Samsung’s Re+ recycling program in Brazil puts smile on face of consumers, planet

23 / 01 / 2023

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• Responsible Companies

Samsung’s Re+ program in Brazil – which falls within the framework of the company’s environmental strategy consisting of comprehensive global efforts to tackle climate change – aims to avoid letting e-waste go to waste. By providing the processes that empower consumers to collect and correctly dispose of electronics, the program does not only puts a smile on customers’ faces but also lays the groundwork for a better tomorrow.

The Re+ program is a recycling, awareness and educational program spearheaded by Luiz Xavier, Head of Customer Satisfaction team at Samsung Brazil office, who is in charge of all areas of customer service, from planning, implementing and improving to creating positive customer experience.

“Modern consumers want more than a quality product or a friendly customer service experience,” explained Luiz. “Instead, they want to support a company that protects people and the planet.”

E-waste, or electronic waste, is products that are unwanted, not working and nearing or at the end of their useful life.

“Consider this extremely common scenario: you upgrade your cell phone and dump the old one in a junk drawer, just in case,” said Luiz. “However, by hanging onto this phone, you have sidelined a device that probably had some life left in it. What’s more, by not recycling the old one right away, you’ve reduced the chance of it being reused.”

“In general, our haste to get new gear and our hesitancy to then part with our old items are what’s making discarded electronics the world’s fastest-growing category of domestic waste,” he added.

Collectively, Brazilians have more than 240 million smartphones for a population of less than 215 million. If you add in notebooks and tablets, the number jumps to over 350 million, or 1.6 items per person, according to a Brazilian school Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) survey.

The issue of e-waste is large and ongoing, and solving it will require that both private and public sectors get on the same wavelength. Samsung has always been focused on using technology to empower people and improve their lives – which is where Re+ comes into action.

The Re+ global recycling program first arrived in Brazil in 2017 and offered consumers a free, eco-conscious and practical way to recycle or dispose of their electronic products and home appliances. This isn’t just for Samsung devices, either. Re+ accepts items from any brand, including batteries, cell phones, notebooks, refrigerators, washing machines and other broken, used or unused products.

“Samsung set up about 350 collection bins for small items of all brands in Samsung Electronics Stores and Samsung Experience Stores in Brazil.” For larger electronic products, such as televisions, refrigerators and washing machines, consumers could schedule pick-ups at their homes.

Luiz was proud to report that, as of the first half of 2022, Samsung achieved a 190% growth in the number of items collected compared to the same period in 2021. However, he has his sights set even higher.

“More than promoting recycling and the correct disposal of electronics and reducing the impacts of technology on the environment, our mission with Re+ is to increase consumer awareness of the importance of a complete and responsible cycle of relationship with products,” said Luiz. He noted that the biggest challenge was expanding customer awareness about the program.

“Despite the significant results achieved in 2022, there is still room for improvement and further engaging Brazilians in the recycling movement,” he added.

As a result, Luiz and his team participated in education programs at schools and launched various campaigns and events to raise awareness of the importance of recycling – ensuring that future generations will grow up appreciating the planet and the role they play in preserving it.

For Luiz, sustainability runs in the family. As he worked in the tech industry for years, disposing of electronic waste in an eco-conscious way has always been on his radar. However, he wanted to transition from simply working green to living green every day. As a result, and engaged in other eco-conscious practices, like reducing excessive use of resources and always cleaning their recyclable packaging before discarding it. What’s more, his family actively advocates for and participates in Re+ by contributing smartphones, chargers, cables and headphones to the program.

“More than participating, we also always seek to spread messages about sustainability and the correct disposal of electronics among our family and friends,” said Luiz. “We believe that this awareness is essential to advance in the direction of environmental preservation.”

Luiz says he’s passionate about sustainability because he understands its value and how it can achieve a better world for the people of today and tomorrow. So for him, it’s easy to go green as a family.

“When we tackle that as a family, we can help the next generations to learn about it, and we foster the mindset and culture of sustainability, so the children start spreading it by talking to their friends and colleagues too,” said Luiz.

 For those who want to pass along the values of sustainability to their families and friends, he suggests two basic tips that anyone can try: 1. talk more about sustainability and 2. lead by example. In these ways, you can inspire others through your actions, not just your words.

Luiz practiced those two simple tips in his own family, and he is very proud to report that his children now consider sustainability in everything they do. “My family feels proud that they are participating in the Re+ program,” he said. “They mention it to their relatives and friends anytime they can.”