Connecting Cambridgeshire and Sustainable Tech 4 Good have joined forces in a partnership ‘4 Good’ that will bring greater digital inclusion to Cambridgeshire.
Connecting Cambridgeshire (hosted by Cambridgeshire County Council, led by Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority, with additional funding from the Greater Cambridge Partnership) is improving Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s digital infrastructure – including broadband, mobile and public access Wifi coverage – to drive economic growth, help businesses and communities to thrive and make it easier to access public services.
In order to address some of the most important issues of our time, such as climate change mitigation, sustainable growth, managing finite resources like energy and water, and enhancing people’s opportunities in life by giving them access to retail, leisure, educational, and medical facilities, digital connectivity is essential.
The Combined Authority’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP) reflects this crucial role, and its Digital Connectivity Strategy 2025–2029 will assist the Combined Authority to fulfil its ambitions of providing urgently needed digital connectivity, and that our region continues to address the challenging goals set by central government regarding the availability and accessibility of digital connectivity throughout the UK. Wider goals for the area, such as increasing the use of sustainable transportation,
lowering health disparities, moving closer to net zero, and combating climate change, are supported by the Connecting Cambridgeshire program’s cooperative efforts with
numerous partners.
The partnership with Sustainable Tech 4 Good forms part of Connecting Cambridgeshire’s wider strategy to increase digital inclusion and reduce its environmental impact.
“Digital inclusion underpins everything we do as a local authority programme. That’s why it’s vital our work also supports wider council objectives – such as tackling climate change, promoting the circular economy, and moving towards net zero. This device repurposing pathway is a brilliant example: it enables organisations and businesses to reduce their environmental impact when upgrading tech, while also making good quality, affordable devices available to those who need them to get online. It’s a practical, sustainable solution that benefits everyone. ST4G have already supported charities and local authorities in our area with access to 1,409 devices to date, so this partnership is a logical next step in expanding that impact across our region.”
Will Plant – Digital Inclusion Lead, Connecting Cambridgeshire
Sustainable Tech 4 Good (ST4G) works with businesses, taking All their excess tech post-upgrade, from devices to networking and server. After data-secure refurbishment, legacy devices are redeployed through charities and local authorities to help people in need, addressing digital inclusion. Tech collected still holding value, once through the ST4G solution, is purchased and made available for sale as an affordable, sustainable item through Tech 4 Change, ST4G’s online sales platform. Charities that partner with ST4G can receive further tech donations generated by Tech 4 Change sales.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Connecting Cambridgeshire to further the sustainable reuse of excess tech from businesses in Cambridgeshire, extending digital inclusion in our county. We hope that this partnership will encourage more businesses to engage with our sustainable solutions for their excess tech post upgrade, enabling more people escape the blight of digital exclusion, while also helping our environment. Join the Sustainable Digital Inclusion Revolution™!”
Sue Gowling – Founder, Sustainable Tech 4 Good
Sustainable Tech 4 Good have to-date donated 6,963 devices nationally (1,409 in Cambridgeshire and partnered with 127 charities and NFPs (48 in Cambridgeshire) to address digital inclusion. They’ve also saved 11,301kg of electronic waste from landfill and saved 1,490,082kg of CO2 emissions and counting.
If your business or charity wants to get onboard to increase digital inclusion and sustainable practices in Cambridgeshire, please get in touch with Sue Gowling on
01438 741718 or email sue@sustainabletech4good.co.uk or Will Plant on 01480 379094 or email Will.Plant@cambridgeshire.gov.uk quoting reference ST4GCC