Company: Commown
Interviewee: Élie Assémat, President
Website: https://commown.coop/
Extending Tech Lifecycles through Ethics and Sustainability
In a world where digital devices are often designed to break, track users, or become obsolete within a few years, Commown is a bold alternative. Based in France and structured as a worker cooperative, Commown offers a radically different model. Rather than selling smartphones, laptops, and headphones, the organization rents them as part of a long-term service.
However, this isn’t just a business model; it’s a philosophy of resistance. As President Élie Assémat puts it, Commown’s mission is “to offer technology that supports both people and the planet.” This means pushing back against standard tech industry practices such as planned obsolescence and surveillance-based business models. Commown customers aren’t just buying a gadget; they’re supporting a system that prioritizes durability, user rights, and ecological responsibility.
A Different Relationship with Technology
Commown’s products are carefully selected. Devices must be repairable, built to last, and compatible with ethical software. The company collaborates closely with manufacturers such as Fairphone and Framework to offer devices that can easily be opened, repaired, and upgraded. This hardware stays in circulation far longer than the average device on the consumer market.
This hardware-as-a-service (HaaS) model is transformative as well as practical. It shifts the focus from ownership to stewardship. Since the cooperative owns the devices, there’s a built-in incentive to maintain, repair, and reuse them. Additionally, because customers can become co-owners of the cooperative, the model fosters shared responsibility and collective governance.
Commown offers a radically different model. Rather than selling smartphones, laptops, and headphones, the organization rents them as part of a long-term service.
Ethics, Transparency, and Trust
Commown doesn’t just aim to be sustainable; it’s also fiercely ethical. From the beginning, the cooperative has refused to engage in data collection or user tracking. Devices come with privacy-respecting software, and Commown’s support team provides assistance that goes well beyond typical warranties, including software guidance and repairs.
Transparency is embedded in everything the organization does. Customers are invited to general assemblies, kept informed about key decisions, and encouraged to contribute ideas. “This is not just a service — it’s a shared project,” says Assémat.
Trust also extends to data. The cooperative takes a no-telemetry, no-surveillance stance, choosing to invest in long-term relationships with users rather than short-term data extraction.
Community-Driven by Design
In keeping with its cooperative structure, Commown regularly hosts shareholder meetings and participatory events to gather input from individual and business clients alike. French law requires member involvement, but Commown has turned this requirement into a strength. Every year, the community comes together to co-create the roadmap, review services, and discuss ways the cooperative can better achieve its social and environmental goals.
Feedback also drives innovation. Commown’s business clients, many of whom operate in the social economy, regularly share their needs. This helps the cooperative evolve its offerings while staying true to its values.
In keeping with its cooperative structure, Commown regularly hosts shareholder meetings and participatory events
Balancing Ecology, Economy, and Equity
Commown’s model aligns economic success with ecological sustainability. The longer a device is used, the better it is for the planet and the cooperative’s bottom line. Subscriptions decrease over time, making them more affordable for users who keep their devices longer.
Internally, the organization strives for workplace democracy. Decisions are shared among the team, and ownership is distributed. The goal isn’t hyper-growth or market domination but rather resilient, ethical growth that remains accountable to people and ecosystems.
Looking Ahead: A More Just Tech Future
Although Commown is a small player compared to global tech giants, it is helping to shape a broader shift in how we think about technology. The cooperative has engaged in policy advocacy, including efforts to develop France’s repairability index, which is now required on all phones sold in the country.
Looking ahead, Commown plans to increase its public engagement and policy work. The cooperative aims to influence regulations that encourage the tech industry to produce longer-lasting products, respect user rights, and adopt climate-friendly business models.
At its core, Commown proves that technology doesn’t have to come at the cost of our privacy or the planet. Through its cooperative model, ethical principles, and community-driven approach, Commown offers a glimpse of what digital infrastructure could look like when designed for the common good.
