SUSTAINABILITY WATCH NOW
Microsoft Circular Centers: The path to zero waste at scale
Melanie Nakagawa, Chief Sustainability Officer, Microsoft
Rani Borkar, Corporate VP of Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure, Microsoft
Technology-driven innovation Underpinning these efforts is the Intelligent Disposition and Routing System( IDARS), an end-to-end planning system that establishes and executes a zero-waste plan for every piece of hardware.
Paired with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management and Microsoft Power Platform, IDARS uses AI and machine learning to process and sort endof-life assets, optimise routes and provide Circular Center operators with precise disposal instructions whilst ensuring compliance and data security.
Rani Borkar, Corporate Vice President of Azure Hardware Systems and Infrastructure at Microsoft, explains the broader impact.“ By redesigning systems to reduce waste, then reusing and recovering materials wherever possible, we’ re saving costs, gaining efficiency and discovering new opportunities for hardware and infrastructure components,” she says.
Community and industry impact The Circular Centers deliver benefits beyond Microsoft’ s operations. The Cardiff facility, for example, is set to boost the UK’ s green economy by partnering with local recyclers, logistics providers and training organisations, creating jobs and advancing regional skills development.