• Costco has a strong reputation for treating its workers right, with some of the best pay and benefits, but despite its commitment to sustainability, most reports suggest it could do more on that front. Costco produces an Annual Report outlining its code of ethics and employee benefits.
• Best Buy also treats its workers well, has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2040, and runs the largest ewaste recycling scheme in the US. Best Buy publishes an annual Environmental, Social, and Governance Report with details of its worker programs and sustainability efforts.

For folks in the UK, Richer Sounds and John Lewis have employee-owned models, so workers share in the profits, and the Co-operative Group is member-owned. Richer Sounds has also campaigned for fairer tax.

You'll often see descriptions like “eco-friendly,” “green,” and “sustainable” used by many companies to make products more appealing. Bryson says to avoid taking these claims at face value. Instead, take a closer look. It’s common for companies to use a small percentage of recycled material in the casing of a device or offer a "low energy" setting, then crow about it to buy some goodwill. But many of the same companies do nothing to rectify the profound environmental and social issues associated with electronics supply chains.

When you upgrade to new gadgets, try to find a useful life for your old gear. You can often repurpose your old gadgets or pass them on to someone who can use them. One rule to remember: “Never place broken electronics directly into your bin to be sent to landfill, as they can leak toxic chemicals into the land,” Bryson says.

Even phone cases should not be thrown in the trash. Kerf will repair cases for free or offer up to 50 percent discounts on replacement cases when you send your old case back. Casetify offers a 15 percent discount on a new case when you send in your old case (from any brand), and Sonix offers 30 percent off new cases when you donate your old case. We can go on and on, but before you buy, it's worth looking at whether the brand has any similar kinds of initiatives.

At the very least make sure your devices are properly recycled. You can find a handy list of international ewaste recycling links at iFixit. Manufacturers like Apple and Microsoft will take old devices. Dell will even take electronics it didn’t manufacture. And you can recycle any electronics at Best Buy. Make sure you read our guide on how to sell, donate, or recycle your old devices.