Treat every phone and tablet as a managed lifecycle asset: monitor inactivity, lock or bill for lost devices, and refurbish defects before buying new.
The big idea
CASE STUDY PRESENTATION
Copenhagen Cuts Mobile Device CO2 by 20%
Copenhagen used lifecycle management and MDM monitoring to reuse devices, stop idle stock, and cut mobile IT emissions.
Case Study
WasteImplementation & operationsRegulation & governancePhysical/technical solutionsResource efficiencyEconomic development
- 20% CO2 cut
- 80% of defects reused
- Money saved with lower footprint
So what?
1
The Challenge
The administration had a large fleet of phones and tablets, but local handling meant there were no common routines for issue, return, or repair. During a device replacement, 1,200 devices were found to have never been used. Defective devices also lacked a standard return and assessment process, creating avoidable emissions and costs.
2
The Plan
The plan was to manage phones and tablets across their full lifecycle instead of leaving handling to local units. Central governance, MDM monitoring, support routines, and reuse procedures were combined to improve utilisation and cut unnecessary procurement.
Step 1
The municipality introduced a central Device Lifecycle method covering procurement, use, swap, repair, reuse, and disposal.
Step 2
A Mobile Device Management app tracks whether each device has been inactive for 30, 60, or 90 days.
Step 3
Managers are notified after 30 days, devices are locked after 60 days, and after 90 days they are treated as lost and billed to the office.
Step 4
Devices submitted as defective are collected, checked, updated, and returned to use where possible.
Step 5
The approach is backed by support staff, a clear service concept, defined responsibilities, and user engagement.
3
The Results
20%
CO2 reduction
78 tons CO2
Avoided footprint
80%
Defective devices reused
+3.5 mio. kr./yr
Annual reuse savings
The lifecycle approach reduced the climate impact from mobile devices by 20%, equal to the footprint of 1,200 formerly unused devices. It also improved utilisation, reused 80% of devices initially reported as defective, and generated significant financial savings.
4
Key Lessons
Device emissions fell when mobile phones and tablets were treated as managed assets, not disposable tools. The key lesson is to combine central control with local responsibility, simple support, and clear consequences for unused or missing devices.
- Local handouts
- No defect routine
- 1,200 idle devices
Before
- Central lifecycle control
- 30/60/90-day alerts
- Defects checked for reuse
After
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