Sustainability at refurbed

Since foundation, we've saved* 

*Savings compared to new purchases based on the environmental impact data from our ISO 14040/44 verified calculation model covering over 75% of products sold via our marketplace in 2024. Virtual water consumption is a method that takes into account regional water use in the supply chain. Critical raw material and conflict material savings only apply for smartphones. Status April 2025.  

350,000 t

CO₂ equivalents

virtual WATER

E-WASTE

1,136 t

Click through selected topics of our sustainability page and learn how we plan to complete our mission. For more details, download the Sustainability Report 2024 and our previous reports, or find the product footprints (CO2 emissions, electronic waste, virtual water consumption) of thousands of products in our Excel sheet.  

The essentials at a glance! 

01.

Our why

02.

From linear to circular

03.

Our political engagement

04.

The refurbishment process

05.

Our quality promise

06.

Our environmental strategy

07.

Our calculation model, verified with ISO 14040/44

08.

Our savings explained

09.

Promotion of environmental protection programmes

10.

Our certifications and partners

Our why

Our journey began in 2017 with our vision of making consumption sustainable. By extending the lifespan of laptops, smartphones,tablets and products beyond, we avoid the unnecessary need for new products, which have a detrimental impact on the environment. Through offering a platform with more sustainable alternatives, we offer a solution for circular economy that reduces the negative impact we have as a society on our planet.  

It is important for us to make our environmental impact measurable and transparent to you. This is why we have analysed our impact and can proudly say that refurbished products have an incredible savings potential compared to new products. In fact, on average, refurbed smartphones, tablets and laptops avoid 83% of CO2 emissions, 87-92% of virtual water consumption and 76-96% of e-waste (Detailed information on our ISO 14040/44-verified calculation model can be found in chapter 7). 

But our commitment to positive change extends beyond our core business. Measuring our impact is only the first step – driving real action is what matters. That’s why we commit to reducing our own environmental footprint, supporting high-impact environmental projects and advocating for more sustainable policies through our political engagement. 

We believe that together, we can create a transformative movement – one which would not be possible without you: our customers, friends, sellers, partners and community. 

01.

02.

From linear to circular

Linear economy

Circular economy

03.

Our political engagement

Our political engagement is based on three pillars: Firstly, on our public affairs efforts, through which we fight for our positions on the circular economy and refurbishment in legislative processes at local and EU level. We do this by commenting on the review processes of new laws, through our involvement in working groups such as the Circular Economy Task Force, or through personal dialogue with decision-makers, such as during the visit of Austria’s Ex-Environment Minister (2020-2025) Leonore Gewessler to our office. 

The second pillar is cooperation with like-minded people. We are a member of several associations in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and Belgium, which represent the interests of the circular economy. Examples include the European Refurbishment Association EUREFAS, the Right to Repair Campaign, the Circular Economy Forum Austria and the Federal Association for a Sustainable Economy in Germany. We contribute with our expertise and our positions whilst benefitting from the greater political weight of the associations. 

Sustainability is just as important to many of our customers as it is to us. This is why our third pillar focusses on engaging in political discussions via our social media channels, our blog and our Sustainability Report. We want to create change together and invite you to join the movement! 

04.

The refurbishment process

350,000 t

CO₂e saved

1,136 t

E-WASTE saved

116 Bn l

WATER saved

> 6.6 Mil

TREES planted

08.

Our savings explained

Between 2018 and 2024, we planted over 6.6 million trees. Since Feb 2024, we have been supporting various additional high-impact environmental projects (see chapter 9)

The extraction and processing of natural resources for the production of electrical appliances requires and pollutes large quantities of water. Refurbishment drastically reduces water consumption.

By extending the life cycle of electronic products, we avoid electronic waste.

Compared to new appliances, refurbishment saves a large proportion of CO₂ emissions.

Data erasure

Old data is deleted, the memory space is overwritten and the device is reset to the factory settings. 

Device testing 

Component replacement 

Components are replaced if necessary. Repairs are carried out by experts; individual parts are replaced with parts from the original equipment manufacturer, or equivalent. 

Necessary revision 

External signs of use (depending on the optical condition) are removed by polishing and cleaning. If necessary, upgrades to the operating system are carried out. 

Grading the device 

Technical experts or laser machines compare the exterior of the device with our guidelines and standards with regard to optical conditions ("excellent", "very good", "good"). 

Finally, the device is sold via our marketplace and comes with a 30-day free trial period and a minimum 12-month warranty. 

All devices sold via refurbed go through an up to 40-step refurbishment process.

05.

Our quality promise

The quality of our products is our top priority. To minimise the risk for our customers, each product comes with a free 30-day trial and a12-month warranty. 

We pursue a multi-stage quality management approach. Quality assurance and control mechanisms ensure that only sellers with the best quality products sell on our platform. All refurbed products must pass state-of-the-art software testing, and a refurbishment report records the process and exact condition of each product. Based on ad hoc quality checks and automated alert systems, as well as a detailed assessment of seller performance, we ensure that product quality meets refurbed standards. Finally, we carry out random quality checks on our sellers using mystery shopping to uncover potential blind spots. 

With this comprehensive quality management system, we ensure that only the best sellers can offer their products on our platform. 

While we strive to provide our customers with sustainable and affordable products, we commit to providing those at no expense of ecological and social standards. We ensure this with clear guidelines for our partners with regards to the protection and preservation of the environment, minimising the negative impacts on the environment and standards on labour and human rights. 

07.

Our calculation model verified with ISO 14040/44

[1 ] Virtual water consumption is a calculation method that takes into account water use along the supply chain and weights it according to regional availability. It is a virtual value that takes into account the local conditions at the place of water use. 
[2 ] The comparison with the respective new products was made on the basis of the manufacturer's specifications, if available. If no comparative data was available, a calculation was made based on the reference product. 
[3] Material resources is a pre-defined category in the lifecycle analysis of products and includes a range of materials such as metals and minerals, fossil fuels and biological material. Critical raw materials refer to a list of 34 currently recognized raw materials which are both vital for the economy and at risk of supply disruption. Conflict minerals are four minerals, tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold (3TG), which are traditionally used in smartphone manufacturing and can finance armed conflict or are mined using forced labour. 
[4] The calculation model is slightly updated every year because of changes in our product range (e.g. new products being sold) and updated emission factors. Because of this, the environmental impact data and coverage of products can slightly change from year to year. 

© Refurbed Marketplace GmbH

T&C

COOKIE POLICY

refurbed.com

EUREFAS

EUREFAS is the association that represents the refurbishment industry in Europe. 

RIGHT TO REPAIR

Right to repair is an alliance of European organisations campaigning for a change in the repair system. 

PATCH

Patch is a platform that connects companies from all sectors with the world's most innovative carbon reduction projects. 

The myclimate foundation is a leading provider of climate protection financing, awareness-raising and advice. 

Minimise's vision is to bring e-waste back into the recycling loop worldwide through partnerships. 

MINIMISE

MYCLIMATE

CARBONY

Carbony develops nature-based carbon capture projects in the EU. 

WOODCACHE PBC

Woodcache PBC, which we work with through Patch, is an innovative company specialising in carbon removal by sequestering forestry waste.  

TAKE

PRODUCE

DISPOSE

TAKE

PRODUCE

REFURBISH

RECYCLE

REUSE

Novocarbo is one of the leading biochar suppliers in Europe, with whom we co-operate via Patch. 

NOVOCARBO

The Dutch social enterprise that we work with via Minimise was founded with the aim of reducing electronic waste. 

CLOSING THE LOOP

ETHIOTREES

EthioTrees, in cooperation with myclimate, promotes the increase in income of landless farmers in the northern Ethiopian highlands through the restoration of forests and the development of ecosystem services. 

REFOREST NATION

Our partner for Irish tree planting in. Reforest Nation plants over 15 native tree species, creating forests to capture carbon and create habitats for local biodiversity.

EDEN REFORESTATION

Our previous partner (2018-2023) for tree planting in various countries in the Global South. 

We were founded with the intention of making a positive contribution to our planet by reducing the environmental impact of consumption as much as possible. We would like to give you more insights here – and introduce you to the various pillars of sustainability on which we build.  

116 Bn l

Der Refurbishment Prozess

Our environmental strategy

06.

Promotion of environmental protection projects

Since February 2024 we are investing in a portfolio of high-impact environmental projects that will have a long-term impact: 

• Landscape restoration: With our partner myclimate, we are restoring ecosystems in Ethiopia, including the planting of trees. The sustainable involvement of local communities plays an important role in this. 

• Innovative CO2 removal: We support innovative projects that are crucial but often underfunded. With Patch and Carbony, we support European initiatives to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. 

• E-waste recycling: Only 20% of electronic waste is properly recycled worldwide. Together with Minimise, we are bringing smartphones from Ghana back into the cycle through local partners and professional recycling in Italy. 

• Native Irish tree planting: With our partner Reforest Nation, we continue to offer Irish consumers the option to plant a native Irish tree for free with their purchase. A heavily underforested country, we plant to help regreen the Emerald Isle. 

As a platform for refurbished products and services, our business model is centred on sustainability. But our efforts do not end here. For this reason, we introduced our first environmental strategy in 2023 with the goal increasing our positive and minimising our negative impact on the environment. 

The foundation of our environmental strategy is based on three core principles, briefly summarised below; more detailed information can be found in our sustainability report 2023 and our sustainability report 2024. 

Pillar 1: Measuring our environmental impact 

Measuring our environmental impact, especially our corporate carbon footprint, along our entire value chain forms the foundation of our environmental strategy. While as a marketplace we are not obliged to include the products we sell in our carbon footprint (according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol), we have decided to do so anyway to gain a better understanding of the impact of our entire value chain. 

We also want to measure our positive impact through offering refurbished products on our marketplace. Details on our savings calculations through our ISO 14040/44-verified calculation model can be found in chapter 7. 

Pillar 2: Reducing negative environmental impacts 

Once we have quantified our emissions and received insights from our sellers, reducing emissions becomes critical. We aim to do this through the: 

• reduction of product emissions through collaboration with sellers 

• reduction of refurbed’s operational emissions (e.g. from purchased energy, goods and services, business travel, etc.) 
  

Technical experts test the device using approved and certified test software to ensure 100% functionality. 

10.

refurbed is a B Corp Certified company 

refurbed was founded to make a positive contribution to the world, reducing the environmental impact of consumption as much as possible.  

In 2024 we have achieved a milestone on our path towards our vision by gaining the B Corp Certification, a testament for our committed to high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.  

B Corp certification is awarded by B Lab™, a nonprofit organisation that certifies companies based on their social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. Certified B Corporations™ are leaders in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. The "B" stands for Benefit for all, signifying a commitment to positively impact workers, communities, customers, and the planet. 

Before being sold on refurbed’s marketplace, each device undergoes a thorough refurbishment process. This process is performed by experienced refurbishers and continuously monitored by refurbed’s seller performance and product quality teams.  

Out now: 

Our Sustainability Report 2024 including our Deep Dive Story on Trade-in

130 t

CRITICAL raw materials

4 t

CONFLICT materials

The traditional linear economy follows a wasteful "take, make, dispose" model, where valuable materials are discarded after short product lifecycles. This approach leads to significant waste of valuable, limited resources and poses a serious burden on our environment. The circular economy offers an alternative approach where fewer resources are extracted, products are used for longer periods, and materials are brought back into the cycle; for example, through refurbishing, reuse or recycle. refurbed offers a platform for circular economy where you can trade-in old devices and purchased refurbished products.  

Pillar 3: Financing environmental protection projects 

In addition to measuring our environmental impacts and defining reduction strategies, financing environmental protection projects is the third pillar of our environmental strategy. The exact environmental protection projects are presented in chapter 9. 

In our quest for innovation, we have partnered with Fraunhofer Austria for several years to create something revolutionary. Our goal was to develop a verified computational model that allows us to measure the environmental impact of thousands of smartphones, tablets and laptops. 

And this is how it works: We feed the model with technical data, for example with that of an iPhone 12: information on storage space, battery capacity, year of production and screen size, etc. The calculation model is based on the partial life-cycle analysis of five of our best-sellers and extended by a wealth of knowledge and data. Our computational model covers +12,000 products on our marketplace and is verified by an independent third party, GutCert, in accordance with ISO 14040/44. As a result, the model presents us with: 

• savings in CO2, electrical waste and virtual water consumption[1] of a refurbished product compared to a new device [2], 

• savings in material resources, critical raw materials and conflict materials [3] of a refurbished smartphone compared to a new device [2], 

• CO2 emissions, electronic waste and virtual water consumption [1] generated in the 2nd life cycle of a product [2], 

• a detailed breakdown of CO2 emissions along the 2nd life cycle for transport in purchasing, refurbishment, marketplace, distribution by refurbed and use phase [2]. 

Curious what savings potential your device holds? Download our Excel sheet and discover the product footprint of your smartphone, tablet or laptop. In addition, our GutCert Verification documents the correctness of our calculation model and accordance with ISO 14040/44.  

Since foundation, refurbed has made a large impact through selling refurbished products. Based on our calculation model, we can quantify the exact impact we have had over the years and want to explain to you, what this means.  

Please note that savings are compared to new purchases based on the environmental impact data from our ISO 14040/44 verified calculation model covering over 75% of products sold via our marketplace in 2024. Critical and conflict materials saved are only based on refurbished smartphones sold. Water refers to virtual water consumption which is a method that takes into account regional water use in the supply chain. Status April 2025.

4 t

CONFLICT materials saved

Smartphone production relies on conflict materials which need to me extracted from the ground. A refurbished smartphone only needs a tiny quantity of conflict materials compared to new device.

130 t

CRITICAL raw materials saved

A smartphone contains up to 70 different elements, many of which connect to critical raw materials. Fewer critical raw materials need to be extracted for a refurbished device compared to a new device.

09.

You can find a summary on the development of the calculation model in our sustainability report 2023 and 2024. If you would like to delve deeper into the technical aspects of the partial life cycle analyses, the model and our research on unused smartphones, you can download three reports published in collaboration with Fraunhofer Austria (German only):  

• Development of the methodology for ecological KPIs of refurbished devices  

• Life cycle assessment of refurbished devices in accordance with ISO 14040/44 

• Whitepaper on the potential of unused smartphones in European households

Below you can find the average savings for smartphones, tablets and laptops (all without new battery), weighted by units sold via our platform in 2024 [4].  

PRIVACY POLICY