Vodafone Wants to Cut Emissions With New Cell Phone Repairs App
Vodafone Wants to Cut Emissions With New Cell Phone Repairs App
(Bloomberg) -- Vodafone Group Plc is hoping to put a meaningful dent in its greenhouse gas emissions by getting customers to trade in old cell phones in exchange for cash or credit toward a new purchase.
The joint initiative with tech French refurbishment firm Recommerce Group is intended to help Vodafone reach a target of halving its total so-called Scope 3 emissions by 2030. It comes after the Newbury, England-based telecoms giant partnered in 2019 with Fairphone, whose phones are made partly from ethically sourced metals and recycled plastics.
Last year, Vodafone pumped out 9.4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, based on Scope 3 estimates. More than 50,000 tons of CO2E could be avoided for every million devices that are refurbished and resold after trade-in, according to the company. If customers keep their cell phone for an extra year, it would reduce Vodafone’s global warming potential by up to 29%, it said in a statement on Wednesday.
The new services, including flexible trade-in options, fast repair and protection against accidental damage, will be available to European customers in the spring, Vodafone said.
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