A&O Shearman has long relied on Apple products, particularly iPhones, to support their staff. When they decided to stop purchasing devices and explore a more efficient and cost-effective solution, they chose BNP Paribas 3 Step IT.
A&O Shearman, a global law firm, recently signed a Technology Lifecyle agreement with BNP Paribas 3 Step IT in Spain to refresh their fleet of iPhones.
“Carlos is always there to answer the phone and consistently suggests new opportunities to help us improve our operations,” said Sebastian Kroha.
One of the key reasons A&O Shearman has experienced such a positive relationship with BNP Paribas 3 Step IT is the dedication and passion shown by Carlos Fernandez, key account manager at BNP Paribas 3 Step IT. According to A&O Shearman’s Head of IT, Sebastian Kroha, Carlos’ availability, expertise, and proactive approach have been instrumental in the success of the partnership.
The trust and collaboration between A&O Shearman and BNP Paribas 3 Step IT have created a mutually beneficial relationship.
A&O Shearman’s operations require seamless technology to support their staff, especially given their global presence and the need for availability outside of regular business hours. The devices they use must enable their teams to perform at their best, and BNP Paribas 3 Step IT has delivered just that.
One of the standout services A&O Shearman has benefitted from is BNP Paribas 3 Step IT’s “IT Care+” protection service. This service offers excellent value for money and has proven to be incredibly reliable. Sebastian Kroha noted that the portal’s user-friendly interface made managing device protection simple, providing peace of mind. “It’s a one-stop solution that makes life easier for us. When something happens to our devices, we know we have a reliable, fast solution in place.”
Additionally, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT’s asset management platform, Asset IQ, has revolutionised A&O Shearman’s renewal process. Before adopting Asset IQ, A&O Shearman’s IT team had to manage device tracking and inventory manually. Now, with Asset IQ, the firm has full visibility of leased devices, cost projections, and financial data, all in one place. This streamlined process has saved significant time and effort for A&O Shearman and made renewals much easier to manage.
A&O Shearman is also deeply committed to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, and this partnership with BNP Paribas 3 Step IT supports their ESG goals. As part of their sustainability efforts, A&O Shearman tracks its carbon footprint and implements various initiatives to reduce its impact. Returning devices to BNP Paribas 3 Step IT at the end of their lifecycle for refurbishment and reuse supports A&O Shearman’s broader ESG strategy and helps minimise e-waste.
A&O Shearman values the availability, dynamism, and human touch that BNP Paribas 3 Step IT brings to the table, which has helped them manage their devices efficiently without the bureaucratic red tape often associated with corporate partnerships.
At BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, we are proud to be a trusted partner of A&O Shearman and look forward to continuing to support them with innovative solutions that enhance their operations and drive business success.
- The new 3,500 square metre technology refurbishment and remarketing center in Buchelay (Yvelines) will support businesses in maximising the lifespan of their IT devices through refurbishment, promoting a circular economy.
- Operated by BNP Paribas 3 Step IT and with a capacity of up to 400,000, the centre will handle equipment from both the Bank’s clients and BNP Paribas entities in continental Europe.
BNP Paribas has opened a new technology refurbishment and remarketing centre in Buchelay, Yvelines, reinforcing its commitment to addressing the growing challenge of electronic waste in Europe. This investment aligns with BNP Paribas’ commitment to advancing the circular economy by extending the lifecycle of IT equipment such as laptops, desktops, mobile phones, tablets, and servers.
Located 45 minutes from Paris, this centre is operated by BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, a joint venture launched in 2019 between the professional equipment financing subsidiary of BNP Paribas, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, and the Finnish company 3stepIT, a Nordic leader in circular technology services.
The centre is equipped to process and prepare for remarketing or responsible recycling more than 400,000 IT devices at full capacity, with an initial target of 100,000 devices processed by the end of 2025.
With this new centre, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT allows the Bank to provide more efficient and sustainable IT lifecycle management services to its clients across Europe, as well as to its own entities. The centre also operates a ‘buyback’ service (also known as IT Asset Disposition or ITAD) where businesses can send their decommissioned IT equipment knowing it will be either refurbished or responsibly recycled, with data securely and fully erased.
Carmen Ene, CEO of BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, states: “The investment in this centre underscores BNP Paribas’ commitment to advancing the circular economy in Europe, aligning with the European Union’s ambitious goals to promote circularity and sustainable resource use. This also marks a significant milestone for BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, reinforcing our mission to help clients maximise the value of their technology while reducing electronic waste.”
Neil Pein, CEO of BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, adds: “This is a major step for BNP Paribas, strengthening its commitment to supporting clients in their transition to a more resource-efficient and low-carbon use of their IT assets. This centre also upholds a responsible employment policy, which values and supports people with disabilities, those in social reintegration, and older adults.“
Ends
About BNP Paribas 3 Step IT
BNP Paribas 3 Step IT is a leading provider of circular technology services, helping businesses transition to a more sustainable model for all their technology needs. As a joint venture between BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions and 3stepIT, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT offers end-to-end services that enable businesses to procure, manage, and refurbish their digital assets securely and efficiently while contributing to a more sustainable and responsible tech consumption model. With a presence in seven European markets and four Nordic countries thanks to 3stepIT, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT partners with a wide range of businesses and organisations to drive digital transformation while embedding sustainability at the core of IT operations. To learn more, visit 3stepit.bnpparibas
About BNP Paribas
BNP Paribas is the European Union’s leading bank and key player in international banking. It operates in 63 countries and has nearly 183,000 employees, including more than 145,000 in Europe. The Group has key positions in its three main fields of activity: Commercial, Personal Banking & Services for the Group’s commercial & personal banking and several specialised businesses including BNP Paribas Personal Finance and Arval; Investment & Protection Services for savings, investment and protection solutions; and Corporate & Institutional Banking, focused on corporate and institutional clients. Based on its strong diversified and integrated model, the Group helps all its clients (individuals, community associations, entrepreneurs, SMEs, corporates and institutional clients) to realise their projects through solutions spanning financing, investment, savings and protection insurance. In Europe, BNP Paribas has four domestic markets: Belgium, France, Italy and Luxembourg. The Group is rolling out its integrated commercial & personal banking model across several Mediterranean countries, Turkey, and Eastern Europe. As a key player in international banking, the Group has leading platforms and business lines in Europe, a strong presence in the Americas as well as a solid and fast-growing business in Asia-Pacific. BNP Paribas has implemented a Corporate Social Responsibility approach in all its activities, enabling it to contribute to the construction of a sustainable future, while ensuring the Group’s performance and stability.
About BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions offers capital-efficient business equipment financing solutions in key sectors including agriculture, construction, transportation, materials handling, ICT, healthcare, and green tech. Drawing on its 70-year history, its partners and clients rely on its market expertise, asset know-how, and advisory services to propel their growth, transformation, and transition to a low-carbon circular economy. Present in 18 countries across Europe and Turkiye, and employing over 3000 experts, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions offers vendor finance solutions in the USA and Canada in partnership with Bank of Montreal, and in China through Jiangsu Financial Leasing. In 2024, BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions advanced €16.3 billion in asset finance and presently manages a €40.4 billion leased asset portfolio. BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions is fully owned by BNP Paribas and is positioned within the Group’s Commercial, Personal Banking & Services division. For more information, visit leasingsolutions.bnpparibas.com
Press Contacts:
BNP Paribas 3 Step IT: maria.lini@3stepIT.com
BNP Paribas: thomas.alexandre@bnpparibas.com
BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions: suhale.vorajee@bnpparibas.com
E-waste is a growing global crisis. A record 62 million tonnes of e-waste was produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010. According to the UN, that’s equivalent to 1.5 million 40-tonne trucks, roughly enough to form a bumper-to-bumper line encircling the equator.
These figures are concerning and may only be a precursor to another significant challenge.
Next year, two converging tech trends – rapid progress in the adoption of AI-powered devices and the decommissioning of MS Windows 10 – are expected to spark the most significant refresh of enterprise technology in a generation, with over 240 million PCs at risk of becoming e-waste.
With many organisations starting to consider refreshing the technology acquired during the first months of the COVID-19 emergency, this crossroads presents both a challenge and a significant opportunity for businesses.
By rethinking their approach to technology management, they can not only reduce the environmental impact of decommissioning their technology, ensuring it does not end up as e-waste, but also improve their operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
And as today is International E-waste Day, what better time to start making a change.
Finding value in waste
Inside those 1.5 million 40-tonne trucks of e-waste are billions of dollars of resources that are being lost. Of course, wasted resource is also wasted opportunity – just 1% of the demand for rare earth elements is currently being met by e-waste recycling, and in 2022, US$62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources went unaccounted for.
Waste on this scale is hard to comprehend.
As one of the largest consumers of technology, public and private organisations have a critical role to play in reversing this trend and ensuring their IT management maximises the value of every digital device. That’s because e-waste isn’t just a source of rare earth metals; the devices themselves are valuable resources, too.
Consider smartphones: their processors could function for over a decade, yet we often retire them after using only a quarter of their potential lifespan, according to research by the University of San Diego.
Regulation, regulation, regulation
Regulators are all too aware of the urgent need to act on the issue of electronic waste and are moving quickly to ensure organisations take responsibility for their impact.
The EU has introduced a range of rules to tackle e-waste, compelling businesses to account for the environmental footprint of their resources, including technology, and, for the larger organisations, to have a clear plan in place to mitigate their impact across the supply chain.
This regulatory pressure means businesses will need to think differently about how to find value in what we have traditionally called waste and how to leap towards new consumption models.
A new model for tech consumption
There are numerous ways organisations can address the growing issue of electronic waste.
One promising approach is to adopt end-to-end technology lifecycle management solutions, which enable organisations to procure the latest digital tools while embedding a plan for their responsible management and disposal from the outset.
These strategies involve financing agreements where the business leases devices rather than purchasing them outright. With contractual obligations and residual value guarantees based on the equipment coming back in good condition, there’s a strong incentive to care for and extend the lifespan of leased technology.
These models also support organisations’ financial resilience, as instead of an upfront capital investment in new devices, planned monthly payments are made across the contract period, which includes important lifecycle services, such as IT asset management software, secure return logistics, data sanitization, and refurbishment. These value-added services can help organisations to introduce more responsible IT management processes and, at the same time, reduce their e-waste contribution.
Enabling circular practices
These types of IT procurement models enable organisations to introduce circular principles into their IT management from the moment they acquire new technology.
IT asset management software allows the efficient use of devices throughout their lifetime, reducing technology overconsumption by providing a detailed overview of who has what and how much it is costing the business. Automating the return process also enables the devices to be collected and processed securely at the end of the contract period.
By procuring and managing devices for reuse, organisations are creating an opportunity to extend the useful life of their IT. The technology can then become available in the second-hand market for someone to buy instead of a carbon-intensive, newly manufactured one.
A low-waste future
Today, every organisation focuses on reducing its environmental impact, and many are wondering how to start the transition to more circular practices.
Still, sometimes, it isn’t easy to know where to begin or how to find solutions that will have a tangible impact.
With an unstoppable revolution in IT hardware underway and AI-powered laptops soon to be the only choice for large businesses, introducing a technology management lifecycle solution is a practical step every business can take today to embed a more ciruclar approach to IT management and to start addressing the issue of electronic waste.
Ready to adopt a more responsible approach to your IT management? Contact us today.