Hundreds Of School Students Receive Laptops Through Spark Partnership With Quadrent’s Green Lease

Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 9:20 am
Press Release: Spark

A partnership between Quadrent and Spark has already resulted in hundreds of high school students in South Auckland and Wellington receiving laptops to use at school – with more laptops to be donated over the next four years.

Through the arrangement with Quadrent’s Green Lease, Spark leases the laptops its employees use. Once the lease has ended, the laptops are then donated to schools, helping to bridge the digital divide for students without access to essential learning tools.

Immediate Digital Inclusion Impact

To accelerate Spark’s donations, Quadrent has bought more than 3,000 laptops from Spark. The proceeds from their resale in the secondary market will fund the purchase more than 800 brand new laptops for donation over the next six months. Four hundred of these have already been delivered to schools.

This will provide vital digital resources to up to 30 classrooms, with the first beneficiaries being Papakura High School, Papatoetoe High School, and Māngere College, Mana College, Titahi Bay North School, Porirua College, Manawatu College, and Whare Kura Morehu ō Ratana.

Expanding Sustainable Technology Access

Long term, Spark is using Quadrent’s Green Lease initiative to fund the rollout of new laptops to its employees across New Zealand. By the end of March 2029, Spark will have donated 20% of these high-quality laptops to digital inclusion programmes through the Quadrent Green Lease.

Spark's purpose is to help all New Zealanders win big in a digital world

"Our tamariki will live in, create, and lead a world far more digital than it is today, yet for some students, attaining laptop devices required for learning is a barrier," says Leela Ashford, Corporate Relations and Sustainability Director at Spark. "That is why we are pleased to partner with Quadrent and participate in their Green Lease initiative to provide the necessary hardware, helping to close the digital access divide."

Ashford adds, "It also complements Skinny Jump, our subsidised internet access programme, which currently supports over 33,000 homes. More broadly, Spark’s charitable

trust, the Spark Foundation, continues to support organisations working to close the digital divide through initiatives focusing on digital access, wellbeing, and skills."

Beyond digital inclusion, environmental sustainability and reducing its impact on the natural environment is a key focus of Toitū Sustainability at Spark. "Our partnership with Quadrent's Green Lease also supports our long-standing programme to reduce e-waste. By recycling our used laptops, we can ensure that technology stays within the system for as long as possible, contributing to a more circular economy," says Ashford.

Quadrent – for a better tomorrow for all

Quadrent CEO Martyn Masterson welcomed the partnership, "The Spark Green Lease rollout is a significant step towards a more sustainable and inclusive digital future in New Zealand. This partnership not only extends the life cycle of technology and reduces e-waste, but it also provides tangible benefits to students who would otherwise go without.

“By shifting from ownership to leasing, Spark is demonstrating true leadership by showcasing how businesses can align financial efficiency with social and environmental impact.

“We’re already seeing great results from the Green Lease programme. Last year we donated laptops to Tangaroa College. Its Year 13 PE and Health class saw a lift in attendance from 65% to 85%. Students achieving Merit or higher increased from 17% to 65% and the rate of students receiving a ‘Not Achieved’ result went from 24% to 0.

“We were thrilled by these results, and we can’t wait to see the impact of the latest donations.”

Expanding the project

Quadrent and Spark are now encouraging other businesses to join the Green Lease programme.

Customers who lease laptops from Spark can sign up to the initiative as part of their contract.

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