giffgaff is up to good

As a fellow B Corp, The Big Issue was proud to partner with giffgaff late last year – resulting in vendors across the country benefitting from the company’s high-quality refurbished phones. giffgaff announced its B Corp certification in April 2023, but the values behind the certification have been built into the brand since it was established as a digital-only company in 2009.

“The original operating model was always about considering the planet alongside everything we do,” explains Ash Schofield, who has been CEO of giffgaff since 2018. “Being digital-only enabled us to have a very light carbon footprint. We wanted to ignite the advocacy of the people who we were serving to spread the word about giffgaff, rather than open shops which contribute to an enormous carbon footprint.”

After the concept of B Corp came onto the company’s radar like a perfect fit. “We liked the idea of applying a higher level of standards to what we do,” Ash says. “Rather than just trying to do the right thing, we wanted to make sure that all the due diligence was embedded into the company – that we are committed to making decisions based on people, planet and profit.”

One of the most significant ways that giffgaff shares the principles of being a B Corp with customers is via its refurbished phone offering. giffgaff started selling refurbished phones in late 2014, and is now one of the top UK mobile phone networks for refurbs, accounting for around 70% of its overall hardware sales. Anyone can trade in their old phone with giffgaff, helping reduce e-waste and prolonging the life of unused tech.

“When you buy a refurbished phone, you’re extending the life of a handset and getting it for a really good price,” says Ash. “The phones are priced differently depending on whether you want one that looks like new, or you’re happy with something that looks like it’s had a bit of tough life. They all work well and we guarantee that each one has at least 80% battery health.” And it’s not just the phones themselves that are good for the environment – they’re sent in slimline cardboard packaging that’s made from 100% FSC-accredited MIX cardboard, a combination of sustainably sourced and recycled material.

“We’re proud that we’ve helped make refurb phones cool,” says Ash. “They’re a really smart, savvy choice – both because they’re significantly cheaper and because they have significantly less impact on the environment.”

“Being digital-only enabled us to have a very light carbon footprint. We wanted to ignite the advocacy of the people who we were serving to spread the word about giffgaff”

Ash Schofield

With all the technological advances happening in the telecom space, where does Ash see the future of sustainable phone use? “We launched our eSIM capability last year,” says Ash, of the new technology where SIM cards are embedded directly into phones. “It’s going to take a while for it to roll out because not everyone has an eSIM-enabled phone, but over time, it means we’ll be able to stop sending out physical SIMs altogether, and people can just switch to giffgaff directly through their phones.”

Because giffgaff is operating on a big scale, with over four million members in the UK, every adjustment contributes to a collective change. “With eSIMs, there’s no longer bits of plastic being produced and distributed,” Ash continues. “So we’re saving everything from the plastic itself, to the packaging, to the shipping – significantly reducing the carbon footprint. It sounds like it’s a little thing, but for a business like ours, it’s an enormous thing that we can make a contribution with. One customer at a time, we’re giving people better options and helping change the market for good.”

Becoming a B Corp isn’t just a one-time thing. Companies have to be reassessed thoroughly every three years to keep their certification – which means giffgaff is constantly making sure that environmental and social standards are being improved. “We love that tension, that nothing’s ever finished and you always want to make it better,” he adds. “It makes sure that it’s not a badging exercise; it’s cultural and it needs to be embedded right into the business, with all those checks and balances in place to keep you to account.”

Ash is proud that giffgaff is one of the 1,900+ B Corps in the UK, but stresses that he wants to use that influence to inspire other businesses to work towards the certification too.

“I think we’re all in the business of staying relevant as brands, and we need to make sure that we have a sustainable model,” he says. “Becoming a B Corp has to be right at the heart of your thinking. It’s not a bolt-on thing. We want to demonstrate that there is a better, more sustainable way of doing things that can deliver value for our individual customers, but also for society. We would urge all businesses to adopt a similar mindset.”

“Becoming a B Corp has to be right at the heart of your thinking. It’s not a bolt-on thing.”

In the meantime, whether you’re a customer or not, Ash encourages you to do something for yourself and the planet by recycling your old phone with giffgaff – and getting some cash in return. “Let’s make sure that we get the maximum lifetime out of these devices. It’s good for your pocket and the environment.”

According to giffgaff’s research, more than 100 million old phones are lying unused in homes across the UK. “People kind of want a back-up phone – but when you’ve been through the upgrade cycle a few times, maybe you don’t need two back-up phones,” says Ash. When you trade in your old phone with giffgaff you get cash – and tech that might be otherwise hoarded or thrown away gets to be used again.

A step-by-step guide to what happens when you recycle your phone with giffgaff.

According to giffgaff’s research, more than 100 million old phones are lying unused in homes across the UK. “People kind of want a back-up phone – but when you’ve been through the upgrade cycle a few times, maybe you don’t need two back-up phones,” says Ash.
When you trade in your old phone with giffgaff you get cash – and tech that might be otherwise hoarded or thrown away gets to be used again. Here’s a step-by-step guide to what happens when you recycle your phone with giffgaff.

1. Find out how much your phone could be worth
   What’s great is that anyone can check the price of their old device and sell it via giffgaffrecycle.com.
2. Delete any personal data from your device.
   Remove your SIM and any memory (microSD) cards. It’s recommended that you send it via recorded delivery if it’s high value.
3. Get paid, fast
   On the same day that giffgaff processes and checks your old phone, they’ll send the money to your account.
4. Could your phone could be refurbished?
   To sell on to someone else so they get a great phone and save some pennies at the same time (you’ll both be contributing to a circular economy too).
5. Or used for parts?
   With the help of trusted partners the useful minerals, metals etc will be removed and the rest of the phone is disposed of responsibly.
   
   Find out more about how to recycle your phone with giffgaff at www.giffgaffrecycle.com