Kingfisher to launch global sustainability initiative at SXSW
Mobile experience company Kingfisher will be SXSW’s climate and sustainability track host, and is set to launch a new global sustainability initiative next week.
The announcement:
Innovative next-gen mobile experience (MX) company Kingfisher is proud to announce its role as Climate and Sustainability Track Host for the inaugural SXSW Sydney 2023 (October 15-20), bringing together inspired thinkers, creators, and tech and innovation leaders to share their future-forward solutions.
With Kingfisher’s own plans to help rid the world of billions of unloved mobile phones by transforming the way people buy, own and trade-in mobile devices, the company will officially launch its game-changing new global sustainability initiative at SXSW Sydney 2023.
“The goal for us at Kingfisher is to revolutionise mobile device ownership experiences, and drive circularity in the global mobile industry,” Georgiann Reigle, Kingfisher Co-Founder and CEO, said.
“Our exciting new initiative is designed to give carriers and their customers greater value and choice with less waste, while also tackling the issue of disposability.”
In a world where there are more than double the number of mobile devices than there are people, last year an estimated 5.3 billion perfectly usable mobile phones were discarded worldwide contributing to 50 million tonnes of e-waste – that’s equivalent to the weight of all the commercial airplanes ever made.
And with 51% of people globally believing the electronics sector is not doing enough to reduce, reuse and recycle waste, experts say the industry needs to implement rapid change to be more sustainable, responsive and responsible.
“Kingfisher is dedicated to optimising the lifecycle of mobile devices,” Reigle said. “Our mission is to drive behavioural change to ensure 100% of mobile phones are refurbished, recycled and returned to circulation.”
In the first of two SXSW Sydney 2023 panel discussions, Kingfisher co-founder and CEO Georgiann Reigle will unveil the company’s bold plans to transform the mobile experience economy in the discussion, The Mobile Revolution: Your Role in Powering Our Planet’s Future.
Joining Georgiann are leading experts from the circular economy: Andy Ridley, powerhouse CEO of Earth Hour and Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef; and Mike Smith, the single-use plastic warrior from Zero Co; along with moderator and tech expert, Charlie Brown.
“The mobile phone situation is such a blatant example of wasted resources,” said Andy Ridley.
“This issue is a global issue on a massive level which sort of personifies the consumer-driven sustainability issues…and, yet, what Kingfisher will propose is a commercial model to drive sustainability and to drive better use of resources – that’s why I’m interested in it.”
In the company’s second SXSW Sydney 2023 panel, New to Renew: The Circular Revolution, Kingfisher’s CCO and co-founder, Hastings Singh, will be joined by Lottie Dalziel, 2023 NSW Young Australian of the Year and CEO of sustainability outfit Banish AU; and Brooke Eckhorn, Head of Fashion at eBay; along with moderator, sustainable fashionista and author, Clare Press.
Hear from them as they share how they are actively working towards driving truly circular business models that address real world needs to reshape the tech, fashion and FMCG industries on a massive scale.
Source: Eck Factor
