Case Study - Corporate Social Responsibility
Surplus Furniture Sent to El Salvador
Overview
A large technology corporation decided to reduce their inventory of surplus furniture stored in their Bay Area warehouse. Committed to Corporate Social Responsibility, the company desired a sustainable option for asset disposition. The furniture had no value in the current resale market. Recycling would be labor intensive with all of the disassembly and transportation needed. Landfill disposal would require bringing in at least three 30 yard roll-off containers. Rather than recycling or disposal, the company chose the least expensive alternative of donating the furniture to charity.
Solution
Furniture Reuse Solutions (FRS) matched the inventory with Salesian Missions, a charity in their network. Salesian Missions critically needed furnishings for their educational facilities in El Salvador. FRS determined that the entire inventory would fit on one 40’ ocean container. FRS arranged shipping logistics and expediently had the container loaded in two hours.
Results
175 Furniture Items Repurposed
One 40’ ocean container was filled with lounge seating, tables, stools, bookcases, file cabinets, and more.
3 Tons Diverted from the Landfill
Each ton of surplus furniture diverted from the landfill results in a greenhouse gas offset of two to three metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
Cost Savings
Reuse is less expensive than disposal and even recycling. By consolidating everything into a single container, labor costs and risks are minimized.
Social Responsibility
Hundreds of El Salvadorans will have improved learning and living experiences for years to come.
Inventory
Destination
Salesian Missions (SM) is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1946 to serve as the development arm for the Salesians of Don Bosco globally. It supplies financial and material resources for development and humanitarian projects to more than 130 countries. Don Bosco University in San Salvador offers degree programs in disciplines ranging from engineering to humanities.
The Salesians of Don Bosco in El Salvador also furnished a portion of Sacred Heart Retreat House in Ayagualo, which is used for meetings, gatherings, and retreats
Read more about how this donation was used on Mission Newswire.
In 2020, other shipments from this tech company went to domestic charities in support of relief efforts for the California wildfires.
FRS is committed to helping organizations realize the maximum value from their unneeded surplus assets in terms of cost savings, environmental advantages, and community benefits. Likewise, we are dedicated to providing our network of charities and nonprofits with opportunities for gifts-in-kind donations that aid them in their humanitarian missions.