Virgin Mobile MEA launches plans that don’t cost the Earth
Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa (MEA) has launched a new app feature that enables its customers to offset the carbon footprint generated by their mobile phone usage – helping to help protect the planet.
Customers are invited to offset carbon emissions through a voluntary donation with purchases in the Virgin Mobile app. Any contributions will be matched or topped up by Virgin Mobile MEA’s operating companies as part of the mobile provider’s ongoing efforts to achieve carbon negativity. All proceeds will be invested in supporting sustainable green initiatives – such as planting thousands of trees in school locations through Carbon Footprint Ltd
“As the leading mobile virtual network operator in the region, we are an integral part of the economies in which we operate. We recently achieved net zero carbon emissions across all our operations by putting in place an annual emissions reduction programme and offsetting what we have not yet been able to reduce. This was a key milestone for the company and our ambitions. We are now committed to becoming a carbon negative business to really make an impact towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To do this, we are keen to provide our customers with a platform to join us on this journey,” commented Erik Dudman Nielsen, Founder and Group CEO at Virgin Mobile MEA.
A lot of energy is required to run the data centres that allow you to post a selfie, watch a video or just make a phone call – and that’s why Virgin Mobile MEA is encouraging customers to offset the carbon from their mobile use. According to carbon footprint expert Mike Berners-Lee, in his book ‘How Bad Are Bananas?’, the 7.7 billion mobile phones in use in 2020 had a footprint of roughly 580 million tonnes of CO2 – approximately 1% of all global emissions. He also calculated that someone who uses their phone for 10 hours a day contributes approximately 86kg of CO2 emissions a year.
Customers are being influenced by companies’ sustainability commitments, according to research carried out by Virgin Mobile’s operating companies in the region. In KSA, 73% of people said that they would change their purchasing habits to support companies that focus on sustainable, eco-friendly business. And 72% of people said that they were willing to contribute financially to projects that are designed to offset carbon emissions.
Nielsen added: “The climate crisis is, and should be, on the minds of every person, business, and government because the journey to a greener future is one that is impossible to make alone. As a digital-first brand, we have built a business where sustainability is deeply rooted in our culture. Through this app feature, we are making it easier for the communities in which we operate to contribute towards broader sustainability goals.”
Visit Virgin Mobile MEA to find out more and offset your mobile usage now.
