What was the policy until now?
‘In the current situation, employees could buy their laptop or PC for a friendly price after the official depreciation period and continue using it. That will no longer be possible. Of the roughly one thousand laptops and PCs per year, only about three hundred were actually taken over.’
What will happen to the old gear?
‘We work with ARGO360, a company specialised in secure data wiping and processing. Usable laptops and PCs are sent in large batches to other business customers across Europe, and defective devices are broken down for parts that can be reassembled into usable equipment. Whatever remains is dismantled: metal components are recycled and plastics are ground into granulate, which is then used, for example, to 3D-print laptop stands. This ensures that nothing ends up in landfill.
Another change is that users will now have to collect their laptop or PC themselves. Previously, we often visited offices for handovers. That took a lot of time because people tend to have private items on their devices and always need longer than expected. From now on, you will receive an email from LISA and schedule an appointment. The handover should only take a few minutes. It makes our service flow more smoothly.’
Why is this better?
‘It saves us a great deal of work because ARGO360 handles all processing of old equipment. The UT also receives a percentage of the profit from the sold devices, which we use to pay ARGO360. We hope to break even. It also helps us meet the Executive Board’s cost-cutting requirements.
The most important point is security. After a certain period, we can no longer guarantee it. Newer laptops and PCs run the latest security protocols, and older devices eventually stop supporting them.’
Isn’t it more sustainable to let users continue working on their old equipment?
‘Many users seem to forget that the laptop or PC was never theirs, even after four years of daily use. It may feel that way because you are free to use it as you wish, but it is on loan, just like your office chair or your desk. When you receive it, you sign for careful and responsible use. The better you treat the device, the easier it is for us to pass it on to the next party. So don’t put stickers on it, avoid storing personal items on it, and handle it carefully during transport.
Once an employee takes over a device, we no longer know what happens to it or whether it will be disposed of responsibly in the future, which may lead to environmentally unfriendly outcomes. With the new policy, we can guarantee proper processing.’
