Partner Stories: Autotrader
How Autotrader is Powering Digital Inclusion and Sustainability
Autotrader is the UK’s largest automotive marketplace and has been fully digital since 2013, continually innovating to create better online buying and selling experiences. As a Manchester-based tech company, Autotrader is committed to supporting local businesses and families in need. This aligns strongly with their core value of making a difference for their people and communities, working towards a more accessible, equitable, and sustainable future.
Putting the Brakes on Carbon
From internal operations to their supply chain, Autotrader’s environmental strategy focuses on putting the brakes on carbon across their entire business. As a fully digital organisation, they take responsible management of IT equipment seriously and proactively. Their staff receive an IT kit refresh every three years to ensure efficient and reliable technology that supports productivity.
Autotrader invests in high-quality and reliable hardware, provides protective backpacks for new starters, and utilises device warranties to manage accidental damage or hardware faults with ease. At the end of each device’s internal lifecycle, they donate their used equipment for re-use, extending its lifespan and helping to advance digital inclusion in local communities.
Thanks to their responsible approach to IT asset management, over 80% of their donated laptops are reusable. This significantly increases our ability to provide more refurbished laptops to support local communities and low-income households.
Community Computers not only provides data destruction certificates for every donated device, ensuring full compliance with asset management obligations, but also reports on the environmental benefits of reuse. Giving their devices a second life through our digital inclusion initiatives directly supports Autotrader’s environmental strategy. With their headquarters in Greater Manchester and their commitment to placing community at the heart of what they do, our partnership is a natural fit. They proudly support local communities by redirecting these devices, helping to bridge digital divide and foster the next generation of talent in our region.
From just over 80 donated laptops, 240 kg of equipment have been saved from landfill, 28,696 kg carbon footprint reduced.
Partner with Forever Manchester
Through their long-term charity partner ‘Forever Manchester’, Autotrader supports local community groups on their journey to improving digital inclusion, offering not only funds but through donated IT equipment, too. They recognise the importance of empowering both grassroots as well as well-established charities, valuing the unique impact each brings to local people and neighbourhoods.
Collective Effort in Tackling Digital Inclusion
Since transitioning to a fully digital business in 2013 and with many health, education and public services now primarily accessed through apps, Autotrader has been deeply aware of the growing digital divide. They are committed to helping families navigate this landscape with affordable technology and to playing an active role in supporting local communities.
Autotrader is passionate about social mobility and levelling the playing field when it comes to digital skills knowledge. They recognise that technology can be a big investment for families, not only the cost of devices but also internet access and the need for online safety knowledge.
In response, they are increasingly investing in digital inclusion initiatives. This includes empowering their employees to deliver cyber security training to older-age groups, providing community funding for IT skills courses and internet access, and supporting access to affordable refurbished devices.
Through this collective effort, Autotrader is helping ensure that no one is left behind in an increasingly digital world.
We are so grateful we can partner with Community Computers to create opportunities for those less fortunate at a time when technology skills have never been more important. Providing technology to those digitally excluded is something close to our hearts and we hope our donations will help our local communities.
The partnership works well for us too, helping us reduce technical waste and so put our environmental strategy of putting the brakes on carbon in action whilst saving staff time, as data destruction and auditing is all taken care of.
~ Autotrader
