Vodafone will place greater focus on recycling & reusing mobile phones due to SOMO study 'Fair Phones: it’s your call', promises the company in its 2009/2010 sustainability report.
In its 2009/2010 Sustainability Report, Vodafone writes to have participated in a study by Stichting Onderzoek Multinationale Ondernemingen (SOMO) entitled Fair Phones: It’s your call.
Partly through this study, Vodafone writes, Vodafone will be placing greater focus on recycling and reusing mobile phones. Vodafone will be launching various initiatives in support of this objective.
Vodafone already offers customers the option of returning used cellular phones for recycling. During the reporting year, this resulted in the return of 53,350 devices. According to Vodafone's estimates, there are between 20 and 30 million unused mobile phones in the Dutch market. So the number of used cellular phones returned to Vodafone has not yet reached a significant level.
Returned mobile phones that can no longer be used are dismantled and their raw materials are reused. Phones that still work are sold to traders in developing countries at world market prices. This year Vodafone offered its customers two options. They could return their phone and be paid its remaining value directly (exchange discount) or donate their device to Stichting Opkikker.
Over the past five years Vodafone Foundation has been main sponsor of Stichting Opkikker, a foundation helping children with long-term illnesses, and their families.
