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Samsung Galaxy S4 is first phone to win green TCO award

The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the first smart phone to be awarded a prestigious TCO certificate award for its sustainable credentials.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
Expertise Films, TV, Movies, Television, Technology
Richard Trenholm
2 min read

What's black and white and green all over? The Samsung Galaxy S4, which is the first smart phone to be handed a prestigious industry award for its sustainable credentials.

The S4 has been certified by TCO, a body that evaluates gadgets to see how socially-conscious, environmentally-friendly and economical a device is.

The certification shows that Samsung's flagship Android phone is manufactured in facilities that look after their labourers, following guidelines such as the conventions of the International Labour Organization and United Nations. The phone is made without hazardous materials such as nickel, beryllium, and mercury so it can be recycled when you grow sick of it. And the charger is efficient enough to save you money, to boot.

It's good to see the world's biggest mobile-maker acknowledging the importance of ecological and social responsibility when building new kit. Employment conditions in gadget production have been in the spotlight in recent years with reports of poor conditions, child labour, and even worker suicides at suppliers such as Foxconn; in response, there's a movement to craft an ethical smart phone, called the Fairphone.

So there you have it: you can now buy the S4 without a guilty conscience. Before you splash your cash, check out our guide to the best Samsung Galaxy S4 price and best deals.

To see what all the fuss is about, hit play on our video showing off the best bits of the S4:

Watch this: Samsung Galaxy S4

Can a gadget ever be truly green? Would you buy a phone because of its ethical credentials? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or hug a tree on our Facebook page.