Originally published at: Our 2024 Impact Report is out. Here are the highlights. - Fairphone
48% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
20,000+ people with fairer working conditions.
29 tons of e-waste collected.
69.5% fair and recycled material in our newest product.
Our impact work is what makes Fairphone synonymous with sustainable tech. When people ask us what it means to make electronics sustainable, we have A LOT to say and a lot of data to back us up. That’s what we distill down into our annual Impact Report. It provides a comprehensive overview of all our various projects and initiatives, our product portfolio, our progress so far, and our overall performance. Our Impact Report is part of our promise of complete transparency to you as members of our Fairphone community. Here are some of the key highlights from this year’s edition.
We took big steps towards lower emissions: In 2024, we cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 48% compared to 2022, far surpassing our 5% reduction target. A part of this came from smarter shipping—55% fewer transport emissions by moving over half of our inbound logistics from China to Europe to ocean freight. We also reduced manufacturing emissions by 19.4% by using renewable energy in key parts of the Fairphone 5 production, like final assembly, display, and battery packaging
We expanded our list of focus materials: In our 2030 Fair Materials Roadmap published last year, we expanded our scope of focus materials from 14 to 23. These 23 materials are what we consider to have the most significant impact on both people and the environment. Our aim is to improve the extraction and/or production of these materials in ways that it benefits local communities, protects nature, and supports small-scale producers, such as artisanal miners and recyclers.
The Fairbuds scored a perfect 10 with iFixit for repairability, and are 100% e-waste neutral.
We launched our most fair-material-rich product yet: With the launch of the Fairbuds in 2024, we achieved our highest percentage (by total weight) of fair and recycled materials in a single product, clocking in at almost 70%.
We have paid out $1M in living wage bonuses till date: As of 2024, Fairphone has distributed over USD $1,000,000 in living wage bonuses to workers in our supply chain. In 2024 alone, we paid USD $91,000, benefiting 1,500+ workers across three factories. One sub-supplier, following a wage gap assessment with Fairphone, now pays full living wages to all employees, regardless of the brand they work on.
We positively impacted 20,000+ people: In total, 45 improvements were made across our supplier and sub-supplier factories. Overall, our efforts have impacted the lives of 20,042 people working across mining, manufacturing, and recycling stages for the better.
You can read more about how we calculated these numbers in the full Impact Report.
We further enhanced workers’ voice: We have been conducting regular third-party worker satisfaction surveys, resulting in training programs for women, improved grievance mechanisms, and harassment prevention initiatives—reinforcing our commitment to fairer working conditions. Projects like dormitory renovations, enhanced canteen services, and training opportunities were co-designed to meet worker needs.
We are leading the industry in device longevity: Our currently active Fairphone 3(+), 4 and 5 users intend to keep their devices in use for at least five to six years, based on data signal tests and survey data. Our data confirms this, showing that our phone models are used longer than the market average.
Fairphone devices remain in use way past the industry average as the years go by
We continued keeping things open and up-to-date: We released the PCB schematics of the Fairphone 5 immediately after its release to make advanced repairs easier. We also released a free software update for Fairphone 4 users that overhauled their camera software experience completely, motivating them to stick with their device.
We are innovating to improve device loyalty: We also came up with new innovations to promote device longevity, such as automated battery replacement reminders, the Fairphone Timeline feature in the My Fairphone app that maps the customer’s Fairphone experience, and the Keep Club, a loyalty program that rewards users for keeping their devices longer.
All of this was avoided, because our devices are designed to last longer
We continue to reuse and recycle: Fairphone’s Reuse and Recycling Program achieved a 63% reuse rate for collected devices last year. We took back nearly 3,000 devices for recycling, including 1,987 Fairphone devices.
We ensure our products are 100% e-waste neutral: All our (main) products sold in 2024 were 100% e-waste neutral. We also achieved our target of collecting 29 tons of electronic waste, with the bulk of it incoming through our E-waste Race initiatives, and our tie-up with ARGO360 in Ghana. We are currently working to ensure our accessories are also 100% e-waste neutral.
We gave our older devices a new lease of life: We partnered with Belgium-based low-tech consultancy, Citronics, to give end-of-life smartphones a second life—transforming old Fairphone 2s into the world’s first instance of circular microcomputers.
So the next time someone asks you how a smartphone or a pair of headphones can be sustainable, you know where to look for answers. Thank you for helping us do what we do. Without you, none of this would be possible.
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