SUSTAINABILITY AT OPTORO

Supporting greener business practices—both inside Optoro, and out

Our commitment to keep items out of landfills and in the circular economy

Each year, 9.6 billion pounds of returns wind up in a landfill. On top of that, nearly 27 million tons of CO2 emissions are emitted through the inefficient processing and transportation that ultimately take them there.

Optoro is dedicated to eliminating waste from returns and supporting circular business models that put reusable product design, data-driven decision-making, resale, refurbishment and recycling at the forefront.

Learn how we are working to create a more sustainable future of retail.

 

Read Our 2023 Impact Report

Improving Circularity for Our Clients

To date, Optoro and our retail partners have achieved:

8.03 million lbs of waste diverted from landfills¹

In 2023, retailers using our solutions were able to send 95% of their returned and excess inventory to reuse channels.²

43.81 million lbs of carbon emissions avoided¹

By consolidating returns shipping, improving processing efficiencies, and diverting products from landfills, Optoro’s clients see an average 20% reduction in carbon emissions from their reverse value chain.³

4.6 million items donated to charity partners

Optoro’s data-driven technology strives to find the next best home for returned items, putting otherwise wasted products in the hands of those in need via a network of charity partners.

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Our Own Commitment to Sustainability

We hold our operations and employees to the highest standards in creating a positive environmental impact:
Our headquarters in Washington, D.C. is LEED Silver certified, the world’s most prominent green building rating and certification system.
We work with local recyclers to ensure cardboard and plastic, our main sources of operational waste, as well as any other materials are properly recycled.
We partner with local composters, such as Veteran Compost, to convert food scraps from our offices into enriched, organic soil components.
We regularly audit employee adherence to our in-office waste systems to ensure adequate training, signage, and programs are in place.

Contributing to Our Communities

Our volunteer time-off policy encourages employees to support the environmental improvement efforts of local community organizations, including City Blossoms, Anacostia Watershed Society, and the National Parks Conservation Association.

Community Partners

[Endnotes]

  1. Optoro environmental impact models of downstream value chains, developed in collaboration with Environmental Capital Group. Aggregate results across client programs, 2015-2023.
  2. Direct calculations of disposal rate in full year 2023; does not include downstream value chain.
  3. Optoro environmental impact models of downstream value chains, developed in collaboration with Environmental Capital Group. Weighted average results from client programs, full year 2023.