ICT Solutions

Fairphone

Every smartphone contains more than 40 different minerals from the mining sector, four of which are minerals that are generally considered to be conflict minerals: tin, tantalum, tungsten and gold. Conflict minerals fund rebel groups, contributing to political and economic instability while neglecting workers' rights, safety and their ability to earn a fair wage.

Fairphone is a Dutch social enterprise that is working to build sustainable and conflict-free smartphones. Fairphone sources conflict-free tin and tantalum from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and works closely with its manufacturers to improve working conditions in its factories.

Fairphone also focuses on durability, reparability and the availability of spare parts that can be easily replaced to extend the smartphone's usable life. Building a phone that lasts longer reduces the overall toll on people and the environment. Fairphone aims to achieve long-term transformational change, leading by example to expand the market for ethical products and giving a voice to consumers that care about social values.

It also works with partners to set up projects in Ghana to improve local waste collection efforts and transport discarded phones to Europe for safe recycling. Fairphone's Take Back Program helps ensure that old mobile phones are reused or properly recycled.

Producing a smartphone that improves lives and the environment

 
 

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Paris Agreement

ICT can slash global greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2030, thus holding them at 2015 levels, while generating over USD 11 trillion in economic benefits and connecting an additional 2.5 billion people to the knowledge economy by 2030. Much of this action is driven by non-state actors.

The participation of non-state actors was a critical piece of the momentum leading up to COP21. The NAZCA portal lists many initiatives helping the world meet its climate change goals under the Paris Agreement.

Fairphone, a Dutch social enterprise that is working to build sustainable and conflict-free smartphones, is a strong example of how non-state actors are leading the way toward a highly resilient, low-carbon future.

@Fairphone

Fairphone