Closing the loop on ICT: How smart device retirement supports ESG compliance and the circular economy
For most Australian organisations, retiring old phones, tablets, and laptops means a pallet in a storeroom or a bulk disposal that nobody tracks. That approach is becoming a risk. With mandatory sustainability reporting under the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS) now live for Group 1 entities, and Group 2 deadlines approaching in July 2026, ESG is no longer optional for mid-market businesses either. Lenders, insurers, and major customers are asking for evidence, and government procurement rules under the Environmentally Sustainable Procurement (ESP) Policy now require ICT suppliers to demonstrate circular economy practices for contracts above $1 million.
Australia generates approximately 20 to 22 kg of electronic waste per person each year, with low recovery rates for small electronics like mobiles and laptops. The federal Circular Economy Framework has identified ICT as a high-impact waste stream, with tighter e-waste bans and extended producer responsibility schemes on the horizon. For businesses already managing device fleets, the gap between current practice and where regulation is heading is closing fast.
A practical solution: Ericom and CirculaTech
To help our clients address this, we have partnered with CirculaTech, an Australian IT asset lifecycle and buy-back specialist. CirculaTech provides secure, end-to-end device retirement
covering collection, certified data erasure with a full audit trail, refurbishment where viable, and responsible recycling where it is not.
What makes this partnership valuable for our clients is the reporting. Every device processed comes with documented chain of custody, grading and reconciliation data, and ESG-ready metrics including reuse rates, materials recovered, and landfill diversion figures. That is evidence you can use in board reports, ASRS disclosures, customer tenders, and lender ESG questionnaires, without adding internal workload.
For eligible devices, CirculaTech also operates a buy-back model that returns capital to your organisation. Devices that still hold value are refurbished and redeployed into secondary markets, extending product life rather than sending it to landfill. Clients can also choose to redirect buy-back value to one of four selected charities, with CirculaTech donating an additional dollar for every device graded.
Why this matters now
Device lifecycle is one of the few ESG initiatives where you can demonstrate concrete, measurable improvement year on year: devices reused, tonnes diverted, data securely destroyed. It is a practical starting point for organisations building their sustainability credentials, and it reduces the compliance and data breach risks that come with unmanaged device disposal.
If your organisation is refreshing devices, decommissioning old stock, or preparing for upcoming ESG reporting requirements, talk to your Ericom account manager about how the CirculaTech partnership can support your needs.
Ready to turn your old devices into ESG outcomes? Contact your Ericom account manager or email partnerships@circulatech.com.au to arrange a no-obligation device lifecycle assessment.
