Good Things Foundation partners with Cellnex, Freestyle-TS and Reconome to tackle digital exclusion and e-waste

Cellnex UK, together with their IT provider Freestyle-TS, have joined forces with Good Things Foundation and Reconome to give a second life to over 300 IT devices through the National Device Bank.

The partnership will help to bridge the UK’s digital divide whilst preventing valuable equipment from ending up in landfill. 

Reconome was responsible for refurbishing and preparing the devices for reuse, ensuring they will soon support people across the UK through Good Things Foundation’s National Device Bank.

Through the National Device Bank, individuals, like Irene and Linda, facing digital exclusion can access the technology they need to get online, connect to essential services, and improve their opportunities in education, work, and daily life.

Collective impact so far*

• 325 devices refurbished and repurposed for reuse
• 737kg of e-waste diverted from landfill
• 75 tonnes of carbon emissions avoided, equivalent to the amount captured by over 3,400 trees each year.

Helen Milner OBE, Group CEO of Good Things Foundation, said:

“We’re thrilled to welcome Cellnex as a partner in our mission to fix the digital divide. By contributing 325 devices to the National Device Bank, they are directly enabling people to get online and improve their lives. It’s fantastic to see businesses embracing sustainable IT asset disposal while making a meaningful social impact.”

By extending the life of IT equipment, Cellnex, Reconome and Good Things Foundation are not only preventing e-waste but also creating pathways for people to participate fully in a digital society.

Gianluca Landolina, Cellnex UK CEO said:

“At Cellnex UK, we believe that access to technology is a fundamental right, not a privilege. Yet, 1.5 million people in the UK currently lack access to a basic laptop, tablet, or smartphone. That’s why we are committed to giving our used tech a second life – reducing e-waste and helping to bridge the digital divide. We are honoured to play our part in making a tangible difference to communities along with our IT partner, Freestyle-TS. By contributing our used devices to Reconome and Good Things Foundation’s National Device Bank, we’re ensuring that technology is not wasted but instead is supporting those who need it most.”

Nick Rawkins, CEO of Reconome, added:

“Our partnership with Cellnex and Good Things Foundation exemplifies successful outcomes: supporting folks in our community and keeping our planet clean. We welcome valuable partnerships like this to unlock new opportunities for those who need them most, while cutting carbon and alleviating the footprint we have as organisations.”

Commitment to sustainability and ESG

This initiative is part of Cellnex’s broader commitment to sustainability and responsible IT asset management and aligns with Cellnex's sustainability goals, ensuring that technology contributes to both environmental responsibility and social good.

Cellnex is also an official signatory of the IT Reuse for Good Charter, becoming one of the first 100 companies in the UK to make this commitment.

Recently launched by the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), along with Good Things Foundation, VodafoneThree and Deloitte, the charter encourages organisations to donate their used technology to digitally excluded people.

Together, Cellnex, Reconome and Good Things Foundation are turning sustainable IT reuse into real, life-changing social impact — helping more people get online, access essential services and unlock new opportunities.

*The e-waste is the actual weight of the 325 devices (repurposed instead of being sent to landfill). The carbon emissions is the emissions it would take to manufacture the 325 new devices if this batch was taken out of circularity instead of reused. The average understood emissions per newly manufactured device: https://circularcomputing.com/news/carbon-footprint-laptop/. Figures for landfill averted are based on the total weight of devices repurposed through this partnership.