Virgin Mobile MEA customers can offset carbon footprint through donations via mobile app
In addition to its scheme for directly reducing its emissions, Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa launches a new app feature that enables its customers to offset the carbon footprint generated from their mobile phone usage. The voluntary contributions by customers will be matched or topped up by the local operating companies in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, in line with the mobile company’s ongoing efforts to achieve carbon negativity.
The feature which is now available in the UAE and soon to be rolled out in Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, invites customers to offset carbon emissions through a voluntary donation with every purchase through the Virgin Mobile app. The local operating companies will then further contribute and invest the total amount in local offset projects and initiatives.
Independent research by Virgin Mobile’s operating companies in the region has revealed that sustainability commitments by companies are increasingly becoming a key consideration in driving purchasing decisions. In Saudi Arabia, 73% of respondents said that they would change their purchasing habits to support companies that focus on sustainable, eco-friendly business. 72% stated that they are willing to contribute financially to projects that are designed to offset carbon emissions.
“As the leading mobile virtual network operator in the region, we are an integral part of the economies in which we operate. We recently achieved net zero carbon emissions across all our operations by putting in place an annual emissions reduction programme and offsetting what we have not yet been able to reduce. – This was a key milestone for the company and our ambitions. We are now committed to becoming a carbon negative business to really make an impact towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. To do this, we are keen to provide our customers with a platform to join us on this journey,” commented Erik Dudman Nielsen, Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer at Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa.
“The climate crisis is, and should be, on the minds of every person, business, and government because the journey to a greener future is one that is impossible to make alone. As a digital first brand, we have built a business where sustainability is deeply rooted in our culture and we are continuously working towards reducing our emissions through creating and implementing sustainable initiatives and processes. This app feature is the next step in our journey, and through it, we are making it easier for the communities in which we operate to contribute towards broader sustainability goals,” concluded Nielsen.
