Case Study
Sustainability

BSI Kitemark™ is a breakthrough for sustainable laptop remanufacturing

Circular Computing becomes the world’s first BSI Kitemark™ certified company for laptop remanufacturing – a breakthrough for sustainable technology.

The People

Since its foundation 25 years ago, Circular Computing has had a clear objective: to create a more ethical, sustainable and socially responsible way to buy IT.

Its mission was to remanufacture a laptop to ‘like new’ condition not only concentrating on improving the cosmetics of the product, but focusing on the performance and reliability of the laptop too.

Circular Computing opened its dedicated remanufacturing facility in 2017. As part of the remanufacturing process, every laptop goes through their Circular Remanufacturing Process, a 360 step, 5+ hour journey that returns a used product to at least its original performance, with a warranty that is equivalent to (or better than) new, as required by the British standards BS 8887-220 and BS 8887-211.

After a thorough process of research and development, its unique remanufacturing process was certifi ed with a BSI Kitemark™ - the fi rst in the world for remanufactured laptops.

The accreditation gives customers reassurance that a remanufactured laptop from Circular Computing is as good as, if not better than buying new, offering a reliable, high end alternative to refurbished, with laptops that provide quality, without compromise.

“BS 8887 brings a third party, independent view on our processes that assures our customer base that our products meet the standards that we say and enables the industry to understand the distinction between refurb and remanufacturing.” Scott Mac Meekin CEO, Circular Computing

The Challenge

Circular Computing is committed to providing sustainable laptops for business, with a viable alternative to ‘new’, without the usual high cost to customers.

When a laptop is produced just over a third of a tonne of CO2 is produced on average, with approximately 190,000 litres of water used to extract and process the necessary raw materials.

There is also genuine concern over present supply chains, including the prevalence of child slavery.

Machines that would otherwise have been sold on as second-hand or enter the e-waste stream are stripped down at Circular Computing’s purpose built production facility and completely remanufactured.

Despite a plethora of sustainability reasons to purchase a Circular Computing remanufactured computer, the challenge comes in changing habitual buying processes and removing the perception of risk that a non-new device brings.

Steve Haskew, Head of Sustainability at Circular Computing, says: “Our biggest challenge was the belief of the user that second use was actually second best. Working with BSI and providing the Kitemark for the standard for remanufactured laptops provides a framework for the perception to be moved, where the customer has a real alternative to new.”

The Solution

Circular Computing’s remanufacturing facility was set up with the aim of achieving official accreditation, to remove the element of compromise in the market.

The world’s first remanufactured laptop BSI Kitemark™ was achieved in November 2021, representing an assurance of quality within the company’s Circular Remanufacturing Process.

Every laptop goes through the same remanufacturing process to BS 8887 standards, to create a single grade of product that is as good as new.

With an audit by BSI’s highly skilled team taking place every six months to maintain the certifi cation, Circular Computing has a long-term commitment to these highest standards for quality and reliability of every laptop it remanufactures.

Hailed by major IT reseller and Circular Computing sustainability partner, Ingram Micro as ‘industry utopia’, and by Google as delivering crucial trust, the BSI certifi cation for remanufactured laptops removes the barrier of buying ‘used’ that traditionally exists due to a historic lack of consistency, reliability and scalability.

With large users of IT, including the public sector as its target market, the BSI Kitemark™ enables Circular Computing to assist more organisations with their sustainable IT goals and help the Government achieve its net zero agenda. The company strives to deliver a more circular economy, whilst protecting valuable resources, communities and the environment.

The benefits

The highlights of the 360-point stage accredited process, include:

Initial inspection
Disassembly
Component inspection and remediation, replacement and upgrades
Cosmetic remediation
Reassembly and functional testing and Visual inspection and quality checks
Final stress testing and Quality control and sign off

Why BSI

Scott Mac Meekin concludes:

“Our work with BSI means that the industry is empowered to change the way that ICT products are purchased. We can now fi nally, after all these years, provide an alternative to new, that is in full compliance with the circular economy, and all the benefi ts that society needs.”

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