Big Tick Winner

Responsible Marketing and Innovation, Example of Excellence

Fonebak - Creating a Circle of Good Business Practice

Vodafone Marketplace Innovation Award 2006

Fonebak is the leader in mobile phone reuse and recycling solutions. Over 85% of the population have at least one mobile phone and these are replaced on average every 18 months. Through reuse, the best environmental option, Fonebak have worked in consultation with the network service providers to collect these unwanted mobile phones.

Processes

Fonebak was launched in 2002 as the world’s first mobile phone recycling scheme to comply with all current and forthcoming environmental legislation with the endorsement of all the nation’s network service providers and the Government.

The Fonebak process for mobile phone reuse and recycling not only exceeds legal and environmental responsibilities and provides secure risk management, but they are able to return considerable revenues to their clients. Many of them use these funds to support their Corporate Responsibility activities.

There are an estimated 18 million phones replaced each year in this country alone. However, mobile phones have a life of 5 to 7 years. In developing economies, mobile communications are often prohibitively expensive.

All phones received are thoroughly tested and refurbished, and sold to developing economies providing affordable communications. Phones which are unsuitable for reuse are sent for recycling following their ISO 14001 and EMAS verified Environmental Management System. To date, they have collected and refurbished over 4 million handsets.

Impact

  • A growth in turnover from £3.9 million in 2002 to over £50 million in 2005
  • From the initial six clients representing every network operator in the UK– O2, Orange, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Virgin Mobile and the Dixons Group (The Link, PC World, Currys and Dixons), the company now has over 1000 clients across Europe representing network operators, retailers and charities
  • From the initial 1200 free collection points across the UK, the company now has over 10,000 locations where consumers can return their unwanted mobile phone
  • The company has processed over 4 million handsets for reuse or recycling since 2002 (2 million of these in the past 12 months)

See also

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