Vodafone and WWF hit one million phone collection raising £1m for conservation

Vodafone Group has collected one million unused mobile phones generating £1 million in funding for environmental projects across Europe and Africa. 

The “One Million Phones for the Planet” campaign, launched in November 2022, encouraged people to trade in, donate or recycle old devices, with Vodafone contributing £1 per handset collected.

Funds raised through the campaign are supporting WWF programmes ranging from habitat restoration to species protection and community initiatives.

Projects backed include marine habitat restoration in the UK, wildlife coexistence programmes in East Africa, and marine conservation efforts in Greece. WWF is also using the funding to support wider global initiatives, including biodiversity protection in South America and freshwater ecosystem monitoring in Brazil.

Vodafone said the campaign demonstrates how consumer participation can support sustainability and commercial circular economy models, including refurbishment and resale.

Joakim Reiter, Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer at Vodafone Group, said the initiative highlights how “small, everyday actions” can translate into measurable environmental and financial impact.

Tanya Steele, CEO of WWF-UK (below), said the partnership demonstrates the potential of collaboration between the telecoms sector and environmental organisations to deliver “global impact” through consumer engagement.

Vodafone has committed to reaching net zero emissions across its value chain by 2040, with device circularity and e-waste reduction playing a key role in that strategy.

The company said it will continue to expand initiatives that encourage reuse and recycling, as part of efforts to build a more sustainable mobile ecosystem.