09 Dec Launching our geko® device take-back pilot—and a landmark partnership with the Royal Mint
There are moments in our sustainability journey that feel genuinely pivotal, and this is one of them. As part of our WeCare strategy – and in alignment with the NHS’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2045 – we have launched our first geko® device take-back pilot. In parallel, I’m proud to share that we have also entered into a landmark recycling partnership with The Royal Mint in the UK.
Together, these initiatives represent a significant step forward in responsible end-of-life product management and our wider commitment to a circular economy.
A meaningful take-back pilot to reduce waste
Our pilot, currently underway in a single community wound care setting on the Isle of Wight, offers patients with chronic wounds – such as leg or foot ulcers – a simple and convenient way to return their used geko devices for recycling.
A patient-led, easy-to-use process
Participating patients complete a short online request form, after which Royal Mail provides a free home collection. Devices are placed in the original geko box, sealed in a durable polybag, and handed directly to the postman, who brings the prepaid label to the doorstep. It’s seamless, accessible, and designed to place zero burden on healthcare professionals.
Returned devices are then sent to Gwalia, our assembly unit in South Wales, where they are processed and assessed according to defined criteria.
What we are aiming to understand
Because this is an evidence-gathering pilot, our objectives are deliberately clear:
- Preventing used devices from entering household waste and ultimately landfill.
- Understanding patient motivation to engage—independently and repeatedly.
- Ensuring healthcare professionals do not influence participation, avoiding any bias.
- Gathering insights that can guide a potential national rollout.
- Providing a structured blueprint that can be shared with other NHS trusts.
The pilot will run for 18 months from Q3 2025, and we fully expect it to generate learnings that shape the future of sustainable device stewardship across the UK.
Our collaboration with The Royal Mint: Innovation at Work
Alongside the pilot, I am especially pleased to announce our new collaboration with The Royal Mint, through which we are supplying redundant printed circuit boards (PCBs) recovered from returned devices.
PCBs contain trace amounts of valuable metals such as gold, silver, and copper. Using a patented, world-first ambient-temperature chemistry, developed with Excir, The Royal Mint is able to safely extract these metals for recycling—without the high environmental impact of traditional smelting.
This is innovation meeting responsibility in a very practical way.
Why this matters
For our organisation, these initiatives mark a significant milestone in our end-of-life product management strategy. For the NHS, they contribute to the collective effort to reach net zero by 2045. And for the UK, they highlight how thoughtful, collaborative innovation can accelerate our transition to a circular economy.
On a personal level, I’m proud of the progress we’re making—practical, measurable, and rooted in real-world action. This is sustainability in motion, and it reflects exactly the kind of future we are committed to building.
Bernard Ross – Sky CEO and Founder
Link to flyer: https://www.gekodevices.com/geko-products/environmental/device-return-flyer/
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