MEMPHIS, Tenn., December 4, 2025 – The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) recently named FedEx a distinguished recipient of its 2025 Leadership Award in the Circular Economy category for an electronic waste (e-waste) collection pilot. The pilot took place in 2024 at a FedEx Supply Chain facility outside Nashville, Tenn., helping lay the foundation for ongoing e-waste collection in middle Tennessee and throughout the southeast U.S.
Supported with funding from FedEx Cares, the e-waste pilot executed by FedEx Supply Chain and Pyxera Global sought to understand the role logistics companies can play to “close the loop” on electronic materials usually destined for landfill. According to the latest edition of the Global E-Waste Monitor, in 2022, 63.4 million tons (62 billion kg) of electronic waste were generated worldwide—yet only 22.3% of that material was recycled. Laptops, cellphones, tablets, and servers often contain critical minerals that are in high demand for producing new goods and must be mined if not sourced through recycling.
The project case study highlighted by the SPLC showed how FedEx, Pyxera Global, and other collaborators piloted a circular logistics approach to reuse, repair, and responsibly recycle e-waste, resulting in concrete recommendations to guide future efforts. Building on these results, Pyxera Global launched the Circular Supply Chain Coalition to recover and reuse the critical minerals found in e-waste in key regions in the U.S. FedEx Cares also provided additional funding to unlock place-based demonstration hubs in the Southeast and Rocky Mountains while building a global network aligned to the mission of reducing electronic waste and accelerating re-manufacturing.
“I’m proud of the FedEx Supply Chain team’s work every day to support our customers and communities in keeping valuable resources, like e-waste, out of landfills,” said Scott Temple, president, FedEx Supply Chain. “This recognition by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council demonstrates how circular logistics is more than just a business strategy – it’s an innovative way supply chains can help conserve valuable resources, strengthen local enterprises, and build a more sustainable future.”
FedEx Supply Chain offers warehousing, fulfillment, and reverse logistics for customers in retail, healthcare, automotive, and more, processing over 475 million returns annually. The recycling program serves roughly 300 facilities with a 98.62% landfill diversion rate, helping to improve waste diversion for many customers while lowering their carbon footprint.
“SPLC is delighted to acknowledge FedEx and its continued leadership in the field of sustainable procurement,” commented Marc Heisterkamp, SPLC CEO. “Reverse logistics is an increasingly important part of the procurement life cycle. This successful demonstration by FedEx and its collaborators creates a clear playbook for the scaling of similar e-waste collection and recycling projects beyond middle Tennessee.”
“We could not be more thrilled that FedEx has received the recognition they deserve for supporting such and impactful and meaningful project,” stated John Holm, SVP, partnerships for Pyxera Global and the lead convener of the CSCC. “The Circular Supply Chain Coalition’s mission is to support and scale local critical mineral procurement and remanufacturing across North America and beyond, and SPLC’s validation of our work provides us the necessary momentum to be the go-to resource for local critical mineral procurement.”
For more information on the pilot and FedEx support of the Circular Supply Chain Coalition, visit
https://fedexcares.com/stories/advancing-climate-solutions/leveraging-logistics-reduce-electronic-waste