IT Reuse for Good Charter

The IT Reuse for Good Charter is a transformative policy initiative dismantling the UK’s digital divide while promoting a pioneering circular tech economy, resulting in 22,000 devices for people and families who can’t afford them.

Co-developed by Good Things Foundation, UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), VodafoneThree, and Deloitte, this government-backed framework turns corporate electronic waste into life-changing devices for people in need.

Today, 1.6 million people in the UK lack device access, a critical barrier to healthcare and public services. For people like Ismat, a refugee from Syria, isolation was a harsh reality. Receiving a device helped him "feel happy because it makes it easy to connect... It’s opened a door to the world."

By establishing a "reuse first" standard for retired IT assets, the Charter tackles e-waste and device poverty while boosting corporate ESG. Signatories commit to a code of practice: securely wiping data, refurbishing to certified standards, and routing devices to those in need through community partners.

The Charter has systemic impact: It embeds technology donation directly into corporate procurement policies, unlocking a sustainable pipeline of thousands of devices. The Charter doesn't just ask businesses to do good; it re-engineers how the UK values and reuses technology to change lives. It stands as an exemplar of charity-industry-government collaboration, bridging social equity and environmental sustainability. This makes it uniquely deserving of this award.