Interview: Paul Crossman, CEO of Relove, on accessories, circular thinking, and the future of recovery

SecondaryMarket.news: You have been providing the recovery services for two decades, successfully recovering over 90 million accessories and devices. This has prevented a staggering 9,000 tonnes of e-waste from ending up in landfills. What would you say are the key factors behind your continued success?

Relove/Paul Crossman: At our core, we are a purpose-driven business. Our mission has always been to reduce the impact that redundant mobile technology—both accessories and devices—has on the planet. That means pioneering ethical and sustainable solutions that maximize reuse and minimize e-waste.

Over the years, our approach has been shaped by partnerships, not just transactions. We work closely with our clients to build meaningful, long-term solutions that align with their broader ESG goals. This is more than value recovery, it’s about building a circular ecosystem that reduces the digital divide and promotes environmental responsibility.

Our success comes down to several key factors. First, we offer expert recovery services that ensure maximum value for our clients while protecting their brands and contributing to sustainability targets. We’re also committed to maintaining high compliance standards, across quality, environmental practices, and data security, with full traceability through a proven chain of custody. Every product is tested, graded, and backed with the necessary documentation.

Importantly, we don’t shy away from complexity. We’ll take on stock that others won’t touch—whether it’s customer returns, mixed-condition goods, or difficult-to-process items. This gives us a unique position in the market and allows us to feed value back into the system through a variety of channels, including charitable donations and resale.

SecondaryMarket.news: A major factor in your success appears to be how seamlessly Relove integrates into your customers’ supply chains. Could you elaborate on how you achieve this level of compatibility?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Absolutely. One of our defining strengths is that we don’t force clients to overhaul their operations to work with us. We’ve spent years developing "plug-and-play" recovery solutions that slot directly into our clients' existing supply chains. There’s no need for heavy integration or costly infrastructure changes, which means we can return value to them quickly and efficiently.

We’re not just a recycler, we’re a value-add partner. We solve complex problems by creating pathways to reuse for problematic stock. Whether it’s unused, returned, or slightly damaged, we have the expertise to unlock value from it. That might mean placing it back into the secondary market with a verified chain of custody or repurposing it for digital inclusion programs. Either way, we’re removing duplication, cutting costs, and extending product lifecycles.

SecondaryMarket.news: With the recent acquisition of Relove by Genuine Solutions, what opportunities do you see for expanding your business further, and how will this partnership contribute to your growth strategy?

Relove/Paul Crossman: The acquisition was a strategic move for both companies. Relove Technology had already carved out a strong identity in the ecommerce space, but our broader ambition was always to unify our recovery, reuse, and recycling capabilities under the Relove brand. This enables us to stay focused on our mission: eliminating e-waste and recirculating mobile technology through innovation.

For Genuine Solutions, the acquisition creates clarity and focus. They now continue as a best-in-class distributor, while Relove becomes the hub for circular technology. It’s a complementary relationship: one focused on operational excellence and compliance, the other on pioneering sustainability.

Together, we’re able to offer clients a more complete, streamlined service whether they’re looking for recovery, redistribution, or sustainable procurement.

SecondaryMarket.news: Many of the products you recover are accessories, which is quite a distinctive focus within the secondary market. What proportion of your overall business does accessories recovery represent?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Accessories represent a significant portion of our recovery volume. Everything from audio and wearable tech to IoT devices, chargers, and cables. While we do process smartphones, tablets, and laptops, accessories have always been a central focus.

Our story with accessories began in 2005. We were at a client’s distribution center and saw pallets of tangled chargers, literally piles of what looked like electronic spaghetti. About to be destroyed. The assumption was that they were worthless. But we saw something different: an opportunity.

We started exploring ways to untangle, test, and grade these items, eventually creating a new category of high-quality, reused OEM accessories. That decision became the cornerstone of our business. Accessories continue to be popular, and it’s an area where we’ve built unique expertise over the years.

SecondaryMarket.news: What makes accessories such a central focus for Relove, and why have you prioritized this segment within the recovery industry? What was the motivation behind the initiative?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Accessories are everywhere. For every device sitting idle, there are often multiple accessories that go unused: chargers, cables, cases, earphones. Multiply that across households and businesses, and the numbers become staggering. In fact, we believe the volume of unused accessories could be up to five times higher than unused devices.

So, if we’re serious about tackling e-waste, we can’t just focus on handsets. We have to include accessories, and even packaging, within our scope.

Our motivation has always been to ensure that no part of a product becomes landfill unnecessarily. By specializing in accessory recovery and developing processes that make it commercially and operationally viable, we’ve turned what was once seen as waste into a resource. That helps our clients achieve sustainability goals and gives us a real point of differentiation in the market.

SecondaryMarket.news: What types of companies tend to use Relove’s recovery services, and what industries do you find most in need of your solutions?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Our services are broadly applicable, which means we work with a diverse mix of clients like mobile network operators, insurance firms, OEMs, charities, corporates, and local governments.

Anyone with a significant volume of used tech, whether it’s sitting in storage or coming back through returns, can benefit from what we do. Increasingly, we’re also seeing enterprise clients and public sector organizations get involved, driven by ESG commitments and net-zero targets.

Our message is simple: reuse is the best form of recycling. Through our triage services, we identify what can be reused, what has value, and how it can be reintroduced into the market. For items that can't be reused, we harvest components and recycle materials responsibly. Always with full data security and compliance in mind.

SecondaryMarket.news: In just a few words, how would you define what truly sets Relove apart in this highly competitive secondary market?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Our partnership mindset, our customer-centric approach, our commitment to compliance and quality, and perhaps most importantly, our heritage. We’ve been doing this for nearly two decades, and we’ve built a reputation for integrity, innovation, and impact.

We’re also known for our community engagement, our flexible problem-solving, and our team culture. When clients work with us, they’re not just ticking a box, they’re getting a strategic ally.

SecondaryMarket.news: Ensuring compliance and maintaining high-quality standards are clearly fundamental to Relove’s operations. How do you ensure that you consistently uphold these values in practice?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Compliance and quality aren’t just checklists, they’re embedded in everything we do. We have a dedicated team that oversees all aspects of quality management and regulatory compliance. They coordinate audits, maintain our ISO certifications, and continuously review our processes for improvement.

We view certifications as a starting point, not a finish line. We’re always looking for ways to go above and beyond, whether that’s through staff training, investing in new technology, or seeking additional accreditations. It’s a process of constant learning and accountability.

SecondaryMarket.news: Being recognized for your sustainability efforts is undoubtedly important. Which award or certification do you consider the most valuable acknowledgment of your commitment?

Relove/Paul Crossman: There are many that we’re proud of, but if I had to single one out, it would be our Platinum accreditation from Investors in People (IIP). That award is particularly meaningful because it reflects our internal culture, how we engage, support, and develop our team.

Reaching Platinum status in January 2024 was a ten-year journey. Only 7% of the 50,000 organizations assessed globally achieve that level. Our score of 814 was well above both the sector average and the IIP benchmark. That kind of recognition validates the way we treat people and run our business.

Being a certified B Corp is also hugely important to us. It reinforces our commitment to balancing purpose and profit and to operating as a force for good.

SecondaryMarket.news: Why do awards and certifications matter so much to Relove, and how do they contribute to your credibility and long-term success in the industry?

Relove/Paul Crossman: They matter because they give credibility to the promises we make. When you’re working in a space like recovery and reuse, where trust and transparency are vital, external validation plays a key role in building confidence among partners, clients, and stakeholders.

Awards also shine a light on areas that might otherwise go unnoticed. Recently, we’ve been recognized more for our culture and CSR initiatives than for pure business metrics, and I think that sends an important message: that technology recovery can be about more than profit. It can drive inclusion, education, and environmental progress.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you briefly walk us through the history of Relove? How did the company start, and what have been some key milestones along the way?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Relove’s story begins in 2005, when we launched Genuine Solutions with a vision to become the go-to distributor of genuine mobile accessories for dealers, retailers, and e-commerce partners. Just a few years in, in 2008, we were invited to a client’s distribution centre and saw mountains of tangled, discarded accessories heading for destruction. That was the moment we realized there was a huge opportunity to do something more meaningful. This experience laid the foundation for our recovery business, and it marked the beginning of our journey into circular economy solutions.

By 2010, our efforts had already prevented 656 tonnes of e-waste from going to landfill. In 2011, we earned the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, a pivotal recognition of the impact our work was beginning to have. We built on that success, and in 2012, we were named Distributor of the Year by the Mobile News Awards: a title we would go on to win five years in a row.

In 2016, we received the Green Apple Award from the Green Organisation, highlighting our sustainability efforts. Two years later, in 2018, we launched the Reconnected Scheme in partnership with Three UK, an initiative aimed at tackling digital exclusion. By 2020, our circular economy work earned us a Global Good Award.

In 2022, we proudly achieved B Corp Certification, affirming our dedication to people, planet, and profit. That same year, we acquired Relove Technology to strengthen our brand’s consumer and recovery-facing capabilities. Most recently, in 2024, we were awarded Investors in People Platinum status, a testament to our strong internal culture and we rebranded our recovery services under the Relove name, allowing Genuine Solutions to return to its roots as a distribution business. Each of these milestones represents a step forward in our mission to eliminate e-waste and build a more sustainable future.

It’s been a journey of continuous evolution, but always with sustainability at the heart.

SecondaryMarket.news: Looking ahead, what does the future hold for Relove? Are there any exciting developments, expansions, or innovations on the horizon?

Relove/Paul Crossman: Our mission remains unchanged: to ensure that every piece of technology gets reused and that e-waste becomes a thing of the past. To get there, we’re focused on building strategic partnerships, improving our recovery technologies, and advocating for circularity in product design.

Automated cosmetic grading and testing are becoming more advanced, and we’re investing in that. But the real game-changer will be when manufacturers embed circular principles at the design stage. That’s what will unlock scale.

We’re also looking at new geographies and new sectors where our recovery expertise can create value. The appetite for sustainable solutions is growing and we’re ready to meet that demand.

SecondaryMarket.news: Could you give us an overview of the current scale of Relove? How many people are working for the company at this moment, and how large is your facility? Additionally, to give us a better sense of your daily operations, how many products do you typically process in a single day?

Relove/Paul Crossman: We operate from a dedicated Centre of Excellence in Surrey, UK. Our team currently stands at around 50 people, all deeply committed to our shared mission. In late 2023, we moved to this new facility to better align our operations with our sustainability values. The site features solar panels and other environmental measures that have helped us significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Daily product volume varies depending on type and complexity, but our throughput is substantial. We process tens of thousands of accessories and devices every month, with everything undergoing rigorous triage, testing, and grading before it’s redistributed.

It’s not just about quantity: it’s about doing it right. And that’s what we pride ourselves on every single day.