The transition deadline for R2v3 certification passed last month, and many businesses in the industry are now certified to the new standards. However, it may be more difficult to achieve for smaller businesses, and SERI is planning programs, including mentoring initiatives, to help smaller companies move toward certification and build a more equitable recycling network. SERI, the organization responsible for overseeing the R2 standard, plans to connect R2-certified facilities with facilities working toward certification to help guide them through the process.
R2U will break down certification into individual components to provide a step-by-step learning approach via recorded classes to help facilities build the skills they need for certification. According to Jeff Seibert, SERI’s communications leader, the organization has heard from many enterprises that they could use more information on R2 certification. Because R2 is based on best practices, “instead of watering it down, let’s help them over this big gap,” Seibert said.
The classes can be taken at each facility’s pace, enabling a company to complete courses at their leisure without having to make a huge leap all at once. SERI’s executive director Corey Dehmey believes the programs will help break down certification barriers and help currently certified facilities in need of partners by adding more certified facilities.
“It’s a better supply chain for them and helps them identify and do due diligence on partners and helps get their partners up to the same level of care,” Dehmey said.
The initiatives are still in the planning stage, but according to Dehmey, about 27 course ideas have been identified.
The ITAD industry operates to dispose of e-waste properly and to ensure it doesn’t end up in landfills. As an environmentally friendly industry, practicing R2v3 compliance is especially important to ITAD facilities that process hundreds of thousands of devices annually. Certifications help maintain compliance and can also bring a company closer to achieving ESG governance criteria. HOBI prioritizes compliance and environmental safety throughout each of our programs.
HOBI International, Inc. is a premier IT asset management and disposition enterprise with more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Our R2v3, RIOS, and ISO 14001 certifications ensure all equipment is processed under full legislation compliance.
For more information about our ITAD services, call 817-814-2620 or contact HOBI at sales@hobi.com.