IDEMIA Secure Transactions Wins “Green Tech Advocate” Award for Sustainable SIM Solution

IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) has been named “Green Tech Advocate” for Performance at The Fast Mode Awards 2025, achieving recognition for the first-of-its-kind SIM card design focused on reducing plastic use and enhancing end-of-life sustainability—APOCa (A Plug On Cardboard card).

The Fast Mode Awards, hosted by leading independent telecoms media brand The Fast Mode, celebrates transformative technologies and innovations shaping the telecom industry. The 2025 program included over 300 entries from more than 60 countries. IST was honored for its more sustainable next-generation SIM card solution, built using IST’s APOCa (A Plug On Cardboard card) technology. The solution replaces the traditional plastic SIM card body with responsibly sourced, recyclable cardboard, while retaining a durable SIM module. This approach enhances recyclability and aligns with circular economy principles, enabling operators to cut plastic waste and meet sustainability goals.

While the SIM module remains plastic for usability, and device compatibility, the card body is redesigned with 100% paper and cardboard components to significantly improve material efficiency and enable end-of-life recyclability and biodegradability. This ensures seamless integration with existing packaging, logistics, and distribution networks, as well as a frictionless experience for end users.

Winners of the The Fast Mode Awards are assessed using a framework for evaluating, Performance, Innovation, Impact, and Growth. IST’s recyclable SIM card design stood out for its impact on Performance, enabling operators to transition to greener operations without comprising technical reliability. The solution also demonstrated measurable business outcomes, including carbon footprint reduction and improved material efficiency. The solution was also evaluated by the program’s review panel of industry experts.

The submissions for this year’s “Green Tech Advocate” showcased not just technical ingenuity, but real-world commitment to tackling climate and sustainability challenges. IDEMIA Secure Transactions makes a mark here with their revolutionary approach to the traditional SIM card, combining technical resilience with a design focused on improved environmental performance to accelerate operators on their path towards greener connectivity.
Tara Neal, Executive Editor, Fast Mode

At IDEMIA Secure Transactions, we believe that low-impact solutions lead the way for more sustainable operations for telecom operators—something that has culminated in our cutting-edge approach reducing plastic in SIM card design.  This award highlights the belief that we have in delivering design that not only optimizes operations but also ensures technical reliability and powers superior customer experiences. This award arrives while APOCa product reaches EN13432 certification, ensuring a biodegrading time of APOCa Entry product within 150 days. This enables mobile operators to lessen their environmental footprint while reducing plastic distribution globally.
Benoit Collier, VP Product Connectivity Services, IDEMIA Secure Transactions

IDEMIA Secure Transactions was also recognized in The Fast Mode 100 listing, which showcases the top one hundred technology players redefining the global telecommunications ecosystem. The feature underscores the company’s commitment to material innovation, sustainable design thinking, and supply-chain–ready improvements that are pushing the telecom industry toward lower-impact solutions.