At the Netherlands Pavilion during MWC Barcelona 2026, John van der Ree, Business Development Manager at Fairphone and Moderator Anke Kuipers, Director at Ecosystem Services Talked about underlining the role of repairability, longer device lifecycles and fairer sourcing in reducing the environmental impact of smartphones.
John van der Ree, business development manager at Fairphone, said sustainability is becoming a more important procurement criterion for enterprises and public-sector organisations, alongside security and total cost of ownership.
Fairphone, which has exhibited at the pavilion for the past three years, positions itself as a Dutch supplier of modular devices designed to be used longer and repaired more easily than mainstream smartphones.
Focus on fairer materials and repairability
Van der Ree said Fairphone was originally founded as an awareness initiative aimed at changing the electronics industry, before developing into a commercial device maker. The company’s stated goal remains to improve the fairness and sustainability of smartphones and other electronics by addressing sourcing, repairability and reuse.
He said Fairphone is not yet able to make a fully fair smartphone, given the complexity of global supply chains, but aims to improve the sustainability profile of each new device generation.
A key part of that strategy is modular design. According to van der Ree, Fairphone devices are built so that parts such as batteries and other components can be replaced more easily, helping extend usable life and reduce waste.
Enterprise demand broadens beyond sustainability alone
During the discussion, van der Ree said sustainability is increasingly being considered alongside operational requirements such as security, manageability and cost control.
He noted that more government institutions are now using Fairphone devices, after initially questioning whether the products could meet enterprise security requirements. According to van der Ree, the devices are Google-certified and can also be used with mobile device management solutions to meet additional security needs.
He added that longer software and security support contributes to lower total cost of ownership, as organisations can keep devices in use for more years. Telecompaper previously reported that Fairphone has been gaining share in its home market partly through a stronger focus on price-performance as well as sustainability.
Portfolio expansion beyond smartphones
Fairphone is also extending its portfolio beyond smartphones. Van der Ree said the company has expanded into audio products, including earbuds and over-ear headsets, applying the same principles of repairability and fairer materials.
He described this as part of Fairphone’s move from startup to scale-up, with broader ambitions to increase its impact by reaching more users and bringing its approach to a wider range of electronics.
That expansion also includes the US market. Telecompaper reported in November 2025 that Fairphone entered the US first with its audio products, positioning the move as a first step ahead of a possible later smartphone launch.
Right-to-repair seen as supportive trend
Van der Ree also welcomed right-to-repair developments in Europe, arguing that stronger regulation could push more manufacturers towards designs that are easier to service and maintain.
He said Fairphone’s business model is already aligned with that direction, as its devices are designed to be opened and repaired more easily than many competing smartphones.
The company sees this as increasingly relevant for enterprise and government buyers looking to combine sustainability targets with longer replacement cycles and better asset utilisation.
Growing visibility in business and public sectors
Fairphone remains a relatively small player in overall smartphone volumes, but its profile in the Netherlands has been rising. Telecompaper data showed its share of the installed smartphone base in the Dutch market increased from 0.1 percent in 2022 to 0.3 percent in 2025, indicating gradual structural growth.
At MWC 2026, Fairphone used its presence at the Netherlands Pavilion to engage with visitors who were already aware of the brand but had not yet seen the devices in person. Van der Ree said the event offered an opportunity to demonstrate that Fairphone products function like mainstream devices while offering additional sustainability and lifecycle advantages.
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