How refurbishment, inspired by Philips’ Circular Edition, promotes sustainability and creates a strong business case
In today’s world, consumption and production often still follow the linear “take–make–waste” model. Yet, industries are increasingly shifting towards circular business models. One of the most powerful strategies is refurbishment, the process of restoring used products to their original quality. Philips’ “Circular Edition” shows how refurbishment can be both good for business and good for the planet.
1. Extended lifespan: revaluation instead of replacement
Philips Circular Edition systems undergo a rigorous, OEM-certified, seven-step refurbishment process. Defective or outdated parts are replaced with original Philips components. Cosmetic renewal and extensive testing follow to guarantee performance equal to new.
The outcome is not simply a second hand product but a device that is technically equivalent to a new one, sometimes even enhanced with customisations. This significantly extends the lifespan of complex equipment such as medical imaging and therapy systems, turning potential waste into renewed value.
2. Circularity made visible
Circular refurbishment has demonstrable environmental benefits. Philips reports that Circular Edition devices are on average 25% cheaper than new systems, with 80% of the material weight is reused.
A detailed example: the refurbished Azurion 7 C20 system has a 28% lower life-cycle carbon footprint compared to a new model. This results in a saving of 25.76 tonnes of CO2 equivalent and a 60% reduction in emissions in the supply chain (Scope 3). This demonstrates that refurbishment not only reduces material consumption and costs, but also significantly reduces CO2 emissions.
If renewable energy is used during operation, the savings increase to as much as 55%.
3. Circular economy in practice
Refurbishment goes further than recycling. It preserves the original quality, knowledge and technical investment of products. It does not stop at recycling materials; it utilises the full operational value. At Philips, this means sustainable transition without loss of functionality, perfectly aligned with the principles of a circular economy.
Unlike recycling, where material quality is often downgraded, refurbishment retains engineering integrity. A refurbished medical imaging system continues to deliver precision, reliability, and design excellence.
4. Comprehensive social added value
The impact of refurbishment is not limited to environmental and financial benefits. It also delivers organisational and social value. For example, Philips offers the same warranty, service, and training on refurbished systems as on new ones. This strengthens confidence in refurbished technologies and makes them an attractive and reliable option for clinical institutions.
5. Challenges and the way forward
Despite the benefits, refurbishment still faces obstacles. Customers and organisations sometimes have doubts about the quality of refurbished products; regulations can slow down acceptance and, based on a traditional linear business case, it does not initially look financially attractive.
Manufacturing for Good with Philips as an inspiring example
Philips’ Circular Edition demonstrates that refurbishment is more than just reuse. It is a driver of sustainability, circular economy adoption, and long term value retention. Through rigorous refurbishment processes, proven CO2 and material savings, and inspiring communication, Philips shows what manufacturing for good looks like: not just technological innovation, but also ecological, economic, and social responsibility.
Refurbishment highlights that business and the environment are not opposites, but partners. It is a compelling call to action: produce with the future in mind, with products that circulate rather than disappear.
Patrick Lerou, Global lead Reclaim & Trade-In Management at Circular Lifetime Solutions summarises it well: “Despite the challenges, the only way forward is to become more circular.”
He also points out that transforming a traditional linear business into a circular one is often more complex than starting from scratch. It demands a fundamental shift in mindset, in day-to-day operations, and in how value is created.
This raises an important question:
Do we really need a separate sustainability department? Shouldn’t circular thinking be integrated across the entire organisation rather than placed in one team?
At Innoboost, we believe that the challenge is not only to make circularity possible, but to make it valuable for companies, their partners, and society. That is what we stand for: we make going circular work and worthwhile.
