Originally starting out as an awareness campaign regarding the use of conflict minerals in electronic devices, Fairphone is a social enterprise company that strives to create a positive impact on the electronics industry by developing smartphones that are environmentally sustainable and free from conflict minerals.
Conflict minerals are defined as natural resources that have been extracted from war zones, which are then sold to fund further violence. Typically comprised of tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold ore, the conflict minerals are then used to manufacture electronic devices such as phones and computers.
By creating a smartphone free from conflict minerals, Fairphone’s goal and vision is to make “a positive impact across the value chain in mining, design, manufacturing and life cycle, while expanding the market for products that put ethical values first.”
With transparency at the forefront of Fairphone’s goal in developing a trusting relationship with consumers, Fairphone has published a comprehensive list of all their suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. Fairphone has also published a cost breakdown of their latest phone model called Fairphone 2.
Fairphone 2 is designed with replaceable modules, making the phone easily repairable and upgradable. Instead of just throwing out a broken phone and buying a new one, Fairphone enables consumers to repair their own phones by offering spare parts such as display modules and batteries.
Some key specs that the Fairphone 2 offers include two SIM slots, 32 GB with an option of SD card for another 64 GB, and the Android™ 6.0 Marshmallow operating system.
To learn more about Fairphone, click the link below.
