From Waste to Worth: Dell`s Strategy for a Circular Economy

Case Code: BECG192
Case Length: 14 Pages
Period: -
Pub Date: 2025
Teaching Note: Available

Price: Rs.400
Organization: Dell Technologies, Inc.
Industry: Technology & Communications
Countries: United States
Themes: Socially-responsible Business Practices, Sustainability,Supply Chain Management,Circular Economy

Abstract Case Intro 1 Case Intro 2 Excerpts

Excerpts

Dell’s Sustainability Journey

The advent of the information age, combined with conventional material consumption practices, had led to e-waste becoming one of the fastest-growing waste streams globally (See Exhibit III). While a record 62 million tons of e-waste were produced in 2022, up 82% from 2010, global recycling rates for e-waste remained alarmingly low..

Dell’s Circular Economy Strategy

The circular economy is a system where materials never become waste and nature is regenerated. In a circular economy, products and materials are kept in circulation through processes like maintenance, reuse, refurbishment, remanufacture, recycling, and composting..

Key Initiatives

Dell practiced a holistic approach to managing technology assets across their lifecycle, emphasizing circularity. Leasing options through Dell Financial Services and other As-a-Service offerings (aaS) enabled maximized product utilization..

Challenges

One of the significant challenges Dell faced with its closed-loop recycling initiative was determining which types of plastics could be effectively reintegrated into new products. The company collaborated with different partners to test various approaches, concluding that a blend of recycled content and virgin..

The Way Forward

Analysts felt that Dell’s sustainability journey reflected its dedication to embedding sustainability into every facet of its operations from early recycling initiatives to forward-looking net-zero commitments. Achieving its sustainability goals also required significant skill, innovation, and investment on the part of Dell..

Exhibits

Exhibit I: Concept Luna
Exhibit II: Dell’s Timeline
Exhibit III: Emergence of the Circular Economy
Exhibit IV: The Butterfly Diagram: Visualizing The Circular Economy
Exhibit V: Dell’s Model of a Closed-Loop Plastics Supply Chain
Exhibit VI: Use of Sustainable Material in Latitude 5000 series

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