UK businesses could reduce their carbon footprint by over 700,000 tonnes per year by ditching secondary mobile devices, according to new research.

A study from YourBusinessNumber shows that more than one-third (38%) of UK workers are currently provided with a secondary handset in addition to their personal device.

That equates to nearly 11.3 million workers using secondary devices for work purposes – and the environmental impact is significant.

The average mobile phone user is thought to produce around 69kg of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each year, based on an average of three hours usage per day.

Based on that average, the study found that additional handsets could be producing up to 776,1122 tonnes of CO2e annually.

George Lineker, Co-founder of YourBusinessNumber, said the environmental impact of second handsets is an issue businesses across the UK must address.

“With more companies putting a greater emphasis on how they impact the environment, the provision of a second handset and the negative impact this has is a step in the wrong direction,” he commented.

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The carbon footprint of second handsets isn’t the only consideration for UK businesses, Lineker noted.

Ditching the secondary device could also deliver significant cost savings for firms across the country, the study found.

The average cost of a business mobile subscription for just one handset stands at around £533 per year – meaning that UK businesses are forking out just under £6bn per year to provide employees with a second device.

Despite clear benefits to scrapping second devices, Lineker admitted that businesses are still faced with a dilemma in this regard.

“One the one hand, clear separation between our personal and professional lives is essential in ensuring selfcare and avoiding burnout,” he said.

“There’s also issues surrounding GDPR compliance when communicating via personal handsets, as well as the complications that may arise when an employee leaves, taking a wealth of contact and internal business information with them.”

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