In a market where large e-waste processors are dropping their certifications and yet other certified processors are going bankrupt, you may be wondering if spending the time and money on ISO and e-Stewards is worth it. The short answer is, yes, it is for now.
At URT, we continue to evaluate the effectiveness and cost/benefit of our certifications. There are a couple of significant down sides to being certified. The first is the amount of time we spend managing the process. The second is the amount of money it takes to maintain approval. After all, we pay certification fees, audit fees, and employ staff to help us meet these strict standards.
So what is the upside? We still believe that there is significant upside to owning ISO and e-Stewards certification. As competitors collapse around us, our certification help us grow our position in the marketplace. Let’s be honest, fewer e-Stewards processors equals less competition for customers that require certification. Some customers do require certification. Without it, we simply cannot participate in many opportunities.
Part of our strategy is ensuring our colleagues have the tools to be successful. Certifications are one of the tools that we use to compare and differentiate ourselves from our competitors. They are a talking point that opens doors and even a reason we sell our services at a higher price. We provide a higher value. We continue to evaluate the effectiveness of our certifications and will remain diligent in using them as a positive sales tool to profitably grow our business.