Ingram Micro Goes Greener with New Recycling Program
Ingram Micro knows its not easy being green, and the distributor has launched a new program to help its reseller customers move ever more eco-friendly. The Smart Steward Recycling Program follows on the heels of Ingram Micro’s June 2010 plan to become EPA SmartWay Certified, and looks to provide revenue incentives for North American resellers who want to be socially responsible. What does that entail, exactly?
Resellers can visit the brand new Smart Stewards website at www.ingramicro.com/smartsteward and arrange for the recycling of all their e-waste. Small electronics, toner and ink cartridges and even mobile phones can be traded in for an “additional revenue stream” that can help increase resellers’ profitability. How exactly, will it do that? Ingram Micro will pay an as-yet-unannounced amount for each trade-in, an amount the distributor believes is enough that partners could actually derive some decent monetary benefit.
Light skepticism probably isn’t uncalled for, but Ingram Micro has had its Smart Citizen global responsibility program for a year now, and has received ISO 14001 certification for environment systems, looking to make its distribution chain more environmentally friendly. Ingram does note that the focus of the Smart Steward program is on unwanted mobile phones and printer waste, however, so I’m not sure how many channel partners can truly see this as a new source of revenue. It seems more like a bonus rebate — still a positive on the whole.
Sign up for The VAR Guy’s Weekly Newsletter, Webcasts and Resource Center. Follow The VAR Guy via RSS, Facebook and Twitter. Follow experts at VARtweet. Read The VAR Guy’s editorial disclosures here.
