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

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/laptop-refurbishment-avoided-emissions-claim

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](https://senseible.earth/answers/plastic-recycler-avoided-emissions-claim)
- [Laptops in Category 2](https://senseible.earth/answers/it-hardware-laptops-category-2-emissions)

Sources: [GHG Protocol Corporate Standard](https://ghgprotocol.org/corporate-standard), [WBCSD, Guidance on Avoided Emissions (wbcsd.org)](https://www.wbcsd.org)

Last reviewed 2026-10-22.