Shape living for the better – how we’re transforming Electrolux into a more purpose-driven company

‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there’

Don’t we all need a purpose? A path to walk down, a reason to exist? At Electrolux, a 55,000 person global company with different brands and cultures, the opportunity to go in any possible direction is endless. So our company purpose gives us a ‘North Star’, a path forward. It’s the common denominator that aligns us – allowing us to leverage our entire company strength while at the same time leveraging the knowledge of local markets, local needs and local opportunities with our strong local brands.

Not only do purpose-led organizations outperform others financially, but it’s a fact that they enable employees to feel more fulfilled at work. I want everyone at Electrolux to understand the deeper reason for why they come to work every day. I want them to feel inspired by our company’s purpose ‘Shape living for the better’, to feel excited to be on a journey where their actions on a day-to-day basis can contribute to improving the lives of millions of people and also the world around us. This is especially important for the younger generation who are much more driven by a purpose, who will question ‘why are we here?’ and want to be part of a company that contributes to a better planet.

Our sustainability framework already provides us with a clear direction for how to create more efficient solutions, improve our operations and contribute to a better society. So this is not about changing who we are. For nearly 100 years, Electrolux has sought to change the world for the better. We’ve strived to provide innovative solutions for the home that save countless hours on chores, giving consumers the chance to spend more time focusing on the people and things they love. Starting with a single vacuum sale, I’m proud to say we’ve grown into a global leader in home and professional appliances.

Shape living for the better defines our deeper purpose – it is the overarching narrative, this is the ‘why we are here’. It supports our consumer- focused business model, providing us with a clear strategic direction for years to come.

So ‘what’ do we do exactly to shape living for the better? Our mission at Electrolux is to reinvent taste, care and wellbeing experiences for more enjoyable and sustainable living around the world. Because at Electrolux we believe that outstanding taste experiences should be easy for everyone. That there is always a better way to care for our clothes to make them look and feel new for longer. That the home should be a place for wellbeing, a place to care for ourselves and our loved ones.

We have strong, desirable brands including Electrolux, AEG, Anova, Frigidaire and Zanussi, and through these brands I hope our consumers are able to experience on a daily basis how we shape living for the better. It’s about trust – about them knowing that through our products we are committed to making the everyday into a better experience.

Yet it’s not just about the brands and their products. It’s not just about design or marketing or innovation. Everyone at Electrolux plays a role in delivering on this purpose, regardless of where they are in the company. It’s all the small actions put together that make the difference. It’s about our call center employees being really committed to a great interaction, leaving customers more satisfied after they call us than they were before.

By acting sustainably, working to create better experiences, and always looking to improve, everyone has the opportunity to shape living for the better for people around the world. And I like to think that this provides the motivation to come to work every day. The desire to be on the Electrolux journey. It certainly does for me.

Shape living for the better is an unseen, yet ever present narrative that drives us as individuals, as teams and as an organization as a whole. Simply put, it is who we are. It is the reason Electrolux exists.