IBM's green recycling practices recognised by IDC

19 July 2008

IBM Global Asset Recovery Services, the IT equipment renewal and recycling arm of IBM, was recognized by leading IT analyst firm IDC as one of the first recipients of its Green Recycling and Asset Disposal for the Enterprise (G.R.A.D.E.) certification.

According to IDC, IBM Global Asset Recovery Services, a division of IBM Global Financing, the lending and leasing business segment of IBM exceeded the minimum criteria required for G.R.A.D.E. certification, which looked at IBM's broad rnage of offerings, remote applications, onsite services, logistics, in-plant processing, and post treatment. While the IDC G.R.A.D.E certification focused only on IBM Global Asset Recovery Services operations in the US, IBM operates similar facilities throughout the world.

''IBM has been environmentally responsible for a long time,'' said Kevin Cleary, General Manager of IBM Global Asset Recovery Services. ''Ever since 1971, when our first Corporate Environmental Commitments were published, we have evolved to meet and surpass the expectations of our employees, clients and key stakeholders.  This certification is a further validation of those commitments.''

''Our assessment of IBM shows the company has world-class operations and offers all of the required components of a proper enterprise-class asset disposal,'' states IDC in its report accompanying the G.R.A.D.E certification. ''Such resources enable the company to offer extended life and remanufacturing capabilities, end of life and dismantling capabilities, as well as scrap processing.''

IBM Global Asset Recovery Services' big differentiator in the marketplace is its ability to find uses for virtually all of the IT equipment that it takes back from customers as part of its regular leasing operations.  In 2007 IBM processed nearly 100 million pounds (44,000 + metric tones) product end of life equipment and material with only 0.78 per cent returned to landfills or incinerated.

From 2002 through 2007, IBM rebuilt more than 1,500 System z Servers -- data processors common in most large data centers -- and put them back into service as hybrids (a machine consisting of both new and old, harvested parts) with IBM Certified Used warranties.