The GreenHeart programme launches with two flagship products, the C901 GreenHeart, due out towards the end of June in the UK and selcted markets, followed by the Naite handset, which will be available in Q3 in the same regions. Also, the devices will be complemented by the MH300 GreenHeart headset, one of the greenest headsets on the market according to Sony Ericsson.
The GreenHeart concept is a key pillar in Sony Ericsson’s revitalised product portfolio strategy and the sustainable innovations found in the GreenHeart pioneer products will eventually roll out into the broader portfolio.
Both new GreenHeart phones build on Sony Ericsson’s green strategy, the result of a long standing commitment to eliminate the use of hazardous chemicals from the product design and manufacturing process.
The first flagship product to be launched, the C901 GreenHeart, will include an electronic, in-phone manual to replace the standard paper version, saving over 90% in paper and reducing the environmental impact of transporting the final product through more compact packaging. The C901 GreenHeart phone casing is made from a minimum of 50% recycled plastics and includes an optimised display light sensor that uses less energy. The phone is coloured with waterborne paint that lowers exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).
The C901 GreenHeart will ship with the MH300 GreenHeart headset, one of the greenest headsets available, made up of 100% recycled plastics in four out of five hard plastic parts and far exceeding legal environmental requirements.
As well as featuring many of the innovations showcased in the C901 GreenHeart, the Naite handset will come to market with a low power charger, the EP300 GreenHeart charger, one of the first of its kind to be introduced to the market. Thanks to these innovations, the overall CO² footprint over the full life of the C901 GreenHeart and Naite is reduced by 15%.
The C901 GreenHeart will also include a WalkMate application, letting users really walk the talk about being more eco-friendly by comparing the steps they take with the equivalent journey travelled by car. And Naite includes an Ecomate application helping users make greener choices in their everyday life as well as a Carbon Footprint Calculator to show you how much CO2 you are saving when you walk instead of taking the car.
Said Dick Komiyama, president, Sony Ericsson: “Building on the established heritage of our parent companies, Sony Ericsson has worked continuously to become an industry leader in the area of removing harmful substances from the core of its phones and in creating industry leading energy efficiency chargers. Today we are announcing the next step in our sustainability strategy, the GreenHeart pioneer products, which launch with two innovative new phones and a commitment to roll out these innovations across the broader portfolio in 2010 and 2011, allowing us to build a more sustainable business.”
Q3 2009 will also see the continued roll out of Sony Ericsson’s global take-back programme which has been in operation since 2007. By allowing consumers to send back used mobile phones, the programme ensures that they do not end up in landfills but are sent to specialised mobile phone recycling centres. This means that both components and materials are used again, reducing the need to extract and refine raw materials for new products.