The most radical thing a smartphone company can do is stop pushing upgrades.
Monique Lempers, Chief Impact Officer at Fairphone, joins Sven Steinert to explore what it takes to build a responsible electronics business in an industry driven by short lifecycles and constant replacement.
Monique explains how Fairphone treats longevity as a core KPI, designing smartphones to last through modular hardware and long software support. But extending product life is only the starting point. The deeper challenge sits in the value chain, where minerals are mined, processed, and too often left out of the sustainability conversation.
Together, they unpack why responsible electronics can’t be fixed with audits or isolated supplier standards. Monique explains why Fairphone chose a minerals book-and-claim model, a pragmatic way to take responsibility for mining impacts where physical control ends. She also challenges simplistic ideas of circularity, arguing that durability, circular design, and responsible mining must move forward together.
You’ll learn:
1. Why breaking the upgrade cycle is a strategic sustainability lever 2. How Fairphone uses longevity as a core business KPI 3. Why collaboration matters more than supplier standards 4. How minerals book-and-claim works when traceability fails 5. Why circular electronics is a long game, not a quick win
About the host Sven Steinert: Sven Steinert is the CEO of SUSTAINX | The Sustainability Leaders Community, and Managing Partner at H&Z Management Consulting. To Sven, sustainability is not just a buzzword – it’s about making real changes for a sustainable future. His goal is to help companies reduce their environmental footprint and embrace circularity. Sven is passionate about ice hockey, and exploring new cultures to enrich his understanding of the world and diverse ways of life.
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