The electronics industry generates a huge amount of negative externalities, from the mines to the products' end-of-life. Many studies showed that most of these impacts occur during the product birth and death. Thus the first priority is to reduce the number of electronic devices made and sold. However, this is not viable for companies that rely solely on the sale of these devices. There is therefore a need for another business model: Hardware as as Service (HaaS). Commown is a French Société Coopérative d’Intérêt Collectif (SCIC) that supports fair and sustainable electronics by providing HaaS services with devices designed to be repaired and to last longer. The service includes providing smartphones, computers, headphones and managing repairs beyond the manufacturer warranty, with a monthly subscription. Commown uses easy-to-repair devices and offers customer support to fix devices when issues occur. In doing so, this service extends product lifetime, reduces material waste, and offers a cost-effective option for smartphones and other electronics.
Locations: France
Sector: Renewables & Environment
Website: Commown
