Sofrecom and Orange Egypt Win the Excellence Award for "Best CSR Initiative in Africa" at the Telecom Review Leader’s Summit in Dubai on December 11
During the 18th edition of the Telecom Review Leaders' Summit, Telecom Review Group hosted an Excellence Awards Ceremony to honor outstanding global and regional companies, as well as industry leaders, for their innovative initiatives and impactful contributions throughout 2024.
The "Best CSR Initiative in Africa" award was granted to Orange Egypt and Sofrecom
Reinforcing its commitment to a more circular economy, Orange Egypt has partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on an innovative initiative.
This initiative, "One Circle, A new life for every device", is led by UNIDO as part of the Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains (SWITCH2CE) program, supported by the European Union and the Finnish Government. It brings together several international and Egyptian partners, including Orange, Nokia, Cordon Electronics Group, and Sofrecom.
The initiative aims to drive the transition toward an inclusive, climate-neutral, and circular economy in Egypt’s electronics and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) value chain. It focuses on three key priorities:
- Encouraging citizens to opt for repaired and refurbished devices instead of buying new ones,
- Increasing e-waste collection and recycling rates,
- Developing local skills related to the circular economy, particularly to support job creation.
The need to support the circular economy in Egypt and Africa
Egypt’s telecommunications market is one of the largest in Africa and the Middle East, with 85.8 million internet users and 105.01 million mobile users in 2023. The ICT sector has experienced an average annual growth rate of 16.7% in 2021 and 2022, making it the fastest-growing public sector over the past five years.
Egypt is also one of Africa’s largest producers of e-waste. Recycling companies are working on sustainable solutions to convert this waste into secondary resources, with 15-20% currently being recycled, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. The Egypt Vision 2030 plan aims to increase the recycling rate to 25% by 2030 and ensure the safe disposal of 100% of hazardous waste.
*For more information: https://onecircle-eg.com/
