Imagine a world where we could recycle and reuse all the products we consume. The world would be a far cleaner, healthier and safer place to live. Today, the world is facing a garbage crisis, with more waste being generated than ever before. Environmental experts estimate 1.3. billion tonnes of solid waste is generated globally each year and this is expected to increase by 70 percent by 2050.
Yet, most of this waste is buried in the ground increasing pollution of water sources, while some of it is burned, consuming huge amounts of energy and emitting toxic gases. Poor waste disposal, has severe negative social, economic and health implications for humanity.
All is not lost thought. Reducing waste, for instance through recycling, is crucial to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals especially the goal on sustainable production and consumption. Recycling is the processing of materials that would otherwise end up in landfills into reusable items. By reducing the amount of waste, recycling significantly improves environmental health.
And apart from alleviating pollution, recycling also generates economic value by creating jobs and a market for recycled products. This is called the circular economy and it is something that manufacturing around the world are embracing. One of the companies at the forefront of this is HMD, home of Nokia phones. The company applies a circular approach throughout its operations like design, creation, and transportation, thereby reducing waste, increasing re-use and recycling.
It is this plus other efforts that have earned HMD a very impressive Platinum EcoVadis 2022 Sustainability Rating. The company is in the top 1% of businesses and 98 percentile of companies audited for their commitment to sustainable practices in the manufacturing of communications equipment.
EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, are evidence based and cover four sustainability themes: Environment, Labour and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement.
HMD Global’s mission is to bring the world together by providing reliable, and long-lasting products and services that don’t cost the earth.
The Platinum Rating signals the company’s advanced structured and proactive sustainability approach. This includes having engagements, policies and tangible actions on major issues concerning sustainability, which are further supported by detailed implementation information and targets.
For decades, Nokia phones have been known for legacy durability which is still HMD Global’s ethos today. In fact, Nokia devices are purposefully built to last longer with robust hardware and secure, up-to-date software that reduces risks and extends products’ lifespans.
Last year, HMD Global secured a Gold EcoVadis Rating.
We often discard things we no longer need, thinking they are worthless yet they contain reusable or recyclable materials. Extracting, processing and reusing such materials decreases pressure on natural resources required to manufacture products, enhancing the sustainability of ecosystems.
This is because the recycled materials scale down the need to produce new materials thus saving water, energy and other precious resources. It also cuts down on emissions hence promoting net zero production and consumption, that is, balancing between the amount of green-houses produced and those removed from the atmosphere.
