Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

By embedding the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into our business model, Closing the Loop ensures that your partnership directly contributes to the advancement of several key SDGs. This includes fostering economic growth in developing markets and promoting the health of local communities by recycling hazardous materials.

SDG1/SDG 8/SDG11: Collecting in Emerging markets

Closing the Loop collects broken phones in countries with high poverty rates, creating stable income for collectors and communities in Ghana. Through local partnerships, we invest annually in maintaining these networks, with ~70% of the funds going directly to individuals in the informal sector.

SDG 3: Good health and wellbeing

Closing the Loop collection efforts helps to prevent the burning of e-waste resulting in hazardous substances ending up in the land and it prevents health issues in the community living where the waste is collected.

SDG9: Promoting sustainable development in local communities

Closing the Loop has trained agents in e-waste collection, building networks that educate communities on proper e-waste management and address the issue with local governments and legislators. Alongside these networks, we invest in projects to promote local recycling across Africa.

SDG12: Responsible practices of e-waste management

With the One for One service, Closing the Loop proposes a solution for end-of-life devices that currently is not actively tackled by the industry. Today’s corporate focus is on production, and repairability of new devices and not so much on old devices.

SDG 17: Partnering with big brands to create awareness and scale

Connecting the Tech industry with other sectors such as recycling is one of the goals of these types of partnerships. Connections that otherwise are not always done on a day-to-day basis as it is not a core activity for the Tech Industry. By working together, we are also triggering governments and NGOs to act faster on e-waste legislation and implementation of Circular practices across borders.