Fairphone Impact Report 2024 Breakdown
Published date: April 2025
Today, we're taking a deep dive into Fairphone's 2024 Impact Report, which showcases the remarkable achievements in creating more sustainable and ethical technology.
Comprehensive Climate Action Strategy
Fairphone achieved a 48% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 compared to its 2022 baseline through a strategic multi-pronged approach.
- Switching to Greener Logistics: By shifting over half of their China-to-Europe transport to ocean freight instead of air, they slashed transport emissions by 55%.
- Renewable Energy Integration: Implementing clean energy sources throughout key manufacturing processes—including final assembly, display production, and battery packaging—reduced production emissions by 19.4%
- Strategic Carbon Offsetting: Where renewable energy wasn't yet feasible, Fairphone purchased local carbon credits, supporting green energy development in those markets
- Design for Longevity: Their modular approach to design extends device lifespans significantly, keeping a Fairphone in use for longer than its 5-year warranty. This longevity reduces its annual carbon footprint by 31% compared to other short-term smartphones.
- Responsible Materials: Using recycled, Fairtrade, and ethically sourced materials further reduces emissions associated with mining and processing.
Fairphone has far exceeded its original emissions reduction targets and established a new benchmark for the electronics industry in 2024 alone!
Slashing Carbon Emissions
Perhaps most impressive is Fairphone's 48% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 2022, nearly ten times their original 5% target. This dramatic cut was achieved through:
- Moving over half of their China-to-Europe logistics to ocean freight, cutting transport emissions by 55%
- Implementing renewable energy across key manufacturing processes, reducing production emissions by 19.4%
- Using carbon credits to offset emissions where renewable energy wasn't yet feasible
Materials That Matter
Fairphone has expanded its Fair Materials Roadmap from 14 to 23 key materials, sensibly focusing on those with the greatest environmental and social impact. This expansion includes critical materials like lithium, copper, and various plastics that are essential to electronics manufacturing but often come with significant sustainability challenges.
Their newest product, the Fairbuds, contains an impressive 69.5% fair and recycled materials by weight, making it their most sustainable offering yet and demonstrating Fairphone's commitment to continuous improvement across their product line.
The company maintains complete e-waste neutrality for their Fairphone 4 and 5 models, collecting the same weight of old tech as the products sold. In 2024 alone, they collected 29 tons of e-waste, demonstrating their commitment to circularity and responsible end-of-life product management.
Built to Last
Unlike the fast-paced, unsustainable and short-term nature of the tech and smartphone industry, Fairphone designs products with longevity in mind. Their modular approach allows anyone to replace components like screens and batteries with ease, extending product lifespans significantly longer than industry averages.
This design philosophy not only reduces environmental impact but also empowers users with the right to repair their own devices, creating a more sustainable relationship between people and their technology.
Fair Labour Practices
Fairphone isn't just tackling environmental concerns; they're addressing human welfare throughout their supply chain:
- Over 20,000 workers benefited from improved working conditions in 2024, with 45 specific improvements implemented across supplier and sub-supplier factories
- More than $1 million in living wage bonuses distributed to date, including $91,000 in 2024 alone, benefiting more than 1,500 workers across three factories
- Successful transition of one sub-supplier to paying full living wages to all employees following a comprehensive wage gap assessment conducted with Fairphone
These initiatives demonstrate that ethical manufacturing isn't just an aspiration but an achievable reality when companies prioritise human dignity alongside profits.
Industry Leadership and Transparency
Fairphone's influence extends beyond their own operations, as they increasingly serve as thought leaders in sustainable electronics. Their practices and solutions are being adopted by other industry players, creating a multiplier effect for their environmental and social impact. This was one of their key aims when they started back in 2013, and we have been partners from their first release.
Fairphone's dedication to transparency is showcased by their detailed annual Impact Report and sets a standard for accountability in an industry often criticised for closed supply chains and poor environmental practices. By sharing both successes and challenges, Fairphone invites collaboration and continuous improvement across the sector.
To see more details, see Fairphone’s 2024 impact report.
Why This Matters to Us
We believe in offering products that align with our values of helping to create a fairer, more sustainable and ethical future for all. Fairphone's approach to sustainability and ethical practices represents a clear vision of how we can make premium products that are made to last, while also being kinder to our planet.
When you choose a Fairphone with Your Co-op Mobile, you're not just choosing the one that will stand the test of time and be a premium companion. You're supporting fair wages for workers, reduced environmental impact, and a social enterprise that's helping transform an entire industry.
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