Vodafone helps Kiwis choose a greener mobile phone

Kiwis can now see the green credentials of a mobile phone before they buy it, thanks to New Zealand’s first sustainability ranking scheme for mobile phones. The scheme was launched today by Vodafone.

Vodafone’s Eco-rating makes it easy for customers to see the environmental and ethical performance of the mobile phones sold by Vodafone in New Zealand. Using information directly from handset manufacturers, scores range from one to five, where five is the most sustainable.

The scores are prominently displayed on the packaging of new handsets in Vodafone stores and on www.vodafone.co.nz to help customers make more informed buying decisions - and encourage handset manufacturers to make more sustainable phones.

Each phone’s rating includes an assessment of environmental impacts - like carbon emissions and how much water is used in manufacturing - and ethical factors, such as labour policies and health and safety practices for people assembling the phones. Ratings are higher for mobiles that contain less hazardous materials, are easy to recycle, have a longer battery life and follow high standards of manufacturing health and safety.

Rachel Brown, CEO of the Sustainable Business Network (SBN), welcomes the introduction of the system.

“I think Vodafone has cracked it with this as the Eco-rating meets a need that many of us now have,” she said. “For the first time, we will be able to compare the environmental and social impacts of different mobile phones to make a more informed purchasing decision. It’s really simple to understand - you can see at a glance how sustainable a particular mobile is - and the score is displayed with the handsets where they’re sold, online and in Vodafone stores.

“What also appeals to us is that Eco-rating sheds more light on the performance of mobile phone suppliers and their products. We’ll be able to give feedback or encouragement to the sector as a whole to continue to work towards a more sustainable industry.”

Handset manufacturers answer over 200 questions about the environmental and ethical impact of each mobile phone, divided into three areas:

• Green design: tells consumers if the mobile phone contains special features to improve its environmental performance. Scores are higher for mobiles that have special energy-saving modes and smart charging systems, or handsets made with recycled plastics and metals.
• Mobile phone life cycle: gives the environmental impact of each mobile phone throughout its lifetime, from the extraction of raw materials that make the phone, to production, transport, use and disposal. Scores are higher for mobiles that have a smaller impact on the environment.
• Company performance: shows the manufacturer’s commitment to managing environmental and ethical issues in their operations and in their supply chain. Questions focus on the company’s management standards, policies and procedures; points are awarded for practices that go beyond legal requirements and Vodafone’s ethical standards for suppliers.

Abbie Reynolds, Vodafone’s Corporate Responsibility Manager, said: “The mobile phone industry is developing at a lightning pace, and we’re always learning. What is sustainable innovation today could be a standard tomorrow - which means that an Eco-rating system must constantly evolve.

“By providing this information, we’re helping our customers make more informed decisions when they choose a mobile phone, based on its environmental and ethical performance. We’re grateful that so many manufacturers have agreed to be involved right from the outset. I’m really looking forward to seeing what innovations emerge as we progress.”

Eco-rating scores are calculated by independent experts Bureau Veritas and SKM Enviros and the scoring methodology is assured by KPMG.

For more information visit www.vodafone.co.nz/eco-rating.