MobileMuster wins SBS Sustainability Challenge for 2026

MobileMuster, Australia’s world-leading mobile phone recycling program, has been named the winner of the 2026 SBS Media Sustainability Challenge, securing $500,000 in advertising inventory to help inspire more Australians to recycle their old handsets.

MobileMuster took out the top spot with its ‘However it dies’ campaign, designed by Marketing and Communications Manager Joel Murray in partnership with creative agency Enigma. The irreverent campaign aimed to make the simple and sustainable act of recycling e-waste a part of everyday Australian life.

National Manager of SBS CulturalConnect Kate Young said: “The SBS Media Sustainability Challenge was created to encourage our industry to make sustainability more visible, relatable and actionable for Australians.

“We’re very proud to see this work from MobileMuster come to life and drive an important message encouraging Australians to remember to recycle when it comes to technology and mobile phones.”

MobileMuster Head of Sustainability and Social Impact, Helen Maisano, said the win provided a valuable opportunity to teach an even larger audience about the importance of mobile phone recycling.

“Our goal is to make recycling old mobiles one of those simple, everyday actions that Australians don’t have to think twice about, and this prize gives us an incredible platform to do just that,” she said.

Now in its second year, the SBS Media Sustainability Challenge calls on brands and agencies to use the power of creativity to normalise sustainable behaviours and encourage better environmental choices. MobileMuster will receive $500,000 in advertising inventory across SBS.

Ms Maisano said: “SBS shares our belief that positive environmental change happens when we make sustainable choices accessible, relevant and engaging. We are excited to receive this prize to bring this campaign to life, and inspire more Australians to get their old phones out of drawers and into recycling. Mobile phone recycling is important, as it keeps potentially hazardous materials from ending up in landfill, and allows organisations to reuse those materials, which reduces the need for further mining.”

Enigma Chief Creative Officer & Partner Simon Lee said: “It’s always nice to be a winner, but particularly nice when winning benefits the planet. A big THANK YOU to SBS for creating this great annual initiative and a collective BRAVO to our clients Joel and Helen, our wonderful team at Enigma and Paul for creating a truly unignorable piece of work.”

MobileMuster is a world-leading not-for-profit product stewardship program voluntarily funded by the Australian telecommunications industry. MobileMuster is an industry-led organisation, managed by the Australian Telecommunication Alliance and its members Optus, TPG Telecom, Apple, Google, Motorola, Samsung, TCL, ZTE, and TP Link.