Redeem already handles used phones from O2 consumers – to date, it has processed over 500,000 mobiles for O2 Recycle, making it the largest mobile phone recycler in Europe.

The new service, O2 Recycle for Business, will see Redeem’s operations expand to incorporate corporate mobile phones and electronic equipment for O2 commercial customers.

As part of this drive, Redeem has developed a new mobile site for O2, believed to be a world first, which uses automatic mobile phone detection to determine which brand and model of mobile is being used – then automatically offers a recycling price for that device on the spot.

O2’s head of environment Gareth Rice said the company’s long-standing relationship with Redeem was instrumental in it securing the new contract.

“Now we will be tackling business phones with a well proven recycling service, helping companies do good for the environment and raise money for good causes whilst providing a reliable office recycling solution,” he said.

Under the service, Redeem gives O2 fully audited and legislative compliance to meet its sustainability objectives. Redeem’s own CSR programme and ethical supply chain standards are designed to support mobile operators’ CSR programmes and environment initiatives.

Redeem’s director of commercial development Simon Dunn said that in a recent survey, over 90% of O2’s customer’s stated they were “extremely satisfied with our recycling service”.

Redeem has recycling centres in the UK, Europe and Asia. It recently set up O2’s mobile recycling service in Slovakia, the first comprehensive mobile phone recycle and resale service in that country.

The company extracts the maximum value from recycled electronic equipment with the aid of a global network of strategic partnerships.

O2 aims to become a zero waste to landfill company by 2015 and deliver up to 4m tonnes of carbon savings under its three-year sustainability plan Think Big Blueprint, which details 40 environmental commitments in total.

Maxine Perella

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