Company launches take-back program for used service units
Globe is rolling out new initiatives to foster sustainable practices in the workplace. The company is standardizing its employee work tools to the latest MacBook Air lineup, and introducing the use of E-Business Cards (EBCs).
Strengthening Operational Resilience
In collaboration with HCX Technology Partners, Inc., a Globe portfolio company under the Asticom Group of Companies, and CompAsia, Globe is providing its 15,000 employees under the Globe Group the option to get MacBook Air service units as their chosen work tool to strengthen operational resiliency and promote circularity.
With regard to the company’s choice of service units, a key consideration was how Apple has taken sustainability into account in the design and production of its products.
“By investing in the best work tools for our people, we not only improve the ways of working within the Globe Group, we also empower everyone to serve our customers better while actively participating in creating a sustainable future,” said Globe Group Chief Transformation and Operations Officer and Chief Customer Experience Officer Beck Eclipse.
In promoting circularity, the company partnered with CompAsia to initiate a “take-back” scheme for old units, which will allow for three-year old service units to be remarketed, rather than disposed of.
By extending the life cycle of the devices, Globe is minimizing e-waste in support of its Net Zero commitments.
As of February 1, 27% of Globe employees have already shifted to using MacBooks for day-to-day business tasks. The company expects this number to increase as more employees choose this as their main work tool.
Minimizing e-waste and giving devices a second life
In 2017, Globe launched an internal program that promoted employees’ freedom of choice when it comes to picking the best work tools that suited them. Today, the company has expanded this program to practicing circularity, engaging employees, communities and its supply chain.
● iOwnIT – Three years after the device has been issued to the employee, they have an option to own the device as a personal asset, while they are issued a new service unit that will maintain if not maximize their productivity.
● Internal Laptop Loaner Program – Returned service units are taken in within Globe’s IT Bar, which repurposes laptops in good condition as loaned units to employees.
● Buy-Back and Trade-In Program via CompAsia – Employees’ used service units may also be given to CompAsia, as part of the company’s initiative to buy back and redistribute them into the supply chain.
Returned service units are also eligible for donation to partner beneficiary organizations, potentially providing them with access to digital worktools.
Reducing carbon emissions from purchased goods and services
In the same vein, Globe has also introduced the use of e-business cards to habituate the use of digital platforms and reduce carbon emissions associated with the production and delivery of traditional business cards.
Globe said the strategy for implementing the EBCs are highlighted in the product’s initials:
● Easy to use
○ Contact information may be shared easily without physical contact
○ Details are stored in one place and are quick to update
● Better for employees
○ Cost-effective
○ Worry-free from running out of physical copies and bringing a bulky set of cards
● Contributes to sustainability
○ Reduced carbon emissions associated with production and delivery
○ Reduced material/resource consumption (i.e. ink and paper)
Its implementation also streamlines costs, processes, and distribution, making EBCs more cost-effective and convenient for our employees and stakeholders, who shifted to more mobile-first behaviors.
“We believe that small changes, such as adopting E-BCs, can have a significant impact on our overall carbon footprint. The introduction of this initiative is only the beginning. We will continue to find ways to become more sustainable in our operations,” said Jerry Cabiles, Vice President for Supply Chain, Procurement and Logistics.
Globe was recently named by Standard Insights as the Most Sustainably Driven Network in the Philippines in its 2023 Consumer Awards. It is committed to creating positive societal and environmental impact through its various programs.
To learn more about Globe, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/about-us/sustainability.