Our updated impact investments – what’s changing, and what’s next for 2026

In early 2024, we published “Rethink Impact” to share why refurbed moved from a “one tree per purchase” approach to a more diversified impact portfolio.

Now we’re updating that story – because our strategy has evolved again. We’re keeping what works, improving what didn’t, and focusing our support where we can create clearer, more verifiable, long-term impact.

While we truly believe our biggest contribution is changing the way we consume by offering our customers the best refurbished products. This – as our ISO 14040/44 verified calculation model proves – avoids significant amounts of CO₂ emissions, e-waste, water consumption and materials (see here).

But we also know the world is dealing with environmental and social challenges that go beyond what any single company can solve through its own value chain. That’s why we invest in a small set of projects we believe can create measurable benefits – across ecosystems, carbon, and the global e-waste crisis.

Photo by Anna Ryzhkova

myclimate: restoring forests with farming families in Nicaragua (CommuniTree)

While we still partner with myclimate to deliver on landscape restoration impact, we are now investing into a new project: CommuniTree in Nicaragua (previously EthioTree in Ethiopia). The new project is based in San Juan de Limay and Somoto and is a community-led reforestation programme working with 4,000+ smallholder families and restoring 17,000+ hectares. It has been Plan Vivo certified since 2010, and credits are monitored and verified through a system that combines field visits with digital reporting and independent verification.

CommuniTree is designed to make reforestation work for people: families integrate trees into their existing farming systems (including mixed plantations, coffee agroforestry, and silvopastoral systems), receive support over a long period, and earn payments for ecosystem services – with longer-term income potential (for example, from sustainably managed timber).

After contributing to 9,500 tonnes CO₂ captured in the future through the reforestation initiative in Ethiopia, 2026 will add another 1,000 tonnes CO₂ to our track record.

Find out more on our blog: A new chapter for landscape restoration: community-based reforestation in Nicaragua

Carbony: scaling durable carbon removal through Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW)

The second part of our portfolio focuses on carbon removal – which is different from “avoided emissions” or traditional nature-based projects. The IPCC is clear that reaching net zero globally requires not only deep emissions cuts, but also active removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere to balance residual emissions.

That’s why we keep supporting Carbony, our partner for Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW). ERW accelerates a natural process: finely ground silicate rock reacts with CO₂, water and air, turning it into stable carbonates over time. Carbony’s focus is to develop and certify ERW projects with robust measurement and verification – so companies support real removals, not vague claims.

For carbon removals, we have updated our strategy and now only focus on ERW with Carbony as our project partner. The reason is focus: we want to support one removal approach we believe has real long-term potential – while keeping our portfolio simpler and easier to understand. With Carbony’s ERW technology refurbed has already committed to removing more than 160 tonnes of CO₂ in the future. In 2026, we plan to add another 60 tonnes of CO₂e.

Find out more on our blog: Unlocking nature’s secret: Enhanced Rock Weathering with Carbony

minimise: tackling the world’s growing e-waste through formal documented recycling

E-waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams – and it’s a global problem with huge blind spots. The Global E-waste Monitor 2024 reports that the world generated 62 million tonnes of e-waste in 2022, but only 22.3% was documented as formally collected and recycled in an environmentally sound way. Often, the remaining e-waste is illegally shipped to the Global South where e-waste is not broken down in an environmentally sound and safe manner.

This is where minimise comes in – a start-up we have been backing since 2024. They’re building a system that helps move e-waste from informal, harmful pathways into documented, professional recycling – working with local collectors and recycling partners, tracking the journey from collection to processing to recirculation, and providing proof of recycling via their platform.

For refurbed, this work is directly connected to the products we sell: electronics should last longer through reuse and repair – but eventually, every device reaches end of life, and safe recycling becomes necessary further down the waste hierarchy.

Together with minimise, we can build on great achievement from 2024–2025 where we collected and formally recycled more than 17,000 tonnes of e-waste in Ghana, Zambia and Mexico. In 2026, we will revisit Ghana and plan to top our past impact with 20,000 tonnes.

Find out more on our blog: Doubling down on e-waste: what’s new in our minimise partnership

You make it possible

Looking ahead, our direction is simple: we’ll keep investing where we can create clear, verifiable impact – and where our support helps projects grow beyond a single season or campaign. That means staying flexible enough to explore new ideas and partners as the impact space evolves, while also making sure our current project partners can count on us and plan long-term.

We’re always keen to learn about new approaches and technologies, because we know it takes courage to break the norm and start something new. Just like refurbishment once was, some solutions may still be small today – but with the right support, they can become the next big lever for change.

And finally: thank you. Every purchase on refurbed helps make this work possible. Our customers don’t just enable our mission – they create the impact. By choosing refurbished, you’re helping reduce waste and emissions every day, and you’re making it possible for us to expand that impact through our partnerships around the world.