Environmental Attribute Certificates for Circular IT and Scope 3 Reductions
Powering Circular IT Through Environmental Attribute Certificates
IT Asset Reuse Certificates (I-TECs) are Environmental Attribute Certificates (EACs) that represent the verified emissions benefits of refurbished IT hardware. Instead of allowing these benefits to sit only with the organisation performing the refurbishment, I-TECs make them traceable, transferable, and evidence-based within a defined activity pool — similar in concept to the way sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) certificates work.
I-TECs enable enterprises to support circular IT activities beyond their direct operations while receiving auditable emissions-performance data that can be used to demonstrate progress on Scope 3 Purchased Goods (Category 1) or Capital Goods (Category 2).
Aligned with the Emerging SBTi Framework
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is introducing a clear structure for energy and commodity EACs, emphasizing:
● Accurate, standardised quantification
● Exclusive issuance (one certificate per underlying activity)
● Verifiable baselines and calculations
● Transparent chain-of-custody
● Registry-based tracking, transfers, and retirement
● Claim integrity and clear attribution
I-TECs are designed around these same principles.
Each certificate is backed by:
● A defined refurbished IT asset batch
● ISO-aligned environmental benefit calculations
● Independent third-party verification
● A singular, exclusive claim right recorded in the Bloom Registry
● A clear retirement mechanism to ensure credible reporting
This creates a certificate system that mirrors what SBTi is establishing for other commodity EAC markets — but built specifically for the IT hardware ecosystem.
How I-TECs Work
Real Circular IT Activity
Refurbishers, ITAD providers, or certified partners complete refurbishment and reuse activities that extend product life, avoid new manufacturing, and prevent devices from becoming e-waste.
Verified Impact Calculation
Bloom applies an ISO-aligned methodology to quantify the emissions benefits associated with each batch of devices, using device-category baselines and international LCA datasets.
Certificate Issuance
Bloom issues a single I-TEC for the underlying refurbishment activity.
Each certificate includes:
- Unique identifier and registry record
- Device types and volumes
- Emissions benefit calculation
- Verification audit trail
Transfer & Retirement
I-TECs are recorded, transferred, and retired in the Bloom Registry, ensuring transparent accounting and eliminating double claims.
How I-TECs Contribute to Carbon Reduction on the Carbon Balance Sheet
Strengthening Scope 3 Performance
Most corporate IT emissions sit in Scope 3, specifically Purchased Goods (Category 1) or Capital Goods (Category 2).
I-TECs enable enterprises to:
- Support lower-emissions refurbished hardware within the broader activity pool
- Attribute the emissions benefit of verified refurbishment to their value chain
- Demonstrate year-over-year performance improvements in Scope 3 intensity
- Shift procurement influence toward circular IT models
This is not neutralisation or offsetting — it is a documented improvement in supply-chain performance achieved by directing demand and spend toward genuine circular IT activity. It is the same engine used behind Bloom’s verified certificates and reports, ensuring alignment and trust across all outputs.
Contributing to Reduction Pathways
While Scope 3 reductions often require changes far upstream, I-TECs give organisations a direct mechanism to:
- Channel capital toward real emissions-reducing activities
- Incorporate reduced-intensity refurbished assets into their procurement footprint
- Account for these improvements as verified reductions in on the carbon balance sheet, consistent with emerging SBTi market-based approaches for commodity EACs
Enabling Decarbonised Procurement Decisions
I-TECs make it possible for enterprises to incorporate lower-emissions refurbished IT inputs even when:
- They do not directly control refurbishment partners
- They operate globally and cannot reuse every asset internally
- They want to scale circular IT faster than their internal refresh cycle allows
By embedding circular IT impact into the procurement process, I-TECs help shift the carbon balance sheet toward lower-emissions hardware, year after year.
Why Enterprises Use I-TECs
Scoped, auditable evidence of emissions reductions
A standardised EAC framework consistent with SBTi’s emerging guidance
Support for circular, lower-emission IT hardware markets
Traceability and registry-based proof of claim
Alignment between IT, procurement, and sustainability teams
I-TECs turn what used to be “hard-to-reach” emissions into measurable progress, with the rigor to stand up in stakeholder reporting, assurance reviews, and SBTi-aligned disclosures.
Move Your IT Procurement Strategy Toward a Lower-Emissions Future
I-TECs make circular IT measurable, transferrable, and verifiable — helping your organisation demonstrate meaningful carbon performance improvements where it matters most: the value chain.