Manama, Bahrain: Batelco, part of the Beyon Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC), a world leader in communications technology, to expand its sustainability initiatives and circular economy practices. The MoU was signed by Beyon Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer Shaikh Bader bin Rashid Al Khalifa and Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, Nicolas Blixell.

As part of the collaboration, both Batelco and Ericsson will work together on introducing programmes that support sustainability initiatives. In addition, Batelco will have access to Ericsson’s vast expertise and global practices pertaining to sustainability and environmental impact. One notable aspect is the ‘Ericsson Product Take-Back Programme’, which addresses the issue of e-waste and aims to reduce environmental impacts with the highest international industry standards. The programme focuses on product optimization and extending their life cycle through recycling materials, thereby minimizing, or eliminating e-waste while also ensuring proper recycling and safe disposal of the discarded products.

Additionally, Ericsson will conduct comprehensive sessions on climate action, net zero and other sustainability topics enabling Batelco to align its practices accordingly to contribute to a greener future. Furthermore, Ericsson will provide Batelco with insights on use of network solutions and technologies that increase power efficiency and reduce carbon footprint, which will empower Batelco to make informed decisions in adopting sustainable network solutions and become more energy efficient.

The aim of the collaboration is to support Batelco’s aspiration of having greener networks and achieving net zero emissions, as well as implement circular economy practices such as offering responsible ways to recycle discarded electronic devices.

Beyon Chief Communications & Sustainability Officer Shaikh Bader bin Rashid Al Khalifa commented on the signing saying, “We are excited to embark on this collaboration and work closely with Batelco’s technology partner, Ericsson, who brings a wealth of experience in strategies to minimize and optimize waste as well as recycling of materials.”

“At Beyon and Batelco we recognize the need to integrate sustainable practices into our operations and by joining forces with Ericsson, we aim to leverage their expertise to enhance our sustainability initiatives and further our goals of minimizing our environmental footprint.”

“We are also committed to align our efforts with the Kingdom of Bahrain’s vision to achieving the sustainable development goals of 2030 and to reduce emissions by 30% in 2035. We believe that by being conscious of how we run our business and by integrating sustainable practices into our operations, we can achieve our environmental goals,” he added.

Nicolas Blixell, Vice President and Head of Gulf Council Countries at Ericsson Middle East and Africa said: “As a global leader in implementing sustainable practices across our operations, Ericsson is proud to collaborate with its partners to benefit from its expertise and energy-efficient technologies. We have the pleasure to collaborate with Batelco on these ambitious goals, and we are confident that together we will provide limitless connectivity that improves lives, redefines business and pioneers a sustainable future in the Kingdom of Bahrain in line with Bahrain Vision 2030.”