Start with design, not disposal. We need standardised, transparent data. And culture matters more than tech. These were some of the key themes at our inaugural summit.
AV Magazine held its first AV Sustainability Summit yesterday, ending the event with a presentation of five key takeaways from the summit.
The takeaways were based on instant summaries of each of the day’s sessions, produced by the magazine’s events team.
Here, to give you a flavour of the day’s discussion, we present the takeaways.
1. Circularity is becoming the core framework — and it starts with design, not disposal
Across panels, roundtables and policy updates, the message was consistent: most environmental impact is locked in at the design stage. Durability, repairability, modularity, low-power operation, and clear end-of-life pathways determine whether products can be reused, refurbished, upgraded or responsibly recycled. Recycling is no longer viewed as a solution — it is the last resort.
2. The industry urgently needs standardised, transparent data to drive credible decisions
Whether discussing Digital Product Passports, LCAs, PCFs, tender requirements, or future regulation, every group highlighted the same obstacle: inconsistent or missing data. Buyers, integrators, manufacturers and policymakers cannot make comparable decisions without reliable product-level information on materials, carbon, repairability and lifespan. Standardised data sharing is emerging as the single biggest enabler of circularity.
3. Culture and leadership matter more than tech — behaviour change is the real unlock
Repeatedly, speakers stressed that the barriers to sustainability are mindset, incentives, procurement habits, and refresh-cycle culture, not a lack of available technology. Successful examples came from organisations where sustainability was non-negotiable, leadership was visible, and teams collaborated early. Embedding sustainability into KPIs, budgets and decision-making norms is essential to make circularity “the way we work”.
4. Policy, procurement and buyer expectations are tightening — fast
UK government plans (Defra’s upcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan, eco-design rules, WEEE reform), education-sector procurement changes, and the EU’s expanding regulatory framework signal a step-change in expectations. Buyers are already demanding Scope 1–3 data, energy performance, circularity options, and proof over claims. Sustainability weighting in tenders is rising. Those who don’t provide transparent, verifiable evidence will lose competitiveness.
5. Collaboration across the whole value chain is now mandatory — and beneficial
The Summit made clear that no single actor can deliver circularity alone. Manufacturers, distributors, integrators, recyclers, end users, government and civil society must align on data, design, take-back systems, honest claims, second-life markets, and audited recycling routes. Importantly, the most successful initiatives demonstrated that circularity creates value — through lower TCO, reduced waste, new service models, extended product life, and stronger tender performance.
Source: https://www.avinteractive.com/
