Protecting the Planet
We're cutting our carbon emissions and electronic waste and helping our customers do the same.
Net zero carbon emissions
We're working to cut carbon emissions from our UK operations to net zero by 2027.
We're investing millions into energy-efficient equipment; powering our network, offices and stores with 100% renewable electricity; and ensuring our fleet vehicles are all electric.
We're also working with our suppliers to significantly reduce their emissions. By 2040, Vodafone will be net zero across its full carbon footprint globally.
Reduce, reuse, and recycle electronic waste
Network equipment
We reuse, recover or recycle 100% of our network waste. Our business-to-business marketplace lets us re-sell decommissioned network equipment to other businesses.
Refurbished phones
Kind to your pocket, kinder to the planet, kinda perfect. We're the UK's only major network to offer a two-year warranty with every Pay monthly refurbished phone.
Broadband routers
Find out how we're helping customers to recycle their broadband routers and other electronic equipment.
Joining forces with WWF
We've partnered with WWF to help reduce electronic waste and promote a more circular economy for mobile devices.
Our campaign, 'one million phones for the planet', encourages people and businesses across the UK to hand in their old phones and tablets to be traded in or donated to social causes
For every device handed in, we'll donate £1 to WWF conservation projects across the world.
Tech to help our customers
We're committed to helping our customers save 350 million tonnes of CO2e over the next decade.
We estimate that our Internet of Things solutions have helped save 22.7 million tonnes of CO2e globally since 2020.
Protect UK forests and tackle climate change
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Forest Research are helping us explore how technology can monitor the role trees play in tackling climate change.
Legal terms
100% of the grid electricity that Vodafone uses in its European network is certified to be from renewable sources like wind, solar or hydro.
Vodafone has direct Power Purchase Agreements in the UK and Spain.
In Italy, Germany, Ireland, Hungary, Romania, Spain, Greece, Turkey and Czech Republic, Vodafone has sourced Renewable Energy Certificates ('RECs') or tariffs.
In Albania, approximately 67% of electricity consumption is sourced from local renewable sources, and Vodafone has purchased the equivalent of the remaining annual consumption in the form of RECs through our partner in Italy.
Buying a refurbished phone has a lower carbon footprint than buying a new one
Substantiation:
A life cycle assessment study (Pamminger, R., Glaser, S. and Wimmer, W., Modelling of different circular end-of-use scenarios for smartphones. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment (2021) 26:470-482) found that a refurbished phone (used for an average 1.93 years) can have a 55% lower contribution to climate change (or 'GWP') compared to a new phone (used for 2.5 years) (according to the study results shown on page 479).
Based on this study, buying and using a refurbished phone can be considered to be kinder to the planet in comparison to buying and using a new phone, because it has a lower negative impact on climate change.
See a consumer-friendly report of the study [PDF: 177KB]
For the full study, see the Springer Link website