Fairphone shows that smartphones can be made more ethically and sustainably through fair sourcing, responsible manufacturing, repairability, and longer product lifecycles.
Its main strength is modular design, allowing users to replace parts like batteries and screens instead of replacing the whole phone, reducing e-waste.
The biggest challenge is cost—ethical production makes Fairphone more expensive than competitors like Apple and Samsung. The key issue is balancing sustainability values with growth and competitiveness in a price-sensitive market.
Fairphone tests whether responsible business can succeed in the global electronics industry.
Mandeville building
Office: T7-30
Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
3062 PA Rotterdam
The Netherlands