“We Need the Phones You Don’t” campaign by Vodafone and WWF

The latest collaboration in Vodafone and WWF’s One Million Phones for the Planet campaign captures Po the panda peeking into a cupboard, Obi the ostrich rummaging through a drawer and Gertrude the giraffe poking around in an attic.

Animals and phones are brought together to encourage people to donate their unused phones for responsible recycling, helping to protect our environment. The campaign aims to encourage the public to mimic the animals’ behaviours, ‘exploring every drawer’ in their home to unearth and donate unused phones.

‘We need the phones you don’t’ creative development by Design Bridge & Partners and Garrigosa Studio

“This playful campaign is an optimistic take on an important environmental issue: the unused and forgotten phones we have around our homes have real value to the environment when recycled. As well as sparking a bit of joy, we hope Obi, Gertrude and Po make our audience reconsider the importance of storing old phones and inspire more people to donate their devices as a gift to WWF and nature.”

Anne Stiling, Head of Brand & Media, Vodafone Group

“Donating your old phone is a simple way to reduce the impact of your everyday tech and generate funds for global conservation. Thank you to everyone who’s handed in a device so far – these donations have already been turned into cash that’s helping WWF protect species and habitats around the world. If you think you’ve got an old phone somewhere at the back of a drawer, please consider digging it out and helping us achieve one million phones for our planet.”

Kate Norgrove, Executive Director of Conservation, Advocacy & Policy, WWF UK

‘We need the phones you don’t’ creative development by Design Bridge & Partners and Garrigosa Studio

Vodafone’s three-year partnership with WWF started in November 2022 with the aim of using technology to help overcome sustainability and conservation challenges, and help people make more sustainable choices.

One Million Phones for the Planet is the flagship initiative of the global partnership, launched in response to the current reality that an estimated 5 billion unused phones exist in the world. By joining forces, Vodafone and WWF wanted to promote a shift towards a more sustainable circular economy, a concept that emphasises the importance of reusing, recycling, and reducing waste. Encouraging the donation of old and forgotten phones was an accessible and actionable place to start engaging consumers.

‘We need the phones you don’t’ creative development by Design Bridge & Partners and Garrigosa Studio

So far, more than half a million unwanted phones have been collected. Each phone generates £1 towards WWF conservation projects across the world focused on addressing the climate and nature crisis. Funds generated from this initiative are helping to find solutions so that future generations have a world with thriving habitats and wildlife.

Vodafone also directly funds and works with the WWF teams in Germany, South Africa, Greece and the UK on a range of research, conservation and business focused activities. Some examples include, how we're working with WWF to tackle human-wildlife conflict with new solution and using an AI-based warning system to protect whales in South Africa.

Anyone can participate in the One Million Phones for the Planet initiative by handing in their unwanted phones through one of Vodafone’s recycling, donation, or trade-in programmes.