What does refurbished hardware actually save in CO₂ when you look at real figures across a full year?
CO₂ savings from refurbished hardware in 2025
Between 1 January and 31 December 2025, customers purchasing refurbished hardware saved approximately 12,076 tonnes of CO₂ compared with buying equivalent new equipment.
These figures are based on aggregated, product-level data taken from internal sustainability reporting. They reflect the measurable impact of extending the usable life of existing IT hardware through refurbishment and reuse rather than replacement.
The results are used in sustainability and ESG reporting and are made available to customers as part of their purchase documentation.
For organisations operating in the UK — including businesses in London, Manchester and Birmingham — this data provides a practical and auditable foundation for ESG reporting and Scope 3 emissions accounting.
Using refurbished hardware data in ESG reporting
For many UK organisations, ESG reporting increasingly relies on supplier-level data rather than estimates. CO₂ savings linked to refurbished hardware can be included within Scope 3 emissions, where procurement decisions have a direct and measurable effect.
By providing product-specific CO₂ data, refurbished hardware suppliers help customers document the environmental impact of extending hardware life cycles without relying on offsets or assumptions.
What these CO₂ savings represent
The CO₂ savings recorded in 2025 represent a 13% increase compared with the previous year, when 10,648 tonnes of CO₂ were saved.
This growth is largely driven by higher demand for refurbished servers, memory, storage systems and networking equipment across data centre and enterprise environments.
In this context, “CO₂ saved” refers to the difference between emissions associated with manufacturing new hardware and emissions linked to refurbishment, testing and reuse of existing equipment.
These savings do not involve carbon credits or offset schemes. They represent avoided manufacturing emissions achieved through reuse.
Supporting CSRD-aligned data for customers
To support CSRD and ESG requirements, refurbished hardware CO₂ data is calculated on a life-cycle basis and linked directly to individual hardware purchases.
The data is designed for use in Scope 3 emissions reporting, where transparency at the supplier level is becoming increasingly important for UK businesses.
CO₂ calculation models are based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles and cover a broad range of refurbished servers, storage systems, memory modules, and networking components.
The methodology and underlying datasets are reviewed by NRGI Rådgivning, ensuring consistency, credibility, and alignment with recognised sustainability standards.
This allows UK organisations to include reliable, product-level CO₂ figures in their reporting without relying on industry averages or generic estimates.
These data points enable customers to:
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reference verified, product-level CO₂ values in CSRD and Scope 3 reporting
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avoid assumptions, offsets, and non-specific industry benchmarks
How CO₂ savings are calculated
CO₂ savings are calculated at the individual product level and then aggregated across all completed orders within the reporting period.
For each refurbished component sold, the calculation compares:
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emissions associated with manufacturing a comparable new product
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emissions related to refurbishment, testing, and re-deployment of existing hardware
These values are then combined across products, orders, and customers to produce the annual total. The same calculation model is used consistently across internal sustainability reporting and customer-facing reporting tools.
While exact life-cycle emissions vary by product type and manufacturer, this approach provides a transparent and practical method for measuring the environmental impact of refurbished hardware at scale.
Extend the lifecycle of refurbished hardware
Keeping refurbished systems in operation for longer reduces demand for new equipment and supports longer infrastructure life cycles.
Third-party maintenance services such as RenewCare help organisations continue using existing servers beyond standard manufacturer support periods.
From individual components to overall impact
CO₂ savings are not limited to complete systems. Individual components also make a significant contribution when they are reused instead of replaced.
During 2025, CO₂ savings were generated from refurbished hardware, including:
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servers and storage systems
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memory modules
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switches and networking equipment
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controllers, power supplies, and other infrastructure components
When configuring systems through a server configurator, customers can see how each selected component contributes to the total CO₂ saving for a given build.
This makes sustainability a visible and measurable factor alongside performance, compatibility, and cost.
CO₂ savings across customers and use cases
Data from 2025 shows that CO₂ savings are spread across multiple hardware categories and customer types, rather than being concentrated in a single sector.
Customers include system integrators, hosting providers, resellers and commercial organisations across a wide range of industries.
This demonstrates that refurbished hardware is not a niche solution, but a practical option for organisations looking to control costs while supporting sustainability and ESG objectives.
Customers can view their own CO₂ savings in MyRenew, based on completed purchases, with data shown per product, per order and over time.
Reporting scope and updates
This page reflects CO₂ savings for the 2025 reporting period and is based on aggregated internal data available at the time of publication. Figures and content are updated annually as new reporting periods are completed.
Frequently asked question
What does “CO₂ saved” mean when using refurbished hardware?
It refers to the difference between emissions from manufacturing new hardware and emissions linked to refurbishment, testing, and reuse of existing equipment. These are avoided emissions, not offsets.
How were the CO₂ savings for 2025 calculated?
Savings are calculated at the product level by comparing a new product with a refurbished equivalent and aggregated across all completed orders during the reporting period.
Which types of refurbished hardware contributed to the CO₂ savings?
Savings came from refurbished servers and storage systems, memory modules, networking equipment and infrastructure components such as controllers and power supplies.
Can this data be used for ESG reporting?
Yes. The CO₂ savings are suitable for use in ESG reporting, particularly within Scope 3 emissions.
Do the CO₂ savings include carbon offsets?
No. No offset schemes or compensation mechanisms are used. The savings represent avoided manufacturing emissions through reuse.
Can customers see their own CO₂ savings?
Yes. Customers can view their CO₂ savings in MyRenew, based on completed purchases and shown per product, per order and over time.