STC and Ericsson cooperate to reduce e-waste in Saudi Arabia

• STC and Ericsson partner to recycle decommissioned electrical equipment as part of the Ericsson Product Take-Back Program.
• The program minimises the potential environmental impact of e-waste.

As part of the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly explore sustainable initiatives, STC and Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) partner to manage and dispose of STC's obsolete equipment as part of the Ericsson Product Take-Back Program. The program aims to minimise the potential environmental impact associated with the disposal of decommissioned end-of-life electrical equipment.

As part of the program, Ericsson will handle STC's dismantled equipment with the highest international industry standards through the collection, decommissioning, transportation, and recycling of materials.

Maha Alnuhait, General Manager of Sustainability Program at STC, says: “As a leading digital enabler in the region, stc strives to create immense positive impact within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. In line with the sustainable development goals of the country, we are proudly cooperating with Ericsson to dismantle the equipment that have reached end of life in the network and recycle the material with the highest industry standards. We are proud of our latest cooperation and are certain our efforts will bring great benefits to the country.”

Håkan Cervell, Vice President and Head of Customer Unit STC, Saudi Arabia and Egypt at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, says: “The Ericsson Product Take-Back Program is a solution to support our customers with their end-of-life equipment. It allows us to limit the amount of e-waste generated and also contributes to turning e-waste into resources. As part of our signed Memorandum of Understanding with stc on collaborations for different sustainability initiatives, the Product Take-Back Program isa great step towards achieving the sustainable ambitions of the Saudi Vision 2030 and supporting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with its sustainability efforts.”

Launched in 2005, the Ericsson Product Take-Back Program is part of Ericsson’s extended producer responsibility to retrieve and dispose of Ericsson’s obsolete products safely. Available in 180 countries, Ericsson offers the program to all customers globally, which guarantees that e-waste is not discarded in trade-restricted areas or landfills.