Five years ago, we embarked on a mission to support businesses in adopting a circular approach, making their technology management more efficient, secure, and sustainable.
During this time, we’ve grown alongside the rapidly evolving digital landscape, learning, and growing with every challenge and opportunity.
How it started
Our company was launched in 2019 as part of a strategic alliance between 3stepIT, a Nordic circular technology service provider, and BNP Paribas Leasing Solutions, a global leader in equipment leasing, to support more organisations in transitioning to a circular economy for technology.
Today, we are in 11 European markets, with operations in France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Spain. 3stepIT provides Nordic coverage in Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.
More than 3000 businesses have chosen to take advantage of our circular technology management services across Europe, revolutionising how they procure, manage, and dispose of technology and address the impact of their devices.
And we are just getting started.
What’s next
Our refurbishment centres are the beating heart of our business, where our teams give used devices a second life and make them available for resale to secondary users. In 2023, BNP Paribas 3 Step IT’s UK refurbishment centre processed record volumes of devices in its largest year of production as part of the Joint Venture, demonstrating the increasing demand for sustainable and secure technology management services.
Are more refurbishing hubs on the horizon? Stay tuned!
“These past five years have been incredible for our company. With the support of our fantastic people and partners, we’ve made significant strides in helping European businesses maximise the value of their technology while minimising waste. As we look ahead, we’re committed to delivering innovative circular solutions that drive business success,” said Carmen Ene, CEO of BNP Paribas 3 Step IT. “Our world-class team truly sets us apart, enabling our success, and our unique, strong company culture that unites us and propels our organisation forward.”
This week marks the end of European Cybersecurity Month, a time to shine a spotlight on the risks of cyber insecurity, the impact it can have on organisations, and the solutions that can be put in place to protect and manage company data.
These awareness-raising campaigns are important, but all tech leaders know that data security management is an around-the-clock job – there are no days off. The truth is an organisation’s cybersecurity is only as strong as its weakest links, with device users and partner organisations often responsible for vulnerabilities.
According to Forrester Research, only 7% of security decision-makers are concerned that a lost or stolen asset could cause a breach, even though such incidents account for 17% of all breaches. Add to that Gartner’s analysis, which shows that over the last two years 45% of organisations have experienced cyber-related interruptions to their business due to a third party, and it’s clear that every organisation needs a comprehensive plan to secure its data beyond the walls of its own operations.
A complex digital footprint
Our dependence on technology continues to grow exponentially, and as the number of devices organisations rely on increases, so do the risks of managing the security of company and customer across a dispersed digital footprint.
Data no longer remains on the office desk – it travels with employees to different work locations, home, and on public transport – and as this happens it becomes more difficult for organisations to control and protect.
It’s not just the number and the mobility of devices that is challenging, but also their connectedness. Our digital systems are becoming increasingly complex and interdependent, which means it only takes one organisation in the value chain to expose others to data security breaches.
The case for end-to-end control
Adding to this complex cybersecurity landscape, is the growing realisation that data must be protected across the entire device lifecycle. Yet many businesses still have cybersecurity strategies in place that only get them halfway there.
While most organisations have strategies to protect IT hardware during its active use, fewer address the crucial steps needed once devices are decommissioned. Many companies rely on multiple suppliers to cover various stages of the hardware lifecycle, resulting in gaps and potential risks.
A better approach is for organisations to adopt a holistic procurement model that embeds end-to-end traceability of hardware. By knowing exactly what hardware enters the business, companies can track which devices hold data, enabling secure data erasure as part of the decommissioning process. This proactive strategy ensures data security not just during use but throughout the entire lifecycle of the technology.
Mitigating risk across the device lifecycle
Organisations can procure digital services on a financing contract through new models, like our Technology Lifecycle Management (TLM) service, rather than through traditional cash ownership. This helps to simplify tech procurement and reduce exposure to multiple suppliers by offering a whole lifecycle approach to IT management as part of one simple service.
Comprehensive asset management is central to this approach and supports organisations to improve their oversight and control of devices by ensuring IT teams know where devices are, how they’re being used, and when they require updates. We include our powerful asset management platform as part of every TLM contract. We onboard all new and existing devices on to this system to allow organisations to track all devices through a single digital dashboard and create a complete and secure chain of custody.
When it’s time to decommission corporate devices, our Technology Lifecycle Management service includes a range of automated end-of-life services for secure IT Asset Disposition (ITAD), such as return logistics, refurbishment, and data erasure. This creates a transparent audit trail for organisations to monitor, track, and trace devices while preparing to redeploy devices to new users.
Achieving true resilience
Building a resilient cybersecurity strategy today involves navigating a complex landscape and addressing the fast-evolving vulnerabilities introduced by users, partners, and risks throughout the device lifecycle.
However, the solution doesn’t have to be complicated.
Organisations can confidently mitigate significant cybersecurity risks associated with device decommission by partnering with a single supplier to deliver a comprehensive, end-to-end IT hardware management service. This approach complements existing in-live cybersecurity measures, establishing proactive safeguards that support the best outcomes for both the business and its customers.
Want to find out more about our end-to-end approach to data security? Contact us today.
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.
Technology underpins every aspect of an organisation’s performance and having access to the right digital tools is central to being able to thrive and compete.
It’s no surprise then that technology is a top strategic business priority, second only to profitable growth, and that global IT spending continues to increase, with investment tipped to exceed $5 trillion in 2024.
But today, developing an IT procurement strategy is more than just operational. Chief Procurement Officers are being asked to mitigate a complex external environment and consider factors like supply chain resilience and transparency, ESG compliance, and data security, all while driving down costs and improving efficiencies.
Purchase has power
The way an organisation procures digital assets can profoundly affect its business outcomes, and savvy procurement executives are favouring alternative, circular technology management models as part of their future-fit digitalisation strategies.
Circular technology management services, like our Technology Lifecycle Management solution, offer an end-to-end approach to procuring and managing enterprise IT. Instead of owning tech hardware outright, organisations acquire devices through a financial lease contract, which includes additional value-add services, such as an IT asset management platform to track and monitor devices while in use and a secure end-of-contract refurbishment service.
Unlike traditional cash ownership, these IT lifecycle management models allow organisations to access digital tools that are tailored to their business needs and embed flexibility to scale or change their acquisition strategy.
Circular technology management solutions make budgeting and renewals predictable through planned monthly payments and a strategic approach to tech management across the IT lifecycle. This predictability is gold; after all, if you can measure and plan for it, you can manage it.
Reducing supply chain pain
Procurement teams also have a tremendous opportunity to choose suppliers that embed the circular economy into their operating models. This can help businesses make their operations more sustainable and alleviate the disruption felt throughout the global technology supply chain. 70% of CPOs say that procurement-related risk/supply chain disruption has increased in the past 12 months, as shortages and congestion result in difficulty accessing IT hardware.
Using a circular technology management provider also reduces the administrative burden of dealing with multiple suppliers across the IT device lifecycle and streamlines the tech procurement process, allowing CPOs and their team to focus on other more strategic areas of their work.
A circular economy for tech
As the regulatory margins in which organisations can operate within narrow, enterprises are now required to consider the environmental footprint of the IT device lifecycle and use the full force of their purchase power to make a positive social and environmental impact via their own operations and their supply chain.
Adopting a circular tech strategy kick starts more sustainable and responsible device lifecycle management practices from the point of procurement because end-of-life refurbishment services are included as part of a single contract.
Our TLM customer’s end-of-contract devices are securely transported to our state-of-the-art refurbishment centres1 to be securely wiped, cleaned, and repaired if necessary. These devices are then sold through a network of trusted trading partners and may be purchased by a new secondary user. This process potentially extends the useful life of the device and gives users the opportunity the purchase second-hand tech instead of carbon and resource-intensive new devices.
These end-of-life services can also minimise data security exposure and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) non-compliance for organisations, thanks to tracked data sanitization, which is also embedded as part of the contract.
A resilient digital future
As procurement teams collaborate with other departments to design a resilient and future-fit IT procurement strategy, there’s a huge opportunity to make more sustainable and secure tech management business as usual. Circular technology management solutions are a win-win for CPOs focussed on managing risk, minimising supply chain disruption and securing competitive advantage.
Ready to kick start your IT procurement strategy? Contact us today.
1 In some regions devices might be processed by accredited partners
Legacy tech is a universal issue for all organisations. Believe it or not, 92% of the UK’s financial services companies still rely on legacy tech, but they’re not alone. This issue is becoming a top priority for every business, as rapid progress in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the decommissioning of MS Windows 10 are expected to spark the biggest refresh of corporate technology in a generation, with over 240 million PCs at risk of becoming e-waste as a result.
Many companies are turning to IT asset disposition (ITAD) as a quick fix to responsibly manage legacy tech out of the business, but not all ITAD providers have the same credentials.
Legacy tech as a value generating asset
For most organisations legacy tech is an inconvenience and it’s not surprising that many organisations are willing to pay an ITAD provider to deal with it. But when you consider that an estimated USD$91billion of economic value was lost in the metal contained in global e-waste generated in 2022 alone, it’s clear decommissioned devices still hold significant value.
Before choosing an ITAD provider, it’s important to check that they pay market value for used devices that can be reinvested into your digital transformation strategy.
Due diligence across the lifecycle
It’s also important your chosen ITAD provider can offer transparency on how end-of-life devices are handled and where they end up. It is estimated that, every year, more than 350,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste are illegally shipped from recycling facilities in the EU to developing countries, where it wreaks environmental havoc.
With regulatory pressure increasing, organisations must ensure they can track and trace the impact of their enterprise technology across the entire IT device lifecycle, including once it has left the business and is in the hands of ITAD providers.
Organisations should look for ISO-certified processes to guarantee compliance with international laws, regulations and standards, as well as best-practice handling of data and environmental procedures.
Protecting company data
Data security is another consideration for businesses, especially as failing to properly retire old assets containing sensitive data can have significant consequences for organisations and expose businesses to needless and costly security breaches, ransomware attacks, and regulatory sanctions.
To avoid these risks organisations should only consider IT asset disposition services that guarantee a strict chain of custody, complete audit trail for every device, digital tracking of IT assets, secure data destruction, and environmentally responsible repair and refurbishment.
A sustainable alternative
Reputable ITAD providers will offer a secure and sustainable refurbishment programme that prevents used devices ending up as e-waste.
At BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, we securely transport your legacy tech to our refurbishment centres1 where we securely erase and refurbish as many devices as possible. These devices are then re-sold through a network of trusted partners and may go on to have a second life with a new user. If devices can’t be completely wiped or are damaged beyond repair, we shred them and recycle the material with our certified recycling partners.
An end-to-end approach
Today, corporate responsibility extends across the entire IT device lifecycle and IT asset disposition is a critical consideration as part of every sustainable IT strategy. Leading organisations are embedding end-of-life device management services at the point of procurement as part of a circular technology management solution, ensuring that responsible repair, refurbishment, and re-sale used corporate devices doesn’t become an afterthought.
At BNP Paribas 3 Step IT, we’re committed to helping organisations no matter where they are in their sustainability journey. For some that’s transitioning to a future-fit solution that embeds a more secure and sustainable approach across the IT device lifecycle, for others it’s about safely and securely managing legacy tech out of the business while maximising its value.
Need help with your IT asset disposition? Contact us today.
1 In some countries assets might be transported and processed by accredited partners
15.9 billion. That’s the number of connected devices in the world today. Technology at this scale is matched only by our dependence on it to enable our lives, support our economies, and ensure our society continues to function.
It’s no different for businesses, for whom technology is inextricably linked to competitiveness, growth, retention, productivity, and reputation – just to name a few.
Of course, the greater our dependence on technology, the greater our exposure to things going wrong. Organisations across the world know all too well how devasting and costly it can be when our digital systems fail. In fact, 82% of European Chief Risk Officers believe cybersecurity presents the single biggest risk to their business.
The cost of data breaches to organisations is up 10% this year to its highest level ever, with the potential to cost an organisation millions. Data security incidents can damage reputation, customer retention, and opportunities for future business growth too, with 75% of the increase in breach costs due to lost business and post-breach response activities.
It’s clear every organisation needs a comprehensive, end-to-end cybersecurity strategy, but what’s the best way to achieve it?
- Be proactive, not reactive
74% of CEOs are concerned about their ability to minimise damage from a cyberattack and many organisations find themselves firefighting, which can be both time consuming and ineffective.
In a recent report, the World Economic Forum criticised “the reactive nature of cybersecurity in the realm of IoT and connected devices”, highlighting it as a significant weakness for organisations hoping to protect company and customer data.
An effective data security strategy starts at the beginning, from the point of procurement and encompasses the entire IT lifecycle, including IT asset disposition (ITAD). This means organisation must prioritise solutions that offer security by design.
- Start with procurement
Circular technology management services, like our Technology Lifecycle Management solution, help organisations take a whole lifecycle approach to cybersecurity, end-to-end. Instead of owning IT assets outright, organisations acquire devices on a lease contract, which includes an asset management platform for greater control and oversight of devices while in use, as well as secure end-of-life services that keep devices secure even when they’ve been managed out of the business.
With 40% of organisations experiencing a cybersecurity incident in the last 12 months, the truth is that every business is at risk and every part of the IT device lifecycle is exposed. From the outset, circular technology management solutions include an upfront plan to manage data not just during use but also once devices are decommissioned or no longer in use.
- Secure your value chain
Today, every business is part of a complex value chain that includes supplier and partners of different sizes, capabilities, and locations. Unfortunately, this makes the data security landscape even more complex for organisations, who must now consider how to protect their data far beyond their own four walls.
Supply chain attacks are becoming more prevalent and with 41% of organisations that have suffered a cyber incident in the past 12 months saying a third party was responsible, it’s clear a whole ecosystem approach is needed.
Circular technology management providers help organisations to simplify their tech procurement and reduce their reliance on and exposure to multiple suppliers, by offering a whole lifecycle approach to IT management as part of one simple solution.
- Remember, out of sight is not out of mind
These supply chain considerations must now extend to data protection for end-of-life devices too, as high-profile breaches prove out of sight is no longer out of mind.
Regulators are moving quickly to address these issues, with IT asset disposition (ITAD) identified as a critical factor by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the EU Cyber Resilience Act prioritising cybersecurity throughout the hardware and software lifecycle.
Circular technology management services include a range of automated end-of-life services such as secure transport, refurbishment, and data erasure. This is important because it helps to create a secure chain of custody throughout the IT device lifecycle and ensure a transparent audit trail for organisations to monitor, track, and trace devices.
Want to find out more about our end-to-end approach to data security? Contact us today.