Advance circular economy

We have no reason to keep doing business as usual. But we have all the reasons to enter the age of resourcefulness. This is why we are committed to making the shift to a circular economy. In our own operations, as well as being a driving force of circularity in our industry and in society as a whole. 

For Tele2, advancing the circular economy means extending the life of products, increasing reuse, and rethinking ownership models. Phones, routers, and TV boxes shouldn’t end up as waste, they should be part of a loop where value is kept alive. By making it easier for customers to return, reuse, and recycle, we can reduce emissions, cut costs, and unlock new business opportunities.  

We can clearly see the possibilities of this shift, witnessing a rising demand for circular products and services. We are proud and excited about our vision of Tele2 as an enabler in a society where wastelessness is the new normal. 

Our Goals 

In March 2022, we became the first telecommunications company in Sweden to publicly commit to 100% circularity for network equipment. Advancing circular economy means improving our value chain’s use of natural resources by 1) putting pressure on suppliers, 2) increasing reuse of hardware and 3) collecting e-waste from customers for recycling.  

Our mid and long-term goals are: 

• Recycle or reuse 25% of distributed phones by 2027, and 30% by 2030 

• Reuse 50% of routers by 2025 and 100% of TV boxes by 2025 

• Drive measurable growth in revenue from circular business models (e.g. device-as-a-service, refurbished devices) 

Examples of our efforts and actions 

Circular business models 

We are continuously developing our circular business models to create value for our customers while also closing the loop and keeping valuable materials in play.  

During the use-phase, Tele2 has introduced Device as-a-Service (DaaS) to our B2B Large Enterprise customers, a circular leasing service offering to close the loop with reuse and recycling of hardware. The products have a strict life cycle of 12, 18 or 24 months to ensure they can be reused in a second cycle in another market. At the end of the life cycle all products are returned, ensuring none are left in a desk drawer in someone’s office. More than 90 percent of collected mobile phones can be refurbished and reused while the rest are recycled using ISO-certified processes. In the end, customers can significantly save on their total cost of hardware by using our DaaS solution. By offering this service we are meeting a growing customer demand and reducing e-waste, thus creating both business and sustainability value. 

When our customers’ hardware reaches end-of-life we also offer various take-back programs that enables us to reuse and expand the lifecycle of mobile phones, customer premise equipment and network equipment. 

Cross-sectoral collaboration 

Tele2 recognises that circular economy strategies require collective action across the value chain. As part of its commitment to industry-wide collaboration, Tele2 is engaged in initiatives that promote greater material circularity. Tele2 continues to lead the GSMA Circular Economy Project for Mobile Phones, a global industry initiative aimed at improving circularity in mobile devices. Through this collaboration, Tele2 has contributed to the joint industry commitment to take back at least 30% of all distributed mobile phones by 2030.  

Read more here.

Other focus areas