Orange Luxembourg steps up initiatives to support sustainable development

European Sustainable Development Week, which runs from 18 September to 8 October 2023, is an opportunity for Orange to reaffirm its commitment to economic development that respects social and natural resources.

The operator is taking this opportunity to highlight a number of new initiatives in the areas of the circular economy, the fight against cyberbullying and responsible production and consumption.

Every year, European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW) brings together a range of initiatives and activities promoting sustainable development across the Member States of the European Union. This year, the event will run from 18 September to 8 October.

Orange Luxembourg is taking the opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to more responsible development that respects people and the environment.

"Our group is particularly committed to these issues," confirms Barbara Fangille, Head of Brand, Communication and ESG at Orange Luxembourg. "As a telecommunications operator, one of our priorities is to put technology at the service of major societal issues. This European Sustainable Development Week is an opportunity for us to reaffirm our approach through the launch of new initiatives."

The Orange Group aims to reduce its CO2 emissions on scopes 1, 2 and 3 by 45% by 2030 (based on 2020) and is committed to a circular economy approach (recycling of smartphones, modems and TV set-top boxes/transition to e-SIM/more eco-responsible packaging).

Circular economy and social commitment

On 23 September, an Orange team will take part in the Lëtz Go Gold race, organised by Fondatioun Kriibskrank Kanner, for research into paediatric cancers. Orange Luxembourg will also be setting up a collection box for old telephones in the village. "This initiative is part of our RE programme, which aims to repair, refurbish, trade-in and recycle old phones as part of a circular economy," explains Barbara Fangille. In addition to this event, phones are also collected or taken back in our shops. For every phone returned between now and 31 October, Orange will contribute a further €2 to the overall Lëtz Go Gold fund.

Fighting cyberbullying

Orange is also taking action against cyberbullying. In partnership with the Luxembourg Football Federation (FLF), the operator has organised a campaign to raise awareness of this issue among young people. Early in the summer, a special training session was organised on the FLF pitches, attended by around a hundred male and female players in the U13 age group.

"We offered workshops on cyberbullying and, more generally, on good practice in digital use, in a fun way," explains Barbara Fangille. "We will continue to raise young people's awareness of this issue by organising new initiatives on a regular basis."

Eco-design and energy savings

In favour of responsible production and consumption, Orange has also just launched its Livebox on the Luxembourg market. "More efficient and more energy-efficient, it has been designed according to eco-design principles," adds Mustapha Rahem, Head of B2C sales. "Produced from recycled materials, it allows everyone to manage their home network and disconnect devices remotely to optimise consumption."

In the same way, Orange is now selling refurbished phones, including iPhone SE. "Our aim is also to guide consumers so that they can make more eco-responsible choices," continues Mustapha Rahem. "To this end, we have recently added Eco-rating to the specifications of certain devices offered on our eShop. This involves awarding an environmental rating based on 5 criteria: durability, repairability, recyclability, respect for the climate and conservation of resources".