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The telecom binman

30 March 2017 ... min read

30 March 2017

The film “Closing the Loop: from mobile waste to gold” tells the story of ING client Joost de Kluijver.

Once upon a time, Joost de Kluijver sold second-hand mobile phones in Africa. It was a good business. But when he realised that he was only adding to a growing global e-waste problem, De Kluijver turned his business model upside down.

Could he close the loop?

Watch the film: How Joost de Kluijver turned used phones into a business. [3:49].

His company, Closing the Loop, doesn’t just find valuable materials in used phones from Africa, encouraging local partners to set up their own phone-collecting business. It also helps companies including ING dispose of their redundant phones in a waste-free way.

“Closing the Loop: from mobile waste to gold” is part of a series that celebrates the courageous steps clients take in their life and/or business. It's stories like these that remind us why we're here: to empower people like Joost to stay a step ahead in life and in business.

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