Our circular commitment highlighted on ‘Challenges’

Pierre-Emmanuel Saint-Esprit, Manutan Group Circular Economy Director, was a guest on Talk Entreprise. This programme, presented by journalist Marie Solis and aired on Challenges, is the business event that puts the spotlight on corporate success stories. It was an opportunity to look back at our vision and development prospects in terms of the circular economy, in response to today’s environmental challenges.

With the acquisition of Zack, a French start-up specialising in the recycling of used electronic products, Manutan’s aim has been to put the circular economy at the heart of its business model. This has enabled the Group to launch its own collection and recycling service for IT equipment for both its French business and local authority clients. 

It’s a turnkey service, from collecting products on site to submitting a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, including deleting data. Our teams and partners are committed to giving the best possible second life to electronic products that are no longer in use. A full inventory and diagnosis will determine whether they can be reused (resold or donated) or recycled in the country in an environmentally friendly way.

In two years, we have supported dozens of organisations, including CAC 40 companies, and recycled more than 2,800 tonnes of used equipment. We intend to continue incorporating the circular economy into our product and service offering, echoing our CSR strategy.

Pierre-Emmanuel Saint-Esprit adds, “Our ambition is to extend this service to other product categories, such as furniture and warehouse equipment through Kruizinga, one of our subsidiaries based in the Netherlands specialising in storage and handling equipment, which also offers a second-hand service.” 

As a distributor, we have a responsibility to be an agent of change. That’s why we want to provide practical solutions while promoting a more sustainable economic model.