The 99th edition of the Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin — more commonly known as IFA – runs from September 1-5 at the Messe Berlin.
While the five-day event is focused on the home appliances end of consumer electronics, the event included some significant smartphone launches, including the Fairphone 5, the latest in the Dutch ethical smartphone maker’s line of eco-friendly smartphones.
The device, which was officially unveiled on the first day of IFA 2023, is a modular, repairable handset that was made using the company’s “made fair” approach to smartphone manufacturing, which means that 70 percent of 14 key materials used in making the device are now listed as coming from either recycled or fair-mined sources.
Other companies touting their green credentials at the event include Midea Group, who announced the launch of a new dishwasher and fridge-freezer certified by TÜV Rheinland for its sustainability.
The devices were handed TÜV’s Green Product certification, which is awarded to products that are able to demonstrate standards “far beyond legal requirements” for criteria including corporate social responsibility, energy efficiency, environmental management and climate resilience of the products (e.g. assessment of carbon emissions), as well as recycling potential, non-hazardousness of the substances and the service life of the product.
"We think these tests make a lot of sense, especially for electrical appliances, because valuable raw materials are often used in their production," says Marc Zaplin, head of electrical product safety for the Europe Region at TÜV Rheinland. "We have consistently developed the Green Product certificate with existing CSR requirements in mind. This is why our auditors not only look closely at the product, but also at the entire supply chain and visit the manufacturing sites.”