The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is encouraging other organisations to join a government-led programme which the ministry has praised for its ambition to “provide quality second lives to digitally excluded people who urgently need them”.
The IT Reuse for Good Charter was launched last year by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, having been jointly developed by the department, working alongside telecoms firm VodafoneThree, consultancy Deloitte, and digital inclusion charity Good Things Foundation.
MHCLG was the first central government body to sign up to the charter, which states that its purpose is to “promote a ‘reuse first’ approach to IT assets (like laptops and smartphones) and [provide] an opportunity for organisations to give their devices a second-life by refurbishing and gifting them to someone who is digitally excluded”.
Since the charter’s launch, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has become the second central government entity to join what is now a group of 43 signatories, including local authorities representing Liverpool, Trafford, Norfolk, Kensington and Chelsea, and Barnet, as well as major tech companies such as BT, Currys, Atos, and DXC.
After just under a year of supporting the IT-reuse scheme, in a new online post from MHCLG, the ministry says that “we’re already making a difference”.
“When colleagues return an old laptop or device to IT, they might not think too much about what happens next,” the post says. “But, thanks to a recent approach from our team, devices that are no longer suitable for reuse or reallocation within our department are now finding their way into the hands of children and families who need them most.”
MHCLG adds: “At the start of this year, we sent 60 laptops to the Digital Poverty Alliance – our largest donation to date. These devices were shipped to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
The ministry claims that signing up for the charter and fulfilling reporting obligations have been straightforward – and encourages other organisations to join the initiative.
For those interested in doing so, MHCLG provides several pieces of advice, including that they should “find a charity that can take larger numbers of devices in one go and deal with the onward supply to the end users”, as well as taking steps to “speak to your existing IT asset disposition supplier about possible options they may have to assist with this process”.
Once an organisation has signed up, the ministry also advises that “the way staff look after their work device directly affects whether it can have a second life”.
Products can only be passed on for reuse if they are “in cosmetically excellent condition, with at least 75% battery health and no physical damage”.
Individual staff employed by signatory bodies are reminded to “treat [work devices] with the same care you’d give a personal device”, including making sure to clean and protect products, before then returning them to IT colleagues as soon as possible.
As well as the 60-strong donation to the Digital Poverty Alliance, MHLCG has also provided devices to care charity Kinship, and “funded six specialist UV-C charging cabinets for London NHS trusts”.
The ministry remains committed to the charter, and will look for new ways to support its ambitions.
“Our team is continuously exploring more ways to get value from old IT and AV equipment, with a focus on sustainable reuse wherever possible,” the post adds. “As more devices come through the process, we’re looking to build longer-term partnerships with charities like the Digital Poverty Alliance. Our commitment to this charter is a reminder that small changes in how we manage everyday resources can add up to something meaningful, and we hope this inspires others.”