Blog (Insight Voices) Why Microsoft’s Surface devices are the best choice for a sustainable strategy
By Insight Blog / 26 Sep 2022
By Insight Blog / 26 Sep 2022
When companies want to reduce their CO2 emissions, they focus on challenges such as sustainable mobility (e.g. electric vehicles), efficient energy use, or recycling of waste. While all of these are obviously important, organisations often forget about the ICT equipment that is used by their employees. For instance, are you certain that you offer laptops with a low carbon footprint? As with the company vehicles you provide to your employees, an efficient and sustainable laptop can have a big impact on your organisation’s image and your ability to attract new talent.
Therefore, in light of sustainability, the choice of the right devices should not just be the CIO’s decision but also include the CFO and even the CEO. If every employee in your organisation had an eco-friendly laptop, what would be the effect on your sustainability goals? Putting this into numbers is something most companies struggle with. That’s why Microsoft has developed a Carbon Calculator for its Surface devices. This tool takes into account all (small) factors that can have a big impact on the sustainability of a device. For example, the number of interventions needed to keep a laptop running. Microsoft experts use these figures to provide a complete picture that can be added to your annual report.
Transparency and reportability are just one reason why we believe Surface is the best choice for your company’s strategy. Below we explain why sustainability is an integral part of any Surface device.
Minimising your employees’ travel times is clearly an important challenge if you want to reduce your company’s carbon footprint. That’s why the ability to be productive from anywhere has always been one of Microsoft’s key considerations when developing Surface devices, even before the pandemic forced us to switch to remote/hybrid work. By now, it goes without saying that employees are able to collaborate in an online environment. And yet we see that some organisations are still giving their people the lowest entry-level devices on the market.
An additional investment of 200 euros per device per employee is often more than sufficient to provide a laptop that meets today’s requirements. Younger generations in particular place great value on the devices they receive from their employer. They often have high demands for the devices they use in their private life and expect at least the same standard in their professional environment. Most young employees are also environmentally conscious and want a laptop that has a low impact on the planet. Microsoft’s Surface laptops are the best devices to live up to these high expectations.
Microsoft is one of the few companies that has been carbon neutral since 2012. By 2030, they even want to be carbon negative, meaning the organisation removes more carbon than it emits. Of course, no Surface laptop is built by Microsoft alone. The company relies on partnerships and suppliers to manufacture and distribute the devices. From hardware to packaging and logistics, Microsoft invests heavily in its relationships. Factors such as environment, human rights, labour, health and safety are all key considerations that Microsoft includes in contracts with suppliers.
In recent years, companies have started to put more emphasis on reusing and recycling devices that are at the end of their life cycle. Especially if you work with a company (like Insight) that offers leasing components in its contracts, you can be sure that devices will be recycled or given a second life in other companies where they will be used for new purposes. The circular economy has become a real vibe in modern organisations, but not every device is suited to support this extended life cycle.
Along with Apple computers, Surface laptops stand out in the second-hand and refurbishment market. The devices are of a higher quality than low-entry laptops and therefore lend themselves much better to a circular economy.
Although Surface laptops are ready for any professional challenge, Microsoft limits the number of its models and upgrades. Unlike some other brands that release a new device every so often. In addition, accessories of older Surface devices remain compatible with new products. For instance, you do not have to buy a whole bunch of new docking stations when employees get a new Surface laptop.
To reduce the number of devices even further, Microsoft also offers two-in-one Surface devices. The Surface Pro, for example, can serve as both a laptop and a tablet. All devices are energy efficient, light and thin.
The arguments above may sound logical, but Microsoft is one of the few manufacturers that puts their money where the mouth is. Of course, as a tech giant, you can be sure that they are closely watched. Microsoft Surface has set a standard for other devices, both in terms of efficiency and sustainability. A testament to this are also the ‘Eco profiles’ that come with Surface devices. They give each device its own identity and provide information on the product’s materials, energy efficiency, environmental impact, packaging and recycling.
In short, the Surface series offers high-end devices that are the most environmentally friendly solutions on the market. They enable you to impress both your current and future workforce. And Microsoft even helps you to turn this into numbers that can be communicated in your annual reports. So, why not focus on sustainability when choosing a new laptop?
Want to know more? Click here to find a Microsoft Surface device that meets your needs.
