Black + White Joins Starship Appeal

Telco company Black + White has joined the Starship Mobile Phone Recyling Appeal.
 

The Starship Foundation partners with a recycling company to refurbish and on-sell the old phones to developing economies around the world. Phones in working order are refurbished and exported to places such as Hong Kong, China or to Eastern Europe, while those beyond repair are recycled through the correct environmental channels.
 

Since the campaign launched in 2009, donated phones from around New Zealand have now helped raise more than $1 million for the national children’s hospital.
 

“The phone recycling programme is a great and innovative way to support Starship,” said Johnathan Eele, Managing Director of Auckland-based Black + White.
 

“The Black + White team are very excited to get behind Starship with this initiative,” he said.
 

The money raised from the Starship Mobile Phone Appeal is used to help fund the Air Ambulance Service which brings children from all over New Zealand to Starship for specialist care. The Foundation is committed to providing $1.5 million annually to the service.
 

“At Black + White we will be sending recycling envelopes out to all our customers when they get a new mobile from us. All you do is pop your old phone in the Freepost envelope and you’re done. We are letting customers know how to recycle phones via bill messages and we have even got a staff competition going to see who can get the most phones recycled as we love a bit of competition at Black + White,” said Mr Eele.
 

Envelopes are also regularly inserted into national newspapers and magazines. Or visit www.starship.org.nz/phone for a full list of stores where envelopes are distributed.
Black + White will also be making recycling boxes available at all SKYCITY NZ Breakers home games.
 

Brad Clark, Chief Executive of the Starship Foundation said, “it is great to have a vibrant and innovative team like the team at Black + White championing our cause.”
 

The Starship Mobile Phone Appeal was recognised last year when it took out the Health Sector and Supreme Awards in the 2010 Robin Hood Prime Minister’s Social Heroes Awards.
 

The awards recognised how the Starship Mobile Phone Appeal had been particularly successful in bringing together the telecommunications industry in New Zealand.

For more information, please contact:

Johnathan Eele
Managing Director
Black + White
Mob: (021) 674 429
www.bw.co.nz

Andrea Newland
Marketing & Communications Manager
Starship Foundation
Tel: (09) 307 2867
Mob: (027) 688 3100