Free mobile recycling pack is created for UK employers 
Today Vodafone launches a nationwide campaign to help businesses to encourage their employees to recycle mobile phones, phone chargers, accessories and even installation CDs.
An eye-catching campaign pack has been developed by Vodafone in partnership with Fonebak, a worldwide provider of mobile recycling and reuse services. It aims to inspire employees to recycle their mobile phones and highlights three benefits: reducing environmental impact, raising money for charity and providing affordable phones for people overseas.
The pack includes posters and a recycling box, and is supported by digital tools including screensavers, web banners, template emails and text messages to distribute to employees. The scheme is not exclusively for collecting Vodafone devices; Vodafone has committed to collect phones provided by any mobile operator.
“Businesses are increasingly required to show how they are reducing their environmental impact and we believe they have huge potential to help by getting their employees to recycle their mobile phones,” explained Karen McArthur from Vodafone. “Each year 11.3 million mobile phones are thrown away, with many being sent to landfill [1]. We know from our own research that only a third of the
Vodafone has raised £220,682 for charity from business mobile phone recycling schemes over the past year. From this amount £172,334 has gone to for the National Autistic Society, Vodafone’s dedicated charity partner in this area. All money raised by the mobile phone recycling goes directly to charity[3].
Karen continued: “Few people realise the money their old phones can raise for charities and the difference they can make to new owners. By sending them to Fonebak, they can be refurbished and distributed to people in developing countries who do not have fixed phone lines, giving them access to their own phone for the first time.”
Vodafone is mailing the free recycling packs to a number of its corporate customers and further interested parties can find out more by contacting their Vodafone Account Manager. The initiative is part of Vodafone’s corporate responsibility commitments and will help to ensure Vodafone meets the new government requirements outlined in the WEEE legislation that has come into place this July.
[1] Forum for the Future, 2005 report entitled: “ Return to vendor – how second-hand mobile phones increase access to mobile services”
[2] 1000 adults aged 16+ were interviewed on the GfK NOP Telebus during the weekend of 13 – 15 October 2006 to identify mobile phone recycling habits
[3] All money goes directly to charity unless the customer requests a cheque back which happens on occasion. Vodafone does not make any profit on mobile phone recycling