GlaxoSmithKline Sheds 6 Tons of E-Waste
I had the pleasure to meet with Paul Baum and Ed Stukane from PlanITROI at IAITAM last year. Here they share their GSK case study.
It is good to see how Armin Jahromi, Service Development Manager at GlaxoSmithKline ‘sold the green’ and recruited a small crew of volunteers to salvage 6 tons of e-waste. The project enabled recycling and refurbishing of equipment – allowing GSK to reclaim $1.8M dollars (Not to mention electricity savings and reduction in carbon consumption). Responsible disposal ensured their equipment would not end up in a landfill.
The ITAM industry as a whole needs a lot more of these case studies!
If you have any additional resources to help build a business case for an iniative like this that you want to share please let me know.
About Martin Thompson
Martin is also the founder of ITAM Forum, a not-for-profit trade body for the ITAM industry created to raise the profile of the profession and bring an organisational certification to market. On a voluntary basis Martin is a contributor to ISO WG21 which develops the ITAM International Standard ISO/IEC 19770.
He is also the author of the book "Practical ITAM - The essential guide for IT Asset Managers", a book that describes how to get started and make a difference in the field of IT Asset Management. In addition, Martin developed the PITAM training course and certification.
Prior to founding the ITAM Review in 2008 Martin worked for Centennial Software (Ivanti), Silicon Graphics, CA Technologies and Computer 2000 (Tech Data).
When not working, Martin likes to Ski, Hike, Motorbike and spend time with his young family.
Connect with Martin on LinkedIn.
Very commendable that GlaxoSmithKline initiated this program that keeps so much toxic
waste out of our landfills and recycles the raw materials that have value reducing the need to manufacture more of these materials. And
receiving a return of 1.8 million dollars to add to their 2.6 billion dollar profits….wow! Now let me tell you about a much smaller
company, KOM Networks, that has a similar program to keep electronic waste out of our landfills. Our program takes “going green” one step
further and reuses the “green” to benefit hungry children in our own communities and around the world who don’t have enough to eat each
day! This program provides organizations a cost effective method to upgrade their obsolete archive storage technology by trading it in
for a brand new archive storage management system that is equal in capacity and superior in performance free of charge with a 3 yr
maintenance agreement! http://tinyurl.com/yaxv2hg With our recycling partner, Technology Conservation Group, we pick up and recycle the
eWaste at no charge and we donate all the proceeds from the recycling to Feed The Children. While I’m sure that a huge corporation like
GlaxoSmithKline donates a lot of money to charitable organizations and I hope that some of that additional 1.8 million was also used to
help people who are struggling in this terrible economy, I can’t help but think of the words of Henry David Thoreau, “Goodness is the
only investment that never fails”. At KOM Networks, our goal is simply to collect and recycle enough hardware to feed 1 million
children. For those of you who would like to receive more than a just a return on investment…you can learn more at
http://tiny.cc/4kids