HMD Global - Planet & People
Built to protect tomorrow
Bringing the world together without costing the Earth.
Our actions towards sustainability
We’ve been working extremely hard on our sustainability strategy since 2017, and our efforts are paying off. We were recognized by the sustainability rating agency EcoVadis, which awarded us with Platinum status in 2022 and 2023, putting us in the top 1% of businesses and 98 percentile of companies audited for their commitment to sustainable practices in the manufacturing of communications equipment. Read our sustainability report. But we’re not done yet.
To demonstrate our commitment to people and our planet, we’re now integrating a sustainability management system directly into our business strategy covering four focus areas: Environment; Labor and Human Rights; Compliance and Sustainable Procurement.
Circular
Seeds of Tomorrow
Every 6 months, Circular subscribers will earn Seeds of Tomorrow credits – one, two or three for subscriptions active for one, two and three years respectively. So, the longer you use a subscription device, the more you can help out these environmental causes. Subscribers can choose to donate to one of the environmental causes we’ve partnered with.
Donating Seeds of Tomorrow credits to Clear Rivers will remove enough plastic to weigh the same as two fridges. Donating to Ecologi for three years supports the best climate crisis solutions and tree planting efforts in the world and would be enough to plant a small woodland.
Working with The Unconnected
The lifespan of a Circular device doesn’t simply hit a dead-end. When subscribers keep the same device for three years, we’ll donate it to The Unconnected. With over three billion people in the world without access to the Internet, their mission is to get more people online so they can access more opportunities. So, not only are used Circular devices kept out of the landfill, they get given to those who would not normally have access to a smart device and the opportunities that the Internet affords.
A sustainable approach through and through
Recycled and built to last
In 2022 we launched our most sustainable devices yet. Nokia G60 features a back cover made from 100% recycled plastic back cover and a frame made from 60% recycled plastic. Nokia X30 5G has a 65% recycled frame and a 100% recycled aluminum frame. And because they’re built with durability in mind, those natural resources are pushed to last longer.
Packaging
What’s on the outside matters – at least when it comes to product packaging. Moving forward, our packaging will be made from increasing amounts of recycled, sustainably certified, or lower-impact materials. We’ve started with our 2022 devices, having reduced the size of the Nokia X30 box by 38% and the Nokia G60 box by 17%.
By 2025, all of our packaging will be made from recycled or sustainably sourced material such as FSC Recycled Certified recycled board.
Environment
Reducing emissions
The effects of climate change are real, and it’s up to individuals and companies alike to do what they can to reduce that impact. That’s why we aim to reduce our emissions in line with a 1.5 future. To support the global effort of limitingglobal warming to within 1.5˚C, HMD Global is committed to a science-based approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across our entire business. We’re aiming for a 50% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030, and to reach Net Zero by 2050.
Product use and Product end-of-life
Nokia smartphones have a superior build- quality and are made to last. All Nokia devices undergo 50 rigorous assessments before being approved for sale - this makes us an industry leader when it comes to product testing.
In 2020, we undertook lifecycle assessments for 100% of our products to understand where we could optimise our product design to have the least environmental impact as possible. In addition, 100% of our products obtained a so-called Eco Profile and ECOrating score during the reporting year.
Making a global impact
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond our supply chain, extending to further external initiatives. As extension to our wall charger removal project, where customers are encouraged to use their USB cable to charge their phones instead of using wall chargers, HMD has committed to donate any revenue generated from online purchases of additional wall chargers to CLEAR RIVERS, a charity that works to clear plastic waste from waterways. We are proud to be supporting them in their mission to prevent plastic litter from entering seas and oceans.
Another initiative we actively support is Ecologi. Ecologi invest money into tree planting and other carbon reduction projects that are certified to the very highest level by internationally accredited standards such as the Gold Standard. HMD offers their customers to plant trees via Ecologi to replace accessories such as headphones, which are mostly disposed of.
Labor and Human Rights
Forced Labor, Discrimination and Diversity
Our stance of being an employer of choice means that forced, bonded or indentured labor, involuntary prison labor, slavery or human trafficking is forbidden within HMD Global and our suppliers.
As per our Code of Conduct and Human Rights and Labor Policy, our employees, contractors, job applicants, suppliers and partners should never be subjected to abuse, bullying or discrimination. Should anyone fall victim to discrimination or harassment of any kind, we actively encourage them to report the incident through our Speak-up channel.
Health and safety
Our approach to occupational health and safety is based on the recognized management system OHSAS 18001 and ILO guidelines. As part of this system, we will have a standard procedure in place to proactively control the risks of accidents and injuries.
We have created a health and safety plan and appointed a senior manager representative who is responsible for ensuring a safe working environment for all of our employees. We are aiming to be ISO45001 certified within the next two years.
Compliance
Anti-Corruption and Anti-Competitive Practices
Our suite of business ethics policies includes topic- specific policies such as our Anti-Corruption and Bribery Policy, Gifts and Hospitality Policy, Conflicts of Interest Policy and Risk Management Policy. As overarching guidance frameworks, we have implemented a Business Ethics Policy and a Company Code of Conduct covering all aspects of compliance-related matters.
Our employees are encouraged to raise their concerns through various channels including our anonymous Speak-up channel. Any subsequent internal investigations are conducted by dedicated compliance and legal specialists, who are experienced in investigation procedures. We are pleased to report zero confirmed cases of corruption, fraud, conflict-of-interest and anti-competitive practices in 2020.
Responsible information management
HMD complies with all applicable data protection and privacy laws. With a range of internal policies such as our Information Security Policy, Personal IT Policy, Business Ethics policy and Company Code of Conduct, we set out strict information management guidelines that every employee must comply with.
Our control measures consist of proactive as well as reactive risk-management mechanisms. With respect to the former, we regularly conduct security training sessions, security risk assessments and take preventative measures to ensure online security, physical security, data loss prevention and limiting access to our databases containing personal information to authorised persons only who have a justified need to access such information.
Sustainable Procurement
Conflict minerals
Our Conflict Minerals Policy states that our suppliers must commit to sourcing materials only from environmentally and socially responsible sources. These principles are a legally-binding part of our supplier contracts and we ensure compliance according to the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict-Affected and High-Risk Areas.
Carbon Disclosure Project
Making meaningful change also means being transparent about our impact on the climate. That’s why we joined the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) and are now reporting annually on our carbon footprint, carbon reduction measures and climate risk management strategy. As of 2021, we will also include our supplier base in order to expand the reporting of our Scope 3 emissions.
Looking ahead
Over the next few years, we aim to expand our Green Offices Program which covers the procurement of renewable electricity, establishing standardized recycling programs and the selection of sustainable service and material providers