Mobile Phone trends – Is sustainability improving?

When did you last buy a new smartphone? According to Bitkom, the majority of Germans own a mobile phone that is less than a year old. Instead of repairing them, smartphones are bought again. This creates problems in relation to labour and human rights as well as for the environment as the ever-growing demand for precious metals leads to environmental disturbances in mining regions, the neglect of labour rights for miners, and resource scarcity. Additionally, companies such as Samsung do not have an adequate recycling process for their “outdated” smartphone models. It is shown, at events such as the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona in 2017, how consumers and manufacturers continue to fuel the innovation pace and push forward the throwaway culture.

But is it always really necessary to buy a new phone? A more sustainable option can be the Fairphone or Puzzlephone. The companies prescribe to the goal of providing fair and sustainably produced smartphones, their parts can be exchanged or repaired easily. A development which will hopefully soon become a trend.

Here you will find the complete article on the occasion of the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona.

The largest smartphone manufacturers and a selection of participating banks:

Apple ¹:
Allianz ², Deka Bank ³, LBBW ⁴, UniCredit ⁵

Samsung ⁶:
Deutsche Bank ⁷, Deka Bank ⁸, UniCredit ⁹

LG ¹⁰:
BNP Paribas ¹¹

1. www.finanzen.net/aktien/Apple-Aktie [↩]
2. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=589&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=1136)), Deutsche Bank  ((www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=593&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=1136 [↩]
3. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=570&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=1136 [↩]
4. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=512&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=1136 [↩]
5. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=479&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=1136 [↩]
6. www.finanzen.net/aktien/Samsung-Aktie [↩]
7. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=593&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=43610 [↩]
8. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=570&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=43610 [↩]
9. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=479&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=43610 [↩]
10. www.finanzen.net/aktien/LG-Aktie [↩]
11. www.finanzen.net/fonds/suche?investmentcompany=524&type=&performanceoneyear=&currency=&issuecharge=&subtype=&planassets=&minimumage=&fundsname=&fundsnoterating=&shareid=41201 [↩]