Shields champions circular economy at MWC, with an equipment marketplace for telcos

As a tech journalist, my junk drawer has been home to a veritable graveyard of IoT devices – many of which became bricked due to a lack of planned obsolescence, as well as a bunch of mobile phones too old for security updates. I give what I can to people for testing purposes, but it's just a tiny part of a far bigger problem – e-waste. 

I was encouraged to hear many companies discussing circular economy and e-waste at this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC). One of the most encouraging examples is from Shields, a UK equipment infrastructure and technical services company.

While companies like Refurbished, BackMarket and Raylo are creating a circular economy for personal devices, Shields extends the offering to corporate telcos,it used MWC to showcase MarketPlace, a cloud-based inventory management platform.

MarketPlace combines the circular economy with easy-to-use end-user software to provide a more environmentally friendly procurement model. 

Through MarketPlace, network operators have the opportunity to procure both decommissioned equipment. Shields' technical team thoroughly test all products, guaranteeing their quality. This means that network operators can make the most of the existing supply of equipment, whether from their own market, partner markets or the broader market.

MarketPlace users can easily find the best price and lead times, all while having the assurance of receiving the high-quality network equipment they expect.

This is a key game changer for telecom operator’s ESG strategies. It not only offers a sustainable alternative to new hardware, but enables telecom operators to report on CO2-e avoidance, something which will become mandatory for many countries with the 2024 introduction of the CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive).

Research by Shields shows that the current annual global spend for telecom network operators is $92.5 billion. The company estimates that 20 per cent of this spend could easily be facilitated through MarketPlace, meaning that 117,834,395 assets could be purchased from existing surplus equipment rather than being manufactured and shipped by the OEM on a recurring annual basis.

A study by an independent research body, Zevero, showed that purchasing assets through MarketPlace instead of placing orders with the OEM results in an average carbon saving of 89 per cent per asset. 

Furthermore, MarketPlace generates valuable data on e-waste that telecom operators can use to report on the millions of devices that have been refurbished or recycled. 

Companies can use this data to showcase their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, which can positively impact their reputation and relationships with stakeholders, investors, and customers. 

Shields' platform offers a glimpse into a future where circular economy models become the norm, empowering businesses to be environmentally responsible while strengthening their reputations. As more companies embrace such solutions, the fight against e-waste can gain significant momentum.

Lead image: Kathryn Tripp.