Scania IT’s green mission – giving old hardware new life
6 MARCH 2025
What happens to retired IT equipment at Scania? It gets an extended life! Through a forward-thinking upcycling project, Scania IT is cutting waste, reducing emissions, and unlocking new value.
The Scania IT Infrastructure Service team has successfully completed the first phase of the upcycling project. The initiative marks a significant step toward Scania’s sustainability commitment, transforming IT hardware disposal into a win for both the planet and the business.
In collaboration with HPE Financial Services, this initiative, launched in April 2023, aims to improve Scania’s environmental footprint by reusing and remarketing retired IT hardware. This effort aligns with the company’s proactive, industry-leading actions, which have already led to significant reductions in IT-related waste and emissions, further advancing its sustainability ambitions.
Peter Samuelsson, the Project Lead and green IT ambassador says, “This upcycling project highlights Scania's dedication to sustainability and ongoing efforts to find smarter, more sustainable ways to operate. This is one innovative approach to how IT hardware disposal benefits the environment and brings significant financial rewards.”
Peter Samuelsson, Project Lead and green IT ambassador
Turning IT waste into value
The project involves upcycling IT infrastructure devices such as servers, storage, and network equipment. By September 2024, the last piece of IT hardware from the first shipment was sold, marking an important phase in Scania's green IT initiative. The environmental impact of this project is substantial, with the first shipment saving approximately 601 metric tonnes of CO2e emissions. This is equivalent to the emissions from 1,730 people flying from Stockholm, Sweden to Barcelona, Spain.
It prevented about 4,300 kg of waste from ending up in landfills, comparable to the average annual waste produced by ten Swedish citizens. The financial benefits of the project also improved. We were able to turn around a cost burden into a positive financial activity for end-of-use equipment.
“We returned about 6000 IT hardware items (including items from about 700 devices like servers and storage) to HPE Financial Services for refurbishment or recycling. Our goal is clear: to reduce our carbon footprint and make a real impact on the planet. We're always exploring ways to drive sustainability, taking bold steps to create a greener future for all,” affirms Huifen Cong, IT Sustainability Lead.
Huifen Cong, IT Sustainability Lead
Smart IT choices
The IT department's largest CO2 footprint comes from the supply chain involved in the production of IT equipment and supplies. To reduce waste, one effective approach is offering employees unbundled computer and mobile packages instead of traditional pre-packaged bundles. This method reduces waste and is more cost-effective for users who don’t need all the components of a bundled package. For instance, employees can actively choose individual items, like chargers or keyboards, rather than having them automatically included in a bundle.
Scania adopts a circular economy model, focusing on reusing and repurposing IT equipment before recycling it at the end of its lifecycle. By prioritising repair, maintenance, and upcycling, we seek to maintain the value of products and minimise waste, contributing to a more sustainable and resource-efficient world.
With the dedicated investments in sustainable IT operations, Scania projects that it will not only meet but exceed the 2025 climate targets for IT.
