Circular IT, repairing and giving a second life

With our vision of “Samen Duurzaam” (Living together sustainably), sustainability is a priority on the agenda. There are already many great initiatives within Achmea. During the Week of the Circular Economy, we take you into the world of Circular IT. Here we think carefully about sustainability as well. What actually happens to your old (defective) laptop or phone when you turn it in at the IT Service Desk? Achmea collaborates with SiSo, a leading company in sustainable IT solutions. Mark Schifferstein from SiSo and IT colleague Abel Spekken will update us on Circular IT.

"From Achmea, we are consciously focusing on the life cycle of the products and services we use," says Abel. "Attention is paid to this in procurement discussions with suppliers. In collaboration with Ecovadis, we assess how sustainably a company operates and whether it aligns with our values. Additionally, we aim for longer use of our laptops."

SiSo has been an independent ICT service provider for 32 years and focuses on the full life cycle of IT equipment. They have all the certifications needed in the field of sustainability, including Weeelabex and Ecovadis.

Repairing, recycling, and recovering raw materials

Siso has been working with Achmea for 3 years, repairing, recycling and recovering resources. The IT resources that we no longer use are picked up by them a few times a year. "We try to drive with a full van as much as possible. Last year we made 4 trips," says Mark Schifferstein from SiSo. "The Achmea load mainly consists of laptops and old phones that we try to give a second life to. We check the functionality and make an estimate whether the product can be reused, often after a minor repair. Of course, all data is securely erased before the devices start a new life. About 81% of all IT resources get a second life. If we can't do anything more with them, they go to the recycler. The recycler tries to recover as many resources as possible."

In 2021, Achmea disposed of 3647 products, of which 698 items were not given a second life.

Charitable causes

"There is also a market for broken products. The value of these is negligible. They are often purchased by foundations that can still make something out of old, defective laptops. For example, we work with the Allemaal Digitaal Foundation. A great cause. They work for people who often don't have digital resources and often don't have internet. Like students who don't have a laptop and had to work from home during the pandemic. We provide the laptops and they ensure that they go to the right people. Laptops from Achmea have also found a new owner through the foundation."