Digital Cleanup Day Challenge: How to Run a Week of Team Challenges

To make a Digital Cleanup Day challenge work, spread it over the official week (Monday 15 to Friday 19 March 2027) rather than a single day: a kick-off on Monday, one challenge a day, results on Friday. Build mixed teams, measure two or three simple things (data deleted, devices collected) and celebrate what has been done rather than what is left to do. Here is the detailed plan, day by day.

At a glance: the challenge week

Digital Cleanup Day 2027 in brief

Digital Cleanup Day 2027 takes place on Saturday 20 March, with actions possible from 15 to 20 March (official Digital Cleanup Day website; French website). In France, it is co-run by the Institut du Numérique Responsable (INR) and World Cleanup Day France.

The French website suggests four ways to take part: delete the data you no longer need, repair your devices, give them away (for reuse or recycling) and raise awareness around you, including at work. Reuse is presented as the priority, and recycling as the last resort.

As Saturday is not a working day for most teams, companies can act during the week before.

Why a week of challenges rather than a one-off event?

A one-hour event reaches whoever is free at that moment. A week of challenges reaches everyone, at their own pace.

• Everyone finds a moment. Between remote work, part-time hours, meetings and travel, it is rare to gather the whole company on the same day. Over five days, everyone can contribute when they can.
• Every action gets its place. Clearing out a mailbox takes a few minutes; organising a device collection needs more preparation. One challenge a day lets you give each topic proper attention.
• The team creates momentum. A challenge between teams gives people a good reason to get started today rather than "one day".
• You act where it matters. According to the ADEME-Arcep study on the environmental footprint of digital technology (in French), most of that footprint comes from our devices, and above all from manufacturing them. A week leaves time for sorting data, but also for devices, where the biggest lever lies.

The day-by-day plan, 15 to 19 March 2027

Monday 15 March: kick off the week and explain why

Monday is about the why, before the how. A word from senior management or your CSR lead, an introduction to the teams and the rules, then an awareness session so that everyone understands why to clean up and what to tackle first.

It is the right moment for an activity that brings everyone together, such as a team escape room over video call. Also ask each team to note its starting point: the space used in its shared drives or mailbox, for example. Without a starting point, there is nothing to measure on Friday.

Tuesday 16 March: sort your files and mailbox

The challenge of the day matches the "data" action of Digital Cleanup Day. A few practical ideas:

• delete duplicates and old versions in the team's shared folders;
• unsubscribe from newsletters nobody reads any more;
• delete emails with heavy attachments already saved elsewhere;
• sort through the photos and videos stored on your work phone.

One word of caution: some documents must be kept for legal or contractual reasons. Before the challenge, ask your IT department or records manager what can be deleted, and remind every team of the rule.

Wednesday 17 March: make your devices last longer

Wednesday is dedicated to the "repair" action: keeping equipment for longer. The challenge can take several forms depending on your organisation:

• a maintenance or repair workshop (in the spirit of a Repair Café), with cases and sleeves to protect equipment;
• a session with IT on which devices can be repaired or reassigned rather than replaced;
• a team challenge: list the devices each person commits to keeping for longer.

It is the least spectacular day, but the one that tackles the biggest lever. Tell your teams so.

Thursday 18 March: collect forgotten devices

Thursday is about the "give" action. Set up a collection box on each site (or on each floor) for phones, tablets, computers, cables and chargers that are no longer used. Plan two routes: devices that still work go to reuse (donation to a charity, refurbishment), and those beyond repair go to an electronic waste recycling scheme.

Two precautions: data must be wiped before any donation, with help from IT if needed; and work equipment belongs to the company, so it follows the process set by your IT department.

Friday 19 March: share the results and plan what comes next

On Friday, bring everyone together (in a room, over video call or with a simple message) to announce the results of each team and of the company as a whole. Thank the teams by name, not individuals.

Finish with a simple question: what do we keep after this week? Two or three shared rules, chosen together (for example a clean-up slot every quarter, or a permanent collection box), are worth more than a long charter nobody will read. The national Digital Cleanup Day results are built from figures reported by organisers: see the French website to share yours.

Building teams and keeping people motivated, without guilt

A successful challenge makes people want to act. A failed one makes them feel judged on their inbox. A few simple rules make all the difference.

• Mix profiles. Teams of five to ten people, mixing departments and sites, build connections and stop the challenge from pitting IT against everyone else.
• Appoint a captain for each team. They pass on the daily challenge and gather the results. It is a light role, but it means the challenge does not rest on a single organiser.
• Reward taking part, not just volumes. If only gigabytes deleted count, the team with the most old files wins. Also award points for each challenge completed and each device collected.
• No individual rankings. Nobody should have to show their files or be named "the biggest polluter". Count as a team, celebrate as a team.
• Talk about habits, not faults. The message is not "you are polluting" but "here is what really matters, and here is how to act".
• Keep challenges short and share news. Each challenge should take a few minutes. A daily message (the running score, a photo of the collection box filling up) keeps the momentum going until Friday.

Measuring results simply

There is no need for a complex dashboard. Track the same types of results that Digital Cleanup Day publishes: data deleted, devices given a longer life, electronic waste collected and people taking part in awareness activities.

• Data deleted: the space used before and after, in gigabytes, in shared folders or mailboxes.
• Devices repaired or reassigned: a simple count, kept by the captain or by IT.
• Devices collected: counted when the box is emptied, separating reuse and recycling.
• Participants: the number of people who completed at least one challenge.

Avoid converting your results into kilos of CO2 using figures found at random online: if you do, cite a recognised source. And a results table that only mentioned gigabytes would send the wrong message, since reusing devices remains the priority.

How our challenge format fits into the week

We offer five sustainable IT awareness formats that you can combine over the week. The challenge format was designed for it: "Based on our Christmas challenge: an escape room in episodes that everyone plays whenever they like." It is ideal for keeping Digital Cleanup Day alive all week long. You can see the model in action with our Christmas challenge for companies.

The other formats round off the plan:

• Collaborative: the team escape room, over video call, ideal for kicking off the week with the whole company, even across several sites.
• Solo: each employee plays alone, in their browser, whenever suits them.
• On site: the game takes place on your premises, run by a Game Master, for a highlight at head office.
• Mini-games: short games, played independently, for a stand, a coffee break or your intranet throughout the week.

The game is available in French and English. It can also speak about your company: the introduction video can present your sustainable IT strategy, the eco-gestures highlighted can reflect your own initiatives, and a follow-up email can point to your internal resources.

Preparing the week now

Four steps to plan in the coming weeks:

1. Bring the right people together: CSR, IT, facilities and internal communications.
2. Choose your collection partners: a charity or refurbisher for reuse, a recycling scheme for the rest.
3. Block the dates and let managers know.
4. Join the launch webinar: Digital Cleanup Day France is running a free webinar by video call on Thursday 26 November 2026, from 1pm to 2pm Paris time, with a replay for those who register (details on the French website).

For more activity ideas, read our 9 Digital Cleanup Day activity ideas. And if your teams work remotely or across several sites, our guide to Digital Cleanup Day for remote and multi-site teams explains how to adapt the plan.

Frequently asked questions about a Digital Cleanup Day challenge

When is Digital Cleanup Day 2027?

On Saturday 20 March 2027, with actions possible from 15 to 20 March. At work, the simplest option is to run the challenge from Monday 15 to Friday 19 March.

Does everyone need to be available on the same day?

No, that is the whole point of a week-long challenge. Each challenge can be completed whenever suits each person. Only the kick-off and the results announcement benefit from being shared, and they can take the form of a simple message.

How do you stop the challenge from making people feel guilty?

Count results by team, never by person, reward taking part as much as volumes, and talk about good habits rather than faults. Nobody should have to show their mailbox or their files.

Can you run the challenge in a multi-site or remote company?

Yes. Data challenges work remotely, and device collection is organised site by site, with a local champion. Our article on Digital Cleanup Day for remote and multi-site teams explains the method.

Further reading

• Digital Cleanup Day: 9 Activity Ideas to Engage Your Company
• Digital Cleanup Day for Remote and Multi-Site Teams: Getting Everyone Involved
• How to Reduce Your Digital Carbon Footprint: Eco-Gestures for Responsible Digital Use
• Digital Cleanup Day: employee feedback from a bank on our responsible digital serious game