Creating a
Circular Economy
Zero waste future – we’re committed to achieving zero waste operations and products by 2025
Circular by design – we’re enabling 10 million circular actions for consumers to take, which will help tackle e-waste by 2025.
Connectivity’s already transforming the way we live our lives, and it has the potential to play a vital role in a zero carbon, more circular future. But we also know that in today’s digitally connected world, Earth’s resources are drained to create electrical devices – contributing to the increasing challenge of e-waste, which is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. In fact, just 20% of e-waste is currently being recycled, with millions of devices still being hoarded in drawers, attics and garages all over the country.
That’s why we’re committing to helping create a more circular society – by achieving zero waste operations and products by 2025, and inspiring people to live more circular lives by enabling 10 million circular actions for consumers to tackle e-waste by 2025.
Our commitments
- We’ll deliver zero waste operations by making sure over 95% of operational waste is recycled and less than 5% goes to incineration
- We’ll deliver on our commitment to zero waste products
- 100% of customer packaging for own-branded products are widely recyclable and contains no single-use plastic by 2025
- We’ll reuse or recycle 100% of all returned customer and network equipment
- We’ll maximise our recycled kit and reuse it to build out our network
- We’ll create a step change in consumer awareness of e-waste and everyday actions to tackle it
- We’ll extend the life of devices through circular solutions – repairing, recycling and reselling refurbished devices
- We’ll take a ‘reuse-first’ approach to our branded products and rely less on raw materials in new products
How we’ll get there
- Continuing to deploy our industry-leading customer product take-back scheme and increase take up of O2 Recycle
- Collaborating with our suppliers to deliver zero waste outcomes for our operations and products
- Designing more circular products and accessories, including recycled content, design for easier repair and refurbishment and explore more innovative solutions to reduce the use of raw materials
- Creating circular business solutions that increase, and incentivise us to, take back, repair, refurbish and reuse our kit – extending the life of consumer and business products
- Launching consumer education and awareness campaigns to demystify e-waste, reduce hoarding and give electricals a second life
- Expanding solutions to help get second-hand devices out to communities that need them