Fairphone 5 Tagline Explained
How was your Fairphone 5 designed for you and made fair?
Fairphone has four focus areas when it comes to our sustainability efforts:
- Longevity: creating products that last
- E-waste: take-back, reuse and recycling
- Fair materials: choosing fairer materials
- Fair factories: decent work in manufacturing
For information on the Fairphone mission please click here and You can also find further information on our impact here.
Every year, Fairphone publishes an annual Impact Report which includes documentation verified by third-parties, on our company KPI’s (key performance indicators) for each of the focus areas above.
Our tagline for Fairphone 5 reflects our holistic approach to fairness, which intends to serve You, the people that make the phone, as well as the planet.
- Fairphones’ modular and repairable design ensures that you can use your device for as long as possible. Fairphone devices are the only devices to have attained a 10/10 iFixit Score because the modular design prioritizes key components such as battery and display, makes disassembly possible with only a standard screwdriver and includes visual cues to make it easier for you. Fairphone also publishes repair instructions and makes affordable spare parts available on our website.
- With Fairphone 5, Fairphone increases the reparability of its devices further. In our newest device, both wide and ultra wide cameras are now repairable individually, and the SIM and SD slots are repairable as well.
- The repairability of Fairphone 5 is reflected in the French Repairability Index (9.3 out of 10).
- Your Fairphone 5 features a dual-SIM – you only need one phone to do the work of two mobile devices, for example when living abroad or using the phone in a business context. One SIM card is an eSIM, which is a sustainable industry standard that reduces material use of SIM cards. The expandable SD-card storage (up to 2TB) makes the device long-lasting and gives you more freedom to increase internal memory. To see more information about the product specifications, please click here
- The Fairphone 5 comes with a replaceable and long-lasting battery that features fast-charging (32 hours of daily use and recharge to 50% in 20 minutes). This will allow you to enjoy your Fairphone 5 throughout the day for longer.
- The Fairphone 5 features the Qualcomm Octa Core long-life chipset. This unique chipset guarantees long-lasting support and we commit to eight years of updates and software support, guaranteeing a future proof performance until 2031, with five operating system upgrades after Android 13.
- The Fairphone 5 display is made from Corning Gorilla Glass 5, 0.7 mm, which is fully laminated with oleophobic coating for maximum drop and scratch resistance as well as durability.
- The Fairphone 5 has also been tested in accordance with the military standard drop testing known as the MIL-STD-810H standard.
- The Fairphone 5 comes with an IP rating. This rating provides information about the protection of the device against the intrusion of solids (such as dust particles), and liquids, such as water. The rating of Fairphone 5 is IP55, which means the device is protected from dust-ingress and weather-proof. This protection remains even after having opened the device and done a simple repair. To see more information about the product specifications, please click here.
- The longer you keep your device, the smaller the environmental footprint. Not only do we aim for longevity through our modular design, but also through beyond-industry-standard software support. To realize true longevity, the Fairphone 5 comes with a 5-year manufacturer warranty (subject to terms and conditions) and software support until the end of 2031. Furthermore, we will make spare parts available for your Fairphone 5 device for the entirety of the warranty period.
- The Fairphone 5 runs on the Android 13 operating system at launch, a clean Android experience without clutter and so-called bloatware.
- Fairphone is a certified BCorp and holds a Platinum Ecovadis medal (2022).
- The Fairphone 5 is currently in the process of getting certified according to TCO Certified Smartphones 9. Once obtained, we will make the certification available to you.
- The Fairphone 5 has received an 74/100 Eco Rating score, a labeling scheme initiated by five leading European mobile operators which evaluates the environmental impact of the entire process of production, transportation, use and disposal of mobile phones.
- Fairphone is a member of the Right to Repair Campaign.
- Fairphone owns and supports various reuse and recycle programmes and projects such as our own Reuse and Recycle Program, E-Waste Races with Race Against Waste and responsible recycling from countries without environmentally sound recycling systems to ensure that your Fairphone device is sustainable from cradle to grave.
- Your Fairphone 5 is an electronic waste neutral smartphone. We will compensate 100% of sales by responsibly recycling an equal amount in weight of electronic waste or giving another phone a second life. Our electronic waste neutrality will be audited annually by a third party.
- Your Fairphone 5 comes in eco-friendly packaging, which means it is a plastic-free and paper-only box that is made from recycled paper while the internal sleeve is made with FSC-certified carton. Everything on the packaging is printed with vegetable ink. The packaging is optimized to use it as a package to send in an old device for our recycling program. To find out more about our Reuse and Recycle Program, please click here.
- The Fairphone 5 comes with more than 70% fair (focus) materials. We focus on 14 critical materials, where we see the biggest need for improvement and the largest opportunities to benefit people and planet. With Fairphone 5, Fairhone has further stepped up on our material sourcing as compared to Fairphone 4 and are taking responsibility for more of our material footprint. This includes:
- More recycled tin (from 50% to 64%)
- More recycled nickel (from 6% to 17%)
- More recycled zinc (from 9% to 33%)
- More recycled copper (from 2% to 39%)
- More recycled plastics (from 60% to 69%)
- First time to integrate recycled indium (from 0% to 77%)
- First time to integrate fair lithium (from 0% to 99%)
- 100% of our cobalt and silver footprints accounted for through the purchase of credits which directly benefit artisanal miners.
- The Fairphone 5 contains the following fair materials in its key components:
- The battery includes:
- 100% IRMA-assessed lithium
- 75% post-consumer recycled plastics in battery frame
- 100% recycled tin solder paste
- 80% recycled steel and nickel alloy
- Fairtrade gold integrated in the supply chain
- In addition, we account for 100% of the cobalt used in the battery by buying cobalt credits, which support the improvement of working conditions for artisanal cobalt miners in the DRC
- We also account for 100% of the silver contained in the battery through buying Fairmined silver credits, which support Fairmined certified artisanal miners
- The back cover contains 100% post-consumer recycled plastics for all the different Fairphone 5 back covers and colors
- The OLED display contains 100% pre-consumer recycled indium and 90% post-consumer recycled magnesium in the display frame, as well as 41% bio-circular recycled plastics
- The camera contains 100% (post-consumer) recycled plastics in the camera island and has Fairtrade gold in the supply chain
- The speaker contains 100% pre-consumer recycled rare earth elements and 100% recycled plastics for the speaker cover, and has Fairtrade gold in the supply chain
- The antenna contains 100% (post-consumer) recycled plastics (antenna cover)
- The board-to-board connectors contain Fairtrade gold in the supply chain
- The Printed Circuit Board (PCB) contains contains 100% (pre-consumer) recycled copper and Fairtrade gold in the supply chain
- The shielding contains 40% (pre-consumer) recycled alloy of copper, nickel and zinc
- The midframe contains of 100% (pre-consumer) recycled aluminum and has Fairtrade gold in the supply chain
- The solder paste consists of 100% (pre-consumer) recycled tin
- The vibration mechanism contains 100% fair mined tungsten
- The USB-C Port and the SIM slot have Fairtrade gold in their supply chains
- The battery includes:
- For the final manufacturing step of the Fairphone 5, the assembly of the device, renewable energy from certified sources is used through renewable energy credits. For the production of 2023, we will use the credit called Green Electricity Certificate (GEC) system. The system is designed and maintained by the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), which is an acknowledged credit trader for the location of our supplier and fulfilling the requirements of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol for renewable energy usage reporting. From 2024 on, the factory in Dongguan in which the Fairphone 5 battery is packaged will be powered with 100% renewable energy through contractual agreements with the city government’s renewable energy producer Guangzhou Electric Power Exchange (廣州電力交易所).
- The longer a smartphone is kept in use, the lower its environmental impact. The modular design of the Fairphone 5 allows for easy repairs. In addition, Fairphone offers an unprecedented 5 year hardware guarantee and 8 years of software support. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Fairphone 4 indicated that keeping that smartphone in use for 5 years reduces its CO2 footprint by 28% and keeping it in use for 7 years reduces its footprint by 40%. We expect similar results from the LCA of Fairphone 5 which we are currently working on and which will be published on our Resources and Policies webpage as soon as the report becomes available.
- Fairphone has set GHG (Greenhouse Gases) reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative, in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. Fairphone commits to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base year, and to measure and reduce its scope 3 emissions. It has also set voluntary goals;
- To become net-zero by 2045,
- To get 100% of tier 1 suppliers to set science-based targets for Scope 1, 2 and 3 by 2025,
- To get 30% of tier 2 suppliers to set science-based targets for Scope 1,2 and 3 by 2030, and
- 60% intensity reduction of business operation and downstream activities by 2030.
See Fairphone’s 2022 Impact Report page 78 for details.
- The assembly of the smartphone takes place at a manufacturer that has valid ISO14001 certification, validating it has proper environmental management systems in place.
With the product label ‘climate conscious’ Fairphone wants to show that we do our best to decrease the impact of our devices on climate change, without implying that the product does not have such an impact anymore. What Fairphone is doing falls into three categories:
- Avoiding emissions: A large proportion of a phone’s carbon emissions are related to its production. This means that we can avoid emissions when fewer smartphones are produced. To get there, we need to ensure that the Fairphone 5 can be used for longer than other smartphones. That’s why the phone is built to last – refer to section « Fair to You » for details. We report on the emissions avoided through Fairphones longer lifespans, from Fairphone 3, yearly in our Impact Report.
- Reducing emissions: By using recycled materials in our smartphones, we replace the production of new (so-called virgin) materials with materials which are already there. Usually, the production process of recycled materials needs notably less energy than the one associated with virgin materials. In this way, we reduce the emissions caused by the production of our devices. Furthermore, we work with Fairphone 5 suppliers to set Climate Targets and reduce emissions in their production processes. By the launch of Fairphone 5, our battery pack supplier succeeded in setting carbon reduction targets with the Science Based Targets initiative and will use 100% renewable energy from 2024 to power the factory in which the Fairphone 5 batteries are produced. Furthermore, our final assembly manufacturer produces Fairphone 5 using renewable energy from certified sources through renewable energy credits.
- Contributing to climate projects: We invest in Gold Standard certified projects in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo that are reducing CO2 emissions while contributing to the communities around the projects. Gold Standard sets the highest requirements for emission reduction projects to get certified.
The amount to which we finance these projects matches the remaining carbon emissions created by the lifecycle (production, shipping, use, and waste management when they’re end-of-life) of the phone. The amount of CO2 emissions of the full lifecycle will be calculated in a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) (a few weeks after launch). From launch, we will start investing in these projects, based on Fairphone 4’s carbon footprint. As soon as the Fairphone 5’s footprint is available, we will ensure that our contribution for every single Fairphone 5 (including the ones sold before) is in line with its calculated carbon footprint.
- Fairphone is constantly innovating ways to strengthen workers voice and move towards living wages for the people working in the electronics industry. Together with our suppliers, we are listening to workers and creating better working conditions with employee representation, income and growth opportunities. We organize supplier assessments including workers surveys and dialogue sessions and develop impact plans to improve the social and or environmental impact of the supplier. Fairphone’s Ways of Working Together and impact plans are incorporated in the contractual obligations of our suppliers. To find out more about the ways in which Fairphone invests in fairer factories, click here.
- The assembly of the Fairphone 5 takes place at a manufacturer which has valid SA8000 and ISO45001 certification in place, considered among the highest standards for safe and decent working conditions. Furthermore, the manufacturer does not use any of the chemicals listed on Towards Zero Exposure’s priority list, further helping to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
- In 2019, Fairphone was the first electronics company to support living wages in the supply chain. Fairphone increases the income of the people who assembled the Fairphone 5 via a living wage bonus. For each Fairphone 5, 1.99 USD goes to the assembly workers as a bonus. In previous years, this meant 1400 employees of Fairphone’s supplier would receive up to nearly one month of extra salary (see Fairphone’s 2022 and 2021 Impact Reports).
- Beyond Fairphone’s direct supplier, Fairphone now supports the employees of sub-suppliers of components with living wage bonuses, another industry first! An estimated 2,000 people working at the final assembly, battery, printed circuit board and vibration motor suppliers will receive a bonus through this program in 2023. Fairphone aims to extend this program to more component suppliers. Commitments Fairphone has already made include:
- Living wage bonus for people assembling the FP5 battery: 0.09 USD per battery
- Living wage bonus for people assembling the FP5 vibration motor: 0.06 USD per motor
- Living wage bonus for people assembling the FP5 PCB: 0.49 USD per PCB
- Beyond living wages, Fairphone supports suppliers and sub-suppliers in improving working conditions and environmental impact. Impact plans are developed based on workers’ needs and findings from assessments. Fairphone co-invests in capacity building training and better practices. Aggregated results of the impact plans are published on an annual basis in Fairphone’s Impact Report. In 2022, Fairphone worked with three final assembly manufacturers and five sub-suppliers of components to improve their social and environmental impact, see Fairphone’s 2022 Impact Report page 38 – 45. Fairphone is already engaged with four sub-suppliers of Fairphone 5 (battery, PCB, speaker, vibration motor) to improve the social and/ or environmental impact, while aiming to expand that to eight sub-suppliers of Fairphone 5 in 2023.
- Fairphone is a signatory of the Towards Zero Exposure program, a frontrunner initiative with the goal to ensure factory workers don’t get exposed to hazardous chemicals. The final assembly, battery suppliers do not use any of the high priority chemicals in their cleaners or solvents, helping to ensure a safe and healthy workplace.
- For the first time, our battery’s lithium is fully sourced from an Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) assessed mine. The mine was one of the first to be audited against the IRMA standard, which is the strongest, most encompassing and transparent global certification standard for the industrial mining sector.
- Fairphone co-founded and invests in the Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA) in order to improve working conditions in artisanal- and small-scale cobalt mines in the Democracti Republic of Congo (DRC), ensure better value retention and economic diversification for the miners and their communities, and remediate child labour. For the first time, we account for our full cobalt footprint by buying cobalt credits from the FCA’s partner mine. The premium from these credits is directly benefiting the miners’ cooperative in the DRC, and is invested in improving health and safety, working conditions, remediation of child labour and professionalisation of the cooperative.
- For the first time, we account for our full silver footprint by buying Fairmined Silver Credits.
- We are the first electronics company to have integrated Fairtrade certified gold into our supply chain and to pilot Fairmined Gold and Silver Credits as well as Cobalt Credits, which are invested into improving the conditions for artisanal-and small-scale miners of these materials.
- Fairphone sources its tungsten from a partner mine site in Rwanda, whose operator goes beyond conflict minerals compliance and also improved its performance on health and safety in the mine, better working conditions for employees and artisanal miners, community relations and benefits, as well as environmental protection.
- We support programmes to professionalize artisanal gold mining in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) with our partners The Impact Facility, Solidaridad and Chambers Federation and public donors such as the European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM) and the Dutch Government. These programmes aim at improving health and safety and environmental protection at the mine sites, increase local value retention for miners and their families, improve gender equality, and establish formal gold value chains from mine to international markets and downstream users like Fairphone.
- Fairphone participated in a coalition piloting unconditional cash transfers to miners’ families in villages near tin mine sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as an innovative way to address living income for artisanal and small-scale miners.
- Fairphone engages in due diligence on smelters and refiners of gold, tin, tungsten, tantalum, cobalt and mica. Our progress and results are published on an annual basis in Fairphone’s Supply Chain Engagement Report.
- As an enterprise, Fairphone is a leader in innovations around the development of responsible mined and recycled sources and supply chains, , and participates in programs towards integrating these responsible materials into our supply chain.
- Fairphone founded and is a member of the Fair Cobalt Alliance, and is an active member of the Responsible Lithium Partnership.
- Fairphone is a member of the Responsible Business Alliance, Responsible Mineral Initiative and participates in the Mineral Grievance Platform which is an online cross-industry platform designed to screen and address grievances linked to minerals supply chains.
- Fairphone participated in a coalition piloting unconditional cash transfers to miners’ families in villages near iTSCi-certified mine sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
- Fairphone is an active member and shares our best practices in the following platforms, including:
- Aluminum Stewardship Initiative (ASI)
- B Corporation
- Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN)
- European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM)
- European Raw Materials Alliance (ERMA)
- Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA)
- IDH’s Roadmap on Living Wages
- Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA)
- Living Wage and Income Lab
- MVO Nederland
- Responsible Business Alliance (RBA)
- Responsible Labor Initiative (RLI)
- Responsible Lithium Partnership (RLP)
- Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI)
- Right to Repair Campaign
- Social Enterprise NL
- UN Global Compact
- Towards Zero Exposure program
More information can be found in Fairphone’s 2022 Impact Report, page 48.