Category: IT Asset Disposition

Score Your ITAD Program with the SLS ITAD Maturity Model

To support our prospects and clients as they manage and improve their IT asset disposition (ITAD) program, Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) has developed the SLS ITAD Maturity Model. This tool has been designed to help you determine exactly where your program stands and how it aligns with your company’s compliance and data policy risks. A more accurate understanding of industry best practices and policies will help you evaluate the way retired IT assets are, and should be, managed.

When IT assets are removed from the live environment, most companies have a defined ITAD process that identifies how assets are handled as they are reused, redeployed or recycled. The foundation of the SLS ITAD Maturity Model is built on this concept, helping you examine your management process, geographic scope, data security requirements, budget considerations and how you measure success.

We have identified five levels of ITAD maturity to help us connect with you where you are, support your current program, and work with you to develop and optimize your processes. Our Maturity Model can score your current ITAD program and set both long and short-term goals for improvement.

All companies are focused on their live environment. Companies who focus exclusively on the live environment operate at what we define as the “required” level. They typically maintain a general asset list with little or no defined metrics for managing their ITAD program. Asset management at this level is mainly left up to individuals with little or no organizational redundancy, policies or standards. This lack of control can unfortunately lead to assets being lost or stolen, along with the data they may contain.

Companies operating at the highest “optimized” level of ITAD maturity, on the other hand, have optimized their programs across the corporate landscape with executive level support and centralized decision making. The ability to produce exact numbers and detailed specifications contributes to the organization’s financial performance, commercial planning and audit preparedness.

Benefits to be realized by optimizing your program are immediate and obvious. A greater understanding of your IT environment leads to greater control and positions you to command increased financial return, improved security, compliance to international and industry-specific requirements and sustainability gains to enhance your environmental reputation.

Once you have a full understanding of your corporate technological structure you are ready to more fully develop your ITAD program. Whether you’re updating, upgrading, or removing computer equipment, a mature ITAD game plan will better allow you to cover the entire IT lifecycle and not just the end-of-use phase; greater experience will help you more fully understand your range of options.

ITAD programs are the last stage of the IT management process and, unfortunately, are frequently not properly planned or fully developed. Too often an afterthought, ITAD can involve significant risks without a comprehensive and detailed strategy that is consistently implemented throughout your corporation. This makes a proactive ITAD program even more important so your company can understand and avoid undocumented and undefined processes, shortcuts and bad decisions.

Having worked with some of the largest enterprise companies in the world, we have collaborated with corporations who operate at every level of ITAD maturity. This has resulted in not only providing a world class ITAD solution but in helping our clients develop a more complete knowledge of their corporate IT structure.

A coordinated partnership opens many possibilities for improving your company’s ITAD program effectiveness, and with it, enhanced financial performance, security, and sustainability. Let SLS help ensure you achieve optimum results.

Eight Steps to Improve Your IT Asset Disposition Program

An effective IT asset disposition (ITAD) program ensures that redundant assets are disposed of securely and sustainably. So, how can your organization develop a better ITAD program?

1. Understand the Importance of a Defined ITAD Program

First, recognize the value of a strong ITAD program. Beyond environmental concerns, improper disposal can result in data breaches and hefty regulatory fines. Furthermore, recouping residual value from retired assets can boost your bottom line.

2. Conduct a Comprehensive Inventory

Begin by taking stock of all IT assets. A detailed inventory helps in:

• Defining the scope of your program.
• Estimating the residual value.
• Planning for secure destruction.
• Ensuring accurate reporting is available for the entire lifecycle of all IT assets.

3. Establish Clear Policies and Procedures

Develop standard operating procedures for asset disposition:

• Define which assets can be refurbished, resold, redeployed or recycled.
• Establish a compliant and documented process for data destruction. Industry standards like NIST 800-88r1 provide guidance for data destruction.
• Decide on the methods of destruction, such as degaussing, shredding, or data erasure, a software-based solution. Degaussing and shredding renders storage media unusable. Data erasure enables safe reuse of storage media, which extends the lifecycle of the media.

Make sure your IT team understands the importance of ITAD. Offer training on procedures and best practices. A well-informed team minimizes risks and enhances the effectiveness of the disposition program.

Ensure your ITAD process aligns with current laws to prevent potential legal complications. Regulations, both environmental and data-related, can evolve and should be reviewed regularly.

4. Prioritize Data Security

Ensure all data is completely and securely removed. Engage with vendors who offer certified data destruction services. Always get a certificate of data destruction as proof that data has been securely erased.

5. Choose Vendors Wisely

Partner with a certified ITAD vendor who:

• Adheres to environmental regulations.
• Has a transparent chain-of-custody process.
• Offers refurbishing, reuse and recycling services.
• Provides certificates for data destruction, responsible recycling, market value and sustainability reporting.

6. Budget

Implementing a compliant, data safe ITAD program is possible only with proper budgets and resources.

7. Aim for Sustainability

Choose environmentally friendly disposition methods:

• Encourage refurbishing and repurposing assets.
• Collaborate with ITAD companies that incorporate sustainable processes into their operations and provide sustainability reporting.
• Avoid landfill to prevent harmful toxins from entering the environment.

8. Continuously Review and Adapt

Like all other IT processes, ITAD shouldn’t be static. Regularly review your program, obtain feedback, and make necessary improvements.

A robust ITAD program not only mitigates risks associated with obsolete IT assets but also contributes to an organization’s financial return and environmental and social responsibility goals. By adopting a strategic approach, staying updated with regulations, and collaborating with credible vendors, your organization can enhance its IT asset disposition, adding value and fostering trust.