Can a laptop refurbisher claim avoided emissions for each device it sells?

It can describe them, but separately from its own inventory. Compare a refurbished laptop with the manufacture of a new one, show the method and assumptions, and never subtract the result from Scope 1, 2 or 3. Buyers will ask whether the device really replaced a new purchase.

A defensible claim

• Your own emissions reported in full first.
• A clear baseline: a new laptop that would otherwise be bought.
• Testing, parts and transport counted on the refurbished side.

What to avoid

Calling the business carbon negative, or adding avoided emissions to a net figure.

What Senseible does here

Senseible keeps each figure tied to its invoice, factor and method version, so a verifier can trace any number back to the document it came from.

• Recycler avoided emissions claim
• Laptops in Category 2

Sources: GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, WBCSD, Guidance on Avoided Emissions (wbcsd.org)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.