Dutch social enterprise disrupts mobile phone market through values and transparency
The first smartphone designed and produced by putting social values first showcases
this week during the London Design Festival. Starting September 18th the Dutch social
enterprise, Fairphone, hosts a two-day Pop-Up Space where people can learn about the
considerable challenges faced in the processes behind production, meet the team who has
made it all happen and be the first to hold a Fairphone prototype.
15,000 people have already pre-ordered this new smartphone online without ever holding
one in their own hands, making this crowd-funded movement more than just a phone. These
conscious buyers are part of a movement of consumers who are buying politically and want
to change the way products are made.
Bas van Abel, Fairphone's Founder and CEO: "We've opened up parts of the supply chain,
dug into the details of making a smartphone. Our first edition Fairphone has sparked a
movement of people and organisations that together are working on creating an economy
based on fairer principles. Our values-based approach to production, while not perfect,
wants to disrupt the focus on technology-centred improvement. Doing so means redesigning
the product and the processes behind our global economy by putting people and the
environment first. Although our first phone is enabling some early stage interventions
that we're proud of, these are only the first steps on our journey to systemic change."
For a few days in the heart of Soho, there will be a Fairphone microcosm with our
software partners from Kwamecorp. Pop by and you'll be able to get an insight into why we
embarked on the journey, how the phone is built, what it's made of, and how you can repair
it yourself (easier than you'd think!). Live demonstrations and presentations, urban
mining and design workshops, a hackathon by partners Kwamecorp, the RSA's Great Recovery
Project, Forum of the Future and the Restart Project. Full programme here
[http://www.fairphone.com/2013/09/09/fairphone-pop-up-space-london ].
Get to grips with the concept and you'll begin to understand Fairphone's mantra: "If
you can't open it, you don't own it."
Location
Fairphone Pop-Up Space
Kwamecorp Showroom:
94 Berwick Street
W1F 0QF London
CONTACT: Press contacts: Tessa Wernink, +31-6-11-42-94-29, tessa@fairphone.com ; Karien Stroucken: +44(0)7541243797, kariens@fairphone.com. Fairphone began in 2009 when we decided to approach the mobile phone industry from a whole different angle. We wanted to get inside, figure out what it was made of and who contributed to creating a device we use every day - and then do it better, step-by-step. Fairer, more responsibly and completely transparent. http://www.fairphone.com. Fairphone is part of the Guardian's Social Enterprise Network (http://www.theguardian.com/social-enterprise-network/2013/jul/08/fairphone-electronics-get-ethical). Up-to-Date News: please read our blog (http://www.fairphone.com/blog/). Photos and Videos: Flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairphone) for hi-res (product) images & logos: Vimeo campaign film: https://vimeo.com/66409578