New lease of life for computers

Mar 20 2008 By The Journal

Corporate social responsibility – or CSR – is climbing the business agenda, but rather than confetti their cash on a wide range of good causes, many businesses, like Newcastle-based Eaga, are choosing to focus their efforts on where shareholders and staff think it matters. Sue Scott reports.

AS YOU read this, hundreds of African school kids are tapping away on keyboards that, until recently, were collecting dust at the offices of Newcastle-based energy efficiency giant Eaga plc. At the next shareholder meeting, it will be able to assuage the consciences of its more socially aware investors that yesterday’s junk is contributing towards a better tomorrow for the continent by giving a detailed update on where exactly its outmoded laptops, monitors and PCs are doing most good. Eaga by name and eager by nature to live up to its green image, last year the company strengthened its corporate social responsibility programme by partnering with Computer Aid International – one of the world’s largest non-profit suppliers of professionally refurbished PCs – to send its redundant PCs to schools and hospitals half way across the world. Hundreds are in the process of being despatched.

There was, of course, also a good business argument for the tie-up. One of the biggest headaches for large, office-based firms, such as Eaga is how to comply with waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) legislation and safeguard potentially sensitive data, which can involve costly security procedures. WEEE legislation, introduced in the UK in July, was designed to prevent electronic equipment from being dumped in landfill by placing an obligation on producers and businesses to prioritise re-use over recycling. CAI’s compliance and data destruction services played an important part in Eaga’s decision to donate PCs, but another factor was its asset tracking service, which allows business benefactors to find out precisely which schools, hospitals and community projects are benefiting from its cast-offs.

Eaga’s IT team took the precaution of carrying out a rigorous examination of the charity’s data-wiping procedures prior to signing the agreement, but they were satisfied by Computer Aid’s guarantee of 100% data removal from any hard disk using Blancco software, which meets all recognised international data destruction standards.

Dave Routledge, organisational development director at Eaga plc, said: “Decommissioning our obsolete IT equipment through Computer Aid means our corporate social responsibility programme now has global impact. Donating old equipment is a relatively simple exercise for us, but it can make a real and lasting difference to entire communities in less developed countries by enabling them to become part of the digital age. Whether it’s for schools or hospitals, or to provide better public services, like weather forecasts in rural areas, the need for modern computers and IT equipment is huge. At the same time, there is a growing environmental responsibility for all of us to
re-use and recycle wherever possible.”

Since 1997, Computer Aid International has shipped over 90,000 PCs to more than 100 developing countries. Anja ffrench, from Computer Aid International, explained: “In order for Computer Aid to achieve its aims and to continue supplying PCs to developing countries, it relies upon donations of PCs from UK organisations. We welcome the support of eaga, whose donations will make a difference to thousands of lives in the developing world. Our PCs are now being used in thousands of schools benefiting many hundreds of thousands of students – who, in most cases, would not otherwise have access to this equipment.”

And while schools and hospitals benefit directly, PCs are also being used to enhance the capacity of not-for-profit organisations.

Eaga’s socially acceptable solution to its digital dilemma is just part of a growing charitable commitment. Since 2000, it has invested more than £3m in the independent eaga Partnership Charitable Trust which funds research into solutions to fuel poverty and, most recently, it has set up a £150,000 environmental grant-making fund, which will be administered by The Community Foundation. Its aim is to support environment-based projects and initiatives within local communities and neighbourhood groups and it has just made its first donation of £5,000 to the Scotswood Natural Community Garden in Newcastle. Its aim is to support environment-based projects and initiatives within local communities and neighbourhood groups and it has just made its first donation of £5,000 to the Scotswood Natural Community Garden in Newcastle.