Advancing responsible sourcing
in mineral value chains
Resource efficiency in material consumption will contribute strongly to reduce environmental impacts in the future, yet many stakeholders struggle to translate this concept into practice. Fairphone’s calculations indicate that 75% of their CO2 emissions were associated to the production stage. By extending the lifetime of their products, through hardware and software innovation, the company secured substantial avoidance of CO2 emissions.
This flagship case presents Fairphone’s approach to developing a sustainable smartphone, and the design and formulation of its Longevity Score. The case discusses the principles supporting the development of a Longevity Score; the identification and measurement of indicators; and frameworks that can be constructed by other producers of electrical and electronic equipment.
