In a statement, Vodafone detailed the ‘1 million phones for the planet’ three-year programme will accelerate Vodafone’s circular economy strategy by reducing e-waste and encouraging recycling, and every phone collected in the programme will raise £1 donated to global WWF conservation projects.
The partnership with the WWF will also launch strategic initiatives across Vodafone’s footprint in Africa and Europe, such as apps to aid customers in making sustainable choices. The initiative will also produce projects in South Africa, Germany and the UK that tap mobile technology to address sustainability challenges.
Buying a refurbished smartphone can save around 50kg of CO2e (Carbon Dioxide Equivalent), making it 87% less damaging to the planet than buying a new device, and cuts the need to extract 76.9 kg of raw materials, according to a study from sustainability experts.
Vodafone Group CEO Nick Read (pictured) said: “WWF and Vodafone strongly believe that we can all make greener choices about how we use technology. Our partnership with WWF will create new initiatives to encourage our customers to take actions that could help reduce their carbon emissions and reduce pressure on the planet’s natural resources.”
