The ITAD industry has experienced many changes, including new industry requirements such as support for remote working, ESG reporting and more, a change HOBI refers to as vITAD. Value-added ITAD services are new facets of the business in addition to the traditional core ITAD service offerings that work as tools to help providers navigate the evolving landscape. These changes have been underway for several years but are still confusing and overwhelming for many companies trying to get on the vITAD bandwagon. Below is a breakdown of several value-added services that will help ITAD providers meet the new industry standards.
Remote Management for a Remote World
One of the most notable changes is the influx of remote working. Many businesses have become fully remote and require special services to accommodate a unique business model. Remote management enables ITAD enterprises to provide IT asset disposition services to clients, whether in-office or remote. HOBI developed the Remote Box Program to help navigate the hurdles for companies with a remote workforce and still offer remote ITAD services like:
- Equipment retirement and rollout support
- Boxes, labels, and courier service available
- Manage each return with concise and careful instructions for return
- Quick and accurate reporting on all returned assets
- Data erasure reporting is guaranteed
- Redeployment support available
ESG Reporting
Another hot topic in the industry is ESG. ESG is a reporting method designed to help companies track their environmental and community impact by focusing on environmental, social, and governance. The environmental portion helps companies manage their carbon footprint by reporting on how many resources they use and how much. Social demonstrates how a company impacts its community, how it treats employees and stakeholders, and policies on social matters. Governance enables companies to provide transparency and hold themselves accountable for complying with required regulations and certifications.
The business world is becoming more environmentally transparent, and ESG reporting helps companies improve sustainability practices while providing services to their community and maintaining legislative compliance. ESG is accomplished in many ways in the ITAD space through electronics recycling, data security, and certifications.
Donation Programs & Employee Buyback
In a world dominated by technology, there is often an abundance of IT equipment, but there are also many people who still need access to assets like laptops, desktops, tablets, printers, or even phones. Donation programs help bridge the digital divide by repairing the abundance of retired electronics and providing used IT assets to those without access. This keeps the hardware in circulation, maximizing device value and keeping hazardous materials out of the waste stream. Employee buyback options for clients allow companies to provide a benefit to their employees and provide employees an opportunity to purchase used IT equipment.
Clients’ needs are evolving, but as an augmentation of core ITAD service offerings, value-added services help industry professionals adapt to a more sophisticated industry landscape.