Nokia has announced that it plans to start selling refurbished phones as part of its environmental sustainability strategy. HMD Global (licensee of the Nokia brand for phones and tablets) recently published a report on the achievements of sustainable development for 2023. The report outlines some of the steps the company has taken to improve its sustainability profile. In addition to expanding its tree planting campaign, the company is now recycling Nokia phones for resale.

The commitment to sustainability has led Nokia to remove a number of accessories from its smartphone and tablet suite. While chargers and wired headphones are two of the most notable omissions, the brand continues to push for other sustainability initiatives. HMD said more than 418,000 trees have been planted to date, and the tree planting initiative has spread to other countries. The tree planting campaign is part of the partnership between HMD Global and Ecology.

Nokia has received many awards, including the Ecovardis Platinum Award 2023, which is given to leading companies around the world for its excellent sustainability practices. Thanks to the recycling of old Nokia phones, consumers will buy used devices in the UK and Germany. Nokia plans to expand its recycling program to other markets. This will enable customers to purchase used but durable Nokia phones at a lower price.

In addition, HMD will donate returned and refurbished phones to charities to keep them out of landfills. The company donated nearly 700 phones to people with limited digital capabilities. The company has also helped remove up to 3.5 tons of plastic from rivers.

HMD Global’s attempt to repair and sell used Nokia phones is currently linked to its operations in Europe. Nokia continues to maintain a strong presence in the European market, but is declining in some other markets. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how HMD Global expands this initiative to include other markets.