Hi there, this is an image of a Fairphone, which is an environmentally conscious smartphone. The phone is displayed with a rear view and a front view, the image of the front of the phone is a set of fairground swings on a sky blue background. In the background of the image are some blurred out green leaves. Across the top of the image is a green band with the text 'Is it a Fair Phone?' And in the bottom right hand corner is the Simpatico logo.

Are Fairphones really more environmentally friendly?

The Fairphone 5 has been dubbed the most environmentally friendly phone on the market right now, and so today we’re reviewing how accurate that really is. Spoiler; it really is all it chalks up to be, but if you’re a new phone addict, this might not be for you.

What is the Fairphone?

Fairphone is a smartphone company branded as sustainable and ethical, and is based in Amsterdam. The Fairphone 5, their most sustainable phone to date, was released in 2023.

Why might businesses be interested in the Fairphone mobile?

Businesses might like to have more environmentally friendly mobile phones because they are genuinely concerned about their carbon footprint. The Fairphone, marketed as more sustainable than others, will help companies to achieve this. An extra bonus is that it will help businesses to meet corporate social responsibilities.

If the environmental benefits aren’t exciting you, how about the fact that Fairphones are designed to last longer (at least five years). This could offer a more cost-effective way to replace your business handsets, making them an economical choice with added green kudos.  The Fairphone would also be more brand-congruent for organisations and charities with an environmental focus.

For those businesses with an environmental focus, you can to see our other tips on how to make your business mobiles more green.

How is it sustainable?

Fairphone won Best Mobile Innovation for Climate Action at the Mobile World Congress in March 2024. In their 2023 Impact Report, they shared some stats for us:

  • 76% of the 14 focus materials used are sustainably sourced in the Fairphone 5. 
    • (To compare to the current iPhone 15 Pro, whereby 20% of this phone’s materials are sourced sustainably or are recycled)
  • 29 tons of e-waste was avoided in 2023
  • 944 tons of CO2e was avoided
  • 100% of their suppliers use 100% renewable electricity 
  • They use fairtrade gold and silver, a first for any smartphone company

The company sells replacement parts of all kinds, including internal parts such as the USB-C port, and even the camera; the phone is modular by design so when the time comes for an inevitable breakage, the phone can easily be opened up and parts replaced at home by yourself. This process greatly reduces the amount of e-waste produced from consumers throwing away their old phones at the slightest lag or crack.

The Fairphone 5 comes with eight years of software updates, and a 5 year warranty, so the idea is that you are not destined to trade in your phone after 2 years, but are actively encouraged to keep it for as long as possible.  The longer a smartphone is kept in use, the lower its impact on the environment.

Undeniably, the Fairphone is far more sustainable than that of any smartphone produced before it, and aims to encourage and demonstrate how smartphones can be produced far more sustainably than that of current manufacturers such as Samsung or Apple. 

Any downsides?

If you’re big of upgrading your phone regularly when a new model has been released, the Fairphone is probably not for you: it’s designed to be with you for a long time. 

In a BBC review of the Fairphone in November 2023, it was highlighted that despite 76% of the 14 focus materials being sustainably sourced, a total of 40 materials are actually used in the manufacturing of this phone, and so progress is needed to ensure the usage of more sustainably sourced material – the mining of rare earth elements used by all mobile phone companies has a significant environmental impact.

How does it actually perform?

As far as the actual phone functions, it does everything you would reasonably expect it to do. The few minor complaints include an occasionally sluggish performance, a less than exceptional camera quality, and slightly less dust and water resistance than that of current competitors. 

On the upside, because the back of the phone is not made of glass, it is less prone to breakages.  And the new Fairphone 5 has finally been given an OLED screen, unlike previous models, giving the screen a bright and sharp look, and it has a battery capacity that can last all day.