STOCKHOLM—The Electrolux Group published its latest Sustainability Report, For the Better, with facts and figures showing progress and achievements in key areas during 2017: reduced carbon emissions, improved energy and water consumption within manufacturing and products as well as increased use of recycled plastics. The Group is also adding new long-term targets to reduce its carbon emissions within operations by 80 percent in 2025, supporting the Paris Climate Agreement. Read the report here.
“Sustainable development is a key element of our business model and essential to realizing our company purpose that we launched in 2017, ‘Shape living for the better’,” said Jonas Samuelson, President and CEO of Electrolux. “Therefore, we are dedicated to reduce our own climate footprint and to help consumers to reduce food waste, cook healthier meals, maintain garments for longer and purify the air in their homes.”
The Electrolux sustainability framework targets nine main areas that contribute to Better Solutions, Better Operations and a Better Society. In Better Solutions, Electrolux has increased the use of recycled plastics 15 times since 2011, using 5,600 metric tons in 2017. The Electrolux target is to increase the amount of recycled plastics used to 20,000 metric tons by 2020.
Within Better Operations, Electrolux has reduced the carbon footprint of its operations (factories, warehouses and offices) by 59 percent compared to 2005. The Group is now revising its long-term goals for reducing CO2 emissions; the ambition is to set science-based targets that will contribute to the Paris Climate Agreement’s aim of keeping the global temperature rise well below 2°C. In addition to the target for an 80 percent reduction within operations, a new target for the impact from use of products will be announced shortly.
Feed the Planet Projects
Contributing to a Better Society, around 10,000 people all over the world have engaged in “Feed the Planet” projects supported by the Electrolux Food Foundation. The foundation, which has been running since September 2016, aims to contribute more in addressing major global challenges such as hunger, poor nutrition, food waste and responsible consumption, in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“I am proud that we during 2017 improved our overall sustainability performance within Electrolux,” said Henrik Sundström, Vice President for Sustainability Affairs at Electrolux. “We also embedded the sustainability framework throughout our business as a key part of our new purpose. It is encouraging to see that Electrolux once again has been awarded as one of the world’s most sustainable companies in several rankings. It inspires us to stay focused and reinforces our commitment for a more sustainable living.”
As previously announced, the overall goal for the Electrolux Group is to reduce CO2 emissions both through more efficient products and in operations by 50 percent in 2020, relative to 2005 levels. During 2017, the Group has achieved an overall CO2 reduction of 31 percent.
