • Global
  • EMEA
  • APAC

Topics

Archives

Sims Lifecycle Services
  • Corporate Information
    • About Us
    • Certifications
    • Locations
  • Services
    • For Data Centers
    • For Businesses
    • For Electronics Manufacturers
    • Data Destruction
    • Global Services
  • Contact
    • Email
    • News
    • Blog
  • Sims Limited
    • SLS is a business division of Sims Limited. Discover how Sims Limited plays an integral role in the circular economy by making resources available for future use.
      Visit the Sims Limited Website
  • Other Business Divisions (external websites)
    • Sims Metal
    • Sims Resource Renewal

Sign up for our newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

Your data will be collected and stored with sign up*
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

  • Visit Us on Instagram (opens new window)
  • Visit Us on Twitter (opens new window)
  • Visit Us on Facebook (opens new window)
  • Visit Us on LinkedIn (opens new window)
Copyright © 2003 - 2023 Sims Lifecycle Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal
  • Terms of Use