I’m leading a study about the Fairphone and the nature of change in the context of business and climate change at the Imperial College London.
I’m very interested in information regarding specific examples of how fairphone is creating change in the industry (regarding behaviour change, industry change, finance change…). Also, it will be interesting to hear how fairphone itself has changed (their values and their way of approaching the problem) since its creation.
Since the community-centered profile of fairphone is one of its key features, I want to ask the community.
What do you think is the change that fairphone has created so far?
As a user, what is your opinion of the community-centered approach? How do you feel as a user?
Finally, for the admins, if you can provide me a contact, I would love to interview Bas and ask him his views.
Fairphone has raised hope amongst people that the electronics sector is not destined to stay environmentally harmful and inhuman forever. They have also shown that a smartphone can be produced fair and easily repairable and still earn the people at Fairphone a living. In my opinion, however, they will only have achieved change with a global impact when the big smartphone producers (Apple, Samsung, etc.) adopt Fairphone’s business model or lose marketshare to Fairphone.
I agree that the impact that Fairphone can have in influencing the industry is definitely crucial.
I’m wondering how is the best way to achieve that thought.
Current financial structure may jeopardise the company from growing faster, as well as sending the signal to the market that a “normal company” can make profits from sustainable phones.
On the other hands, open fairphone to investors will be at least challenging…
I wonder if the option of mixing or selling fairphone with a company that has the capacity to scale up is on the table…
And, since the community is key in this movement, what is their opinion about this…
Thank you for your answer Stefan
You should have been at last year’s EFCT. There the community discussed the scaling-up question with the Fairphone team themselves. It’s save to say that both in the team and the community there are people who are pro investors and people who are against.
