Bringing ESG to ITAD in Partnership with the University of Oklahoma

Bringing ESG to ITAD in Partnership with the University of Oklahoma

CircleIT’s Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) program is on the vanguard of corporate citizenship. Through cutting-edge reporting of its carbon footprint, carbon neutral logistics, a unique carbon offset program and a product reuse partner ecosystem, CircleIT provides unprecedented ESG value for its clients in a field rife with greenwashing and unconfirmed accounting. This first-of-its-kind program in the Information Technology Asset Disposition (ITAD) industry was built in partnership and is endorsed by the University of Oklahoma’s (OU) Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability.

On the department’s mission page, it states that the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability is committed to conducting innovative research, expanding students’ intellectual vistas, and catalyzing sustainable human-natural systems. After interviewing department chair Dr. Scott Greene, it is clear why OU has become a renowned resource for evaluating and verifying corporate ESG programs.

Dr. Greene, alongside associate professor Dr. Travis Gliedt and an engaged student body, have fostered a culture that promotes circular thinking, equitable economic growth, and minimizing environmental impact. “The focus of this department is to promote the triple bottom line of profits, sustainability, and people,” says Dr. Greene, whose background in renewable energy development and climate adaptation has led to his work in helping corporations transition to more sustainable practices. For Dr. Greene and his department this commitment goes beyond sustainably growing the economy to connecting it to reporting, verification, and accountability.

Without the reporting, verification, and accountability of ESG programs, it is difficult for corporations to discern what is valid, thus discouraging the creation of new programs and the stagnation of environmental commitments. “We want to maximize economic growth that preserves the environment for future generations. And we want to encourage companies to go down that path.” Dr. Greene stated.

Through this lens, Dr. Greene, Dr. Gliedt, and their team of students evaluated and verified CircleIT’s ESG program. After months of thorough research, using the most current studies, Dr. Greene and his team determined that CircleIT’s ESG program adheres to proper and acceptable scientific and industry standard approaches and helps companies unlock a path to achieving a triple bottom line.

CircleIT’s ESG program has opened an entirely new category of value for its customers in the ITAD industry. Because of the certification granted by OU, corporations can confidently convey the environmental and climate accomplishments created by CircleIT’s program on their own ESG reports. And in an area that does not have government regulation, consumers can also be confident in the ESG achievements reported by CircleIT and its clients. 

OU’s Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability is making itself a testing ground for corporate ESG programs. By certifying climate and environmental accomplishments, OU can instill confidence in the public that they are not being exposed to corporate greenwashing. CircleIT is proud to have received such a prestigious certification and is even prouder to have helped Dr. Greene and Dr. Gliedt provide an opportunity for their students to form the skills needed to put companies on the path of sustainable corporate citizenship.