Sustainable Business - Sustainability Leaders Awards

Technology Product design 2/4 the industry has been more reluctant to accept the idea. "You have a couple of big companies that have all the power that probably don't like the concept but the manufacturers who build the components are open to the idea of a more open market. "For example a company that makes the screens or a company that makes the cameras are very reliant on companies such as Apple to get their components into the latest Apple product," he adds. According to Hakkens, the concept will not only reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing mobile phones it will help the economy and spread the wealth across the supply chain. "These manufacturers want to see a more open market where they can sell their products freely to consumers so that not all the profits go to one big multinational. It's an economical way of spreading the wealth across the supply chain and allowing more companies to become profitable," he adds. A similar mobile phone idea, called WandUlar, led by sustainability thinktank Forum for the Future (FFTF), looks at the "emotional durability" of technology. According to FFTF, people who feel "emotionally connected with products tend to keep them longer". The principles behind FFTF's 'device for life' concept include the user experience; the physical appearance; the hardware; the software; and the business model. "We know that the business model of personal mobile devices is both unsatisfactory and unsustainable. Business models shouldn't be based on filling the world with more stuff. We've explored how personal electronics businesses could move from a product to a service-based business model," says FFTF. But is this concept too good to be true? Many in the telecommunications industry think so, including the very man who invented the mobile phone, Martin Cooper. Cooper recently told CNN that the concept was "well-meaning" but "the main reason that the Phoneblok will not hit the market is it will cost more, be bigger and heavier, and be less reliable". "By the time it could be brought to market, the problem that engendered it will be gone," he said. With the value of listed companies in the telecoms sector hitting around 5% of the global stock market, the industry has quietly expressed distaste for taking on a completely new device concept that it believes could potentially change an economically successful business model. Agreeing with Cooper, O2's head of environmental sustainability, Gareth Rice says it's a "very nice idea" but he

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