Challenges and opportunities in the sustainability of communication devices – an operator perspective exemplified by Deutsche Telekom AG

Considering that the communication devices (CD) segment only makes up just 7% of the yearly electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) waste, this means that there are no specific CD related sustainable measures, but just EEE generalized solutions. As such, this paper aims at exploring the critical factors for improving the sustainability as well as for the possible implementation of Circular Economy (CE) strategies for the CD segment along their entire supply chain. A wide range of factors pertaining to sustainability in the supply chain especially regarding the electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) market was gotten by means of an elaborate literature analysis. The factors are then compared to the present practices of the revenue leading telecommunications company in Europe, Deutsche Telekom AG (DTAG). From the literature review, we discovered a range of solutions a CD provider such as DTAG can use to improve the sustainability of its CD portfolio over the entire life cycle. These included ensuring that not only the communication company, but all the various suppliers follow sustainable practices such as Green Supply Chain Management or Closed Loop Supply Chain practices, and that they abide to the set of legislations and standardizations already in place for EEE such as REACH, RoHS, ISO 14004 and EPR. Good sustainable practice is also important, including the swapping of the present technologies for more sustainable ones and ensuring that SDGs are meet in the long run. Most of these methods and practices are already being implemented by the DTAG as part of their global strategy. In addition to an insight on the various concepts this industry should follow to ensure adequate implementation of CE, the study further provides suggestions as to strategies which could improve the sustainability of CDs