Welcome to our exclusive interview with a remarkable WEtell employee. WEtell company revolutionizes the mobile communications industry, offering a sustainable and distinctive approach. Dissatisfied with the status quo, they boldly challenge conventional norms. While others remain silent, WEtell makes their voice heard, advocating for change and progress. Data privacy is a paramount concern in mobile communications, and WEtell enforces stringent data protection standards. They aim to safeguard personal information from data-hungry companies, elevating industry norms and ensuring the highest level of data security. By prioritizing fairness and transparency, WEtell challenges the mobile phone industry's practices. They strive to eradicate hidden costs, opaque offers, and unfair treatment of loyal customers. Recognizing the significance of climate protection, WEtell implements holistic measures to drive economic change toward climate neutrality. Our interview explores their strategies and vision for a sustainable future in an industry that consumes electricity and produces CO2 with each digital interaction. Meet Helen and discover more about the company's origins and the passionate individuals behind its mission. Explore their insights as we delve into their role in promoting positive change. 1. Hej Helen, who are you and what do you do at WEtell? Right now, my job description would probably be project management in marketing. But I already had like 15 different jobs at WEtell :D I was one of the first employees at WEtell, and my tasks changed and grew with the company’s size. From building homepages, data analysis, social media support to writing newsletters, I basically jumped into every department that needed support. So, a more accurate description might be in-house firefighter. :) 2. Can you tell us more about WEtell and what makes you unique? Except for the visual identity :) WEtell is the first sustainable mobile provider. We offermobile communications with 100% climate protection, data protection and fairness. But what makes WEtell even more unique is our founding history. Different from what you would expect, WEtell wasn’t founded to sell mobile phone contracts. The founders of WEtell, Alma Spribille, Andreas Schmucker and Nico Tucher, believe that economy has a great handle on sustainability. If they wanted economy to change they had to be part of it and change it from within. So first there was the need to found a sustainable company and from there came the idea: “Let’s do mobile communications. There is no sustainable mobile provider jet, so let’s do it.” And now here we are! Being part of the sustainable economic transformation. 3. What do you think is the biggest challenge of being a sustainable brand in your industry? Selling mobile tariffs is highly competitive, everybody already has a mobile contract. Until now the most successful trick to win over costumers was to sell as cheap as possible. To change that way of thinking is not easy. Especially because in our industry, you can’t present a haptic product. It’s different from an organic apple that tastes better or a Notebook with attractive, sustainable design. For people to switch contracts and join WEtell we need to be 100% trustworthy and explain our vision well. 4. What is the one thing you are most proud of when it comes to WEtell and what you do? I love that we are creating solutions. With these current crises all around us, it’s easy to focus on problems and spiral into a destructive, bad mood. So, I’m really proud, that we manage to find new solutions, focus on new possibilities and support each other. To work with people that see problems, but find solutions is awesome. And that we even managed to motivate other companies to try these solutions as well is the cherry on top. 5. Are there any other brands that inspire you? Doesn’t need to be in the same industry. Yeah sure there are! We got a lot of young companies like “einhorn” or “Goldeimer” which entered markets that no one would have associated with the sustainability. And now these incredible innovative companies successfully sell condoms and toilette paper and thereby do their magic to make our industry more social and sustainable. I love their bold, funny, in-your-face way of working. Also, I truly respect and admire companies like VAUDE and Patagonia. They are such big players and manage to keep on going since decades. Step by step, full of endurance, keeping it real and sustainable no matter how competitive and cheap the market gets. VAUDE is active member in so many advisory boards and committees to change politics in Germany. Absolute role model material. 6. How does WEtell ensure 100% certified climate protection in its operations? To achieve 100% we follow three rules: avoid emission, offset carbon and add solar power. So first of all, we avoid all activities that could lead to CO2 emissions. We work with a climate neutral webserver, a sustainable mailing provider and use refurbished hardware in the office. All those emissions that we cannot avoid are retrieved from the atmosphere. We do that by producing biochar from forestry residues. We believe that compensation alone is not the solution, so we also invest in the construction of solar power plants in Germany. 7. Could you explain the process of offsetting emissions and the investments made in solar systems? The offsetting process is really cool: We compensate the emissions with biochar. As you know, trees and plants absorb carbon as they grow. When the plants die and decompose, this CO2 is released again. But we get ahead of this process. We collect the biomass and produce charcoal from it. The CO2 is then permanently bound in the charcoal and can then be buried in the ground again, thus reducing the amount of emissions in the atmosphere. The investment in solar systems is explained more easily: We have calculated how much electricity is needed for a phone call, using mobile data and charging your smartphone. And with our partners “naturstrom” and Ecosia we’ve built enough solar panels to cover that amount of energy. We make sure that all solar plants are built in Germany, so that the energy is generated where it is needed. All profits from those solar plants will be used to build more such plants and thus advance the energy transition. 8. What led to WEtell becoming a purpose company, and how does steward-ownership contribute to the company's long-term commitment to its values and development? Many companys start with really good intentions, but sadly much too often money gets in the way of idealism. And to be honest, I get it. I mean you work hard for years and suddenly someone offers you millions for a share in the company? Hard to say no! But as soon as you give away those company shares, people outside the company have voting rights. They can decide, they can set a direction. And most of the time external investors want to make as much profit as possible. So you have to produce cheaper, increase productivity and profit, and thus put your own values on hold to meet the needs of the investor... And that’s why steward-ownership is so awesome. In the process of becoming a company in steward-ownership, our founders gave their company shares to the company itself. These shares and voting rights can’t be sold anymore. That means no private person can own a part of WEtell ever again. All voting rights are held exclusively by people who work in the company – for ever and ever and ever! And: All profits are reinvested in the company, for the benefit of many, instead of lining the pockets of a few. That means our values and vision will never be lost. 9. Can you share any plans or initiatives that WEtell has in place to further strengthen its focus on sustainability, data privacy, fairness, and transparency in the mobile communications industry? We put a great deal of energy into networking and positive lobbing. For example, we’re in talks with one of the largest mobile communications providers in Germany, advising them on how to become more sustainable. In the area of data protection, we cooperate with other companies and organisations at home and abroad. We are part of the FairTEC initiative, which advocates European legislation in favour of data protection. We are also very proud of our founder Alma, who gives our cause a voice and a face.She is part of the SME advisory board of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection and spreads our vision as keynote speaker. Which is a great way to drive change. As we grow we will use our increasing influence and get attention on the subject, educate and spread the word: “There is a sustainable way and we are all able to walk it together.”