Improving Circularity in IT Industry in UAE By Recycling and Distributing Pre-owned Laptops
Dithari Trading LLC
(
Private sector
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#SDGAction56556
Description
To contribute towards the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by improving circularity in the IT industry in the UAE. Our initiative focuses on recycling and distributing pre-owned laptops, extending their lifecycle, reducing e-waste, and promoting sustainable IT practices. Through this partnership, we aim to drive measurable progress in promoting responsible consumption and production patterns within the UAE’s IT sector, aligning with the UN's global mission to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
1. Sourcing Pre-owned Devices: Dithari begins by sourcing pre-owned laptops and smartphones from various channels, including individual consumers, businesses, and governmental agencies. The company collaborates with trusted partners and customers across the UAE and beyond to gather electronic devices that are no longer in use.
2. Inspection and Quality Assessment: Once the devices are collected, they undergo a rigorous inspection and quality assessment process at Dithari’s facilities. Each device is thoroughly examined to determine its condition, whether it can be refurbished, or if it should be recycled for parts and materials.
3. Refurbishment and Recycling: Devices that meet refurbishment criteria are repaired, updated with the latest software, and re-engineered for optimal performance. In cases where refurbishing is not possible, devices are dismantled, and valuable components are extracted for reuse or recycling. Dithari ensures that this process adheres to international standards for environmental safety, reducing the e-waste footprint.
4. Distribution of Re-engineered Devices: Once refurbished, the electronic devices are distributed back into the market through Dithari’s retail and e-commerce platforms. These devices are offered at competitive prices, making them accessible to a broader audience, including schools, SMEs, and individual consumers, promoting responsible consumption.
5. Collaboration with Key Stakeholders: Dithari actively collaborates with local authorities, corporate partners, and civil society to streamline the value chain and raise awareness about the importance of circularity. By working closely with the UAE government and other stakeholders, Dithari ensures that its operations align with national sustainability goals.
6. Awareness and Advocacy: In addition to recycling and refurbishment, Dithari engages in awareness campaigns to educate consumers and organizations about the benefits of prolonging the lifecycle of IT products. Through workshops, seminars, and partnerships with educational institutions, Dithari advocates for sustainable IT consumption.
7. Monitoring and Reporting: Dithari tracks the performance of its initiative through measurable KPIs, such as the number of devices recycled, refurbished, and distributed. This data is periodically reported to stakeholders and is aligned with the UN SDG platform to demonstrate how the initiative contributes to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).
Skill Development Programs: Dithari Technologies has established capacity-building initiatives to upskill local talent in the areas of refurbishing, recycling, and IT equipment management. This involves hands-on training for technicians, engineers, and other staff on the latest techniques and international standards in refurbishing electronic devices and reducing e-waste. The training covers areas such as device diagnostics, repairs, recycling procedures, and sustainable business practices.
Partnerships with Educational Institutions: In collaboration with educational institutions in the UAE, including universities and vocational schools, Dithari facilitates knowledge-sharing platforms and student internships. This program helps nurture the next generation of professionals equipped with skills in the circular IT industry. The company also organizes workshops, guest lectures, and industry tours, encouraging innovation and research in sustainable IT solutions.
Collaborative Technology Transfer: Dithari partners with global leaders in IT and sustainability to import best practices and technological advancements for refurbishing and recycling processes. Through these partnerships, Dithari gains access to cutting-edge technologies, such as advanced recycling machinery, and shares these technologies with local stakeholders to strengthen the industry’s infrastructure. By facilitating the adoption of green technologies, Dithari supports the UAE's broader sustainability agenda.
Workshops and Seminars for Stakeholders: Dithari regularly organizes workshops and seminars targeting government bodies, businesses, and NGOs to build awareness around the circular IT economy. These events serve as platforms for sharing expertise, fostering collaboration, and promoting best practices in IT recycling and responsible consumption. The company also highlights the environmental benefits of such initiatives and provides guidance on implementing similar programs in other industries.
Knowledge Transfer and Best Practices: Dithari ensures the transfer of global best practices to the UAE by engaging with international organizations, consultants, and technical experts in the IT refurbishment and recycling sectors. The company promotes the exchange of innovative ideas through its involvement with global sustainability platforms, such as the UN SDGs, ensuring that UAE stakeholders benefit from the latest advancements in sustainability-focused IT practices.
Technology-Driven Solutions: Dithari integrates modern IT systems and digital platforms to streamline the entire refurbishment and recycling process. By leveraging cloud-based inventory management systems, AI-powered diagnostic tools, and data analytics, the company ensures a more efficient and transparent workflow. This digital transformation not only optimizes internal operations but also allows stakeholders to track the environmental impact of their refurbished products in real time.
"Governance Structure:
This initiative is governed by a multi-stakeholder partnership model, with Dithari Technologies serving as the lead organization, responsible for project implementation, monitoring, and reporting progress. Key responsibilities and roles are distributed as follows:
Leadership Team: The leadership team, consisting of Dithari Technologies' executive members and key sustainability officers, oversees the strategic direction and ensures alignment with the objectives of SDG 12. This includes setting targets, allocating resources, and ensuring compliance with the UN's SMART criteria (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Resource-based, and Time-bound).
Operational Team: This team handles the day-to-day execution of the initiative, including laptop collection, refurbishment, recycling, and distribution. The operational team works with certified local partners to maintain compliance with environmental and quality standards, ensuring responsible consumption and production.
Advisory Board: An advisory board comprising sustainability experts, government representatives, and other key stakeholders provides oversight, offering strategic advice, and ensuring that the initiative aligns with national policies and international best practices.
Monitoring and Reporting Committee: A dedicated committee is responsible for tracking progress, setting measurable KPIs, and ensuring that progress updates are submitted to the UN SDG platform annually. They ensure transparency and accountability, providing periodic updates on key milestones.
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration: The initiative engages with various stakeholders, including governmental agencies, local businesses, civil society organizations, and academic institutions, to ensure broad participation. Regular stakeholder consultations are conducted to refine strategies, gather feedback, and foster knowledge-sharing across the partnership."
Monitoring and Reporting Framework: Dithari Technologies has established a robust monitoring system to track the progress of its initiatives aligned with SDG 12, ensuring responsible consumption and production. The company uses key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the impact of its recycling and refurbishment activities. These KPIs include the number of devices recycled, reduction in e-waste, and the percentage of materials successfully recovered and reused.
Environmental Impact Assessment: Dithari conducts periodic environmental impact assessments (EIAs) to evaluate the effectiveness of its recycling processes in reducing waste and carbon emissions. The EIAs help the company understand how its operations contribute to lowering the UAE's overall environmental footprint and assist in identifying areas for further improvement in sustainability practices.
Third-Party Audits and Certifications: To ensure transparency and adherence to international standards, Dithari collaborates with third-party auditors and certification bodies, such as the British Standards Institution (BSI). These audits verify compliance with circular economy principles and assess the quality of refurbished products. Certifications such as the BSI Kitemark provide additional assurance that the company meets global best practices in recycling and responsible consumption.
Stakeholder Feedback and Collaboration: Dithari actively engages with its stakeholders, including customers, partners, and governmental bodies, to gather feedback on its sustainability initiatives. Surveys and focus groups are conducted to assess satisfaction with the recycled products and the effectiveness of educational programs. This feedback is crucial for improving the company’s operations and ensuring they are aligned with the expectations of all parties involved.
Annual Sustainability Reports: Dithari publishes annual sustainability reports that provide detailed insights into its performance regarding circular IT practices and SDG 12 targets. These reports include data on the volume of e-waste reduced, the number of devices refurbished, energy savings achieved, and the overall contribution to a greener economy. These reports also offer updates on new initiatives and partnerships that further enhance the company’s sustainability efforts.
Continuous Improvement Cycle: The company employs a continuous improvement approach, reviewing and refining its processes based on the outcomes of evaluations and audits. Lessons learned from past projects are incorporated into future initiatives, ensuring that Dithari remains adaptive and proactive in advancing the circular economy in the UAE.
Alignment with UN SDG Reporting: Dithari regularly updates its partnership with the UN SDGs platform by submitting progress reports aligned with the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Resource-based, Time-bound) criteria. These reports track the tangible outcomes of the company’s initiatives, such as the volume of pre-owned laptops recycled, environmental impact, and capacity-building outcomes. By maintaining alignment with global sustainability frameworks, Dithari ensures that its contributions are part of a larger, coordinated effort toward achieving the 2030 Agenda.
Buyology(Retail stores in UAE and Bahrain exclusively promoting refurbished laptops), Azerbaijan Technical University(To-be knowledge partner for developing an R&D Center for improving efficiency of recycling of IT devices for improving circularity in the IT industry.)
SDGS & Targets
Goal 8
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
8.1
8.1.1
Annual growth rate of real GDP per capita
8.2
Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors
8.2.1
Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person
8.3
Promote development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, and encourage the formalization and growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises, including through access to financial services
8.3.1
Proportion of informal employment in total employment, by sector and sex
8.4
Improve progressively, through 2030, global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavour to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation, in accordance with the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production, with developed countries taking the lead
8.4.1
Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP
8.4.2
Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP
8.5
8.5.1
Average hourly earnings of female and male employees, by occupation, age and persons with disabilities
8.5.2
Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
8.6
8.6.1
Proportion of youth (aged 15-24 years) not in education, employment or training
8.7
Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.7.1
Proportion and number of children aged 5‑17 years engaged in child labour, by sex and age
8.8
Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
8.8.1
Fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 workers, by sex and migrant status
8.8.2
Level of national compliance with labour rights (freedom of association and collective bargaining) based on International Labour Organization (ILO) textual sources and national legislation, by sex and migrant status
8.9
By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
8.9.1
Tourism direct GDP as a proportion of total GDP and in growth rate
8.10
Strengthen the capacity of domestic financial institutions to encourage and expand access to banking, insurance and financial services for all
8.10.1
(a) Number of commercial bank branches per 100,000 adults and (b) number of automated teller machines (ATMs) per 100,000 adults
8.10.2
Proportion of adults (15 years and older) with an account at a bank or other financial institution or with a mobile-money-service provider
8.a
8.a.1
Aid for Trade commitments and disbursements
8.b
By 2020, develop and operationalize a global strategy for youth employment and implement the Global Jobs Pact of the International Labour Organization
8.b.1
Existence of a developed and operationalized national strategy for youth employment, as a distinct strategy or as part of a national employment strategy
Goal 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
9.1
9.1.1
Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road
9.1.2
Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport
9.2
Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries
9.2.1
Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita
9.2.2
Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment
9.3
9.3.1
Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added
9.3.2
Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit
9.4
By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities
9.4.1
CO2 emission per unit of value added
9.5
9.5.1
Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP
9.5.2
Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants
9.a
9.a.1
Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure
9.b
9.b.1
Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added
9.c
Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020
9.c.1
Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology
Goal 11
Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11.1
By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums
11.1.1
Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing
11.2
11.2.1
Proportion of population that has convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.3
11.3.1
Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate
11.3.2
Proportion of cities with a direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that operate regularly and democratically
11.4
Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage
11.4.1
Total per capita expenditure on the preservation, protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by source of funding (public, private), type of heritage (cultural, natural) and level of government (national, regional, and local/municipal)
11.5
By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations
11.5.1
Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population
11.5.2
Direct economic loss attributed to disasters in relation to global domestic product (GDP)
11.5.3
(a) Damage to critical infrastructure and (b) number of disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters
11.6
By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management
11.6.1
Proportion of municipal solid waste collected and managed in controlled facilities out of total municipal waste generated, by cities
11.6.2
Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)
11.7
11.7.1
Average share of the built-up area of cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
11.7.2
Proportion of persons victim of non-sexual or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the previous 12 months
11.a
Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning
11.a.1
Number of countries that have national urban policies or regional development plans that (a) respond to population dynamics; (b) ensure balanced territorial development; and (c) increase local fiscal space
11.b
By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels
11.b.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030
11.b.2
Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies
11.c
Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials
Goal 12
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.1
Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries
12.1.1
Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production
12.2
By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.2.1
Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP
12.2.2
Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP
12.3
By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
12.3.1
(a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index
12.4
By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
12.4.1
12.4.2
(a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment
12.5
By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.5.1
National recycling rate, tons of material recycled
12.6
Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.6.1
12.7
Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
12.7.1
Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans
12.8
By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature
12.8.1
Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment
12.a
Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production
12.a.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)
12.b
Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products
12.b.1
Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability
12.c
Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities
12.c.1
Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP
Goal 17
Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
17.1
Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection
17.1.1
17.1.2
17.2
Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries
17.2.1
17.3
Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.1
Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources
17.3.2
17.4
Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress
17.4.1
17.5
Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries
17.5.1
Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries
17.6
Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism
17.6.1
Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed
17.7
Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed
17.7.1
Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies
17.8
Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology
17.8.1
17.9
Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation
17.9.1
Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries
17.10
Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda
17.10.1
17.11
Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020
17.11.1
Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports
17.12
Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access
17.12.1
Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States
17.13
Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence
17.13.1
17.14
Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development
17.14.1
17.15
Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development
17.15.1
17.16
Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries
17.16.1
Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
17.17
Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
17.17.1
Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure
17.18
By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
17.18.1
Statistical capacity indicators
17.18.2
17.18.3
Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding
17.19
By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries
17.19.1
17.19.2
Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration
SDG 14 targets covered
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Geographical coverage
Other beneficiaries
UAE government, educational institutions, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), individual consumers, IT industry professionals, environmental organizations, global sustainability initiatives, underprivileged communities receiving refurbished devices, local recycling partners, circular economy advocates, global technology companies, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) platforms, e-waste management organizations, research institutions.
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Contact Information
Mohammed Sherif , Chief Executive Officer