In celebration of Earth Day, Vodafone Germany has announced a major milestone for their One for One program – 2.7 million scrap phones collected!
That’s 154 tons of e-waste from which precious metals like copper, silver, and gold are recovered for re-use.
Launched in mid-2022 as part of Vodafone’s circular promise, One for One offers customers a simple promise: for every new phone sold, a broken one is collected and responsibly recycled from countries lacking proper waste management infrastructure.
In just 2.5 years, the initiative has grown into a globally recognised circularity success story, winning four prestigious awards for its communication and impact, including the SABRE Award for Best DACH Campaign in 2025.
The power of human storytelling
Vodafone’s One for One campaign has made circularity an understandable customer story. Exemplified by their documentary from Ghana, this is proof that simplicity, tangible results, and human stories at the forefront are a powerful way to connect with your customers.
The partnership has gone beyond environmental and social impact. Since its launch, One for One has helped:
- Turn sustainability into a brand and communications success, earning Vodafone Germany four industry awards
- Enable thousands of living wages for local e-waste collectors
- Accelerate the opening of Nigeria’s first e-waste smelter
- Expand into new waste streams, including battery collection and recycling
With millions of phones already collected, this partnership continues to prove that circularity can be simple, scalable, and commercially meaningful.
Congratulations to everyone involved!
