Mobile operator O2 has launched a new consumer facing program for scoring its handsets according to their environmental impact. The system, called Eco Rating, has been created in partnership with Forum for the Future, a sustainable development advisory group set up by Jonathon Porritt and Sara Parker, and in consultation with manufacturers.
"We've done quite a bit of research and insight studies asking our customer base what they want to see on the sustainability agenda," Head of Environment for Telefonica O2 UK Gareth Rice told Comms Dealer. "44% of them said that this is becoming a factor in their purchasing decision, and a cohort of 12% said it was even stronger than that."
O2 says that 1,712 mobiles are replaced every minute in the UK, and that the carbon footprint of the mobile industry is equivalent to 'taking every car and HGV in the UK off the road and grounding domestic flights for a year'.
The Eco rating scale is a five point system which takes into account the production of the phone itself. Ilka Weissbrod, Senior Sustainability Manager at Forum for the Future, explained how it worked. "In the product we're looking at different elements across the lifecycle of a handset," noted Wiessbrod.
"Starting with the manufacturing, energy and impact, the substances used, including whether or not materials are sourced from conflict regions. Then we look at transportation of the product and its disposal.
"We wanted to make sure we had the company assesment in there as well, because you can have a great sustainable product, but if the mothership producing it doesn't have the best labour standards in the supply chain the consumer will want to know about that."
Rice hopes the new system will be adopted by other mobile operators, and observed that it has an application in the B2B market for helping enterprise customers meet CSR commitments.
At present, the Eco rating scheme covers 93% of the handsets sold by O2, with notable exceptions being Apple and RIM. The latter has plans to join the scheme later in the year. Weissbrod added that she hopes the scheme will be extended to other products in O2's range, like tablet computers and netbooks.
The highest scoring handset in O2's current range is the Sony Ericsson GreenHeart Elm, which is made from recycled plastic and doesn't contain lead. It scores 4.3 on the scale. The Palm Pre, meanwhile, brings up the rear with a score of 2.7.
