Performance review: Products, services and markets

Focus area Objective / challenge 2012 performance Next step
Measuring the profitability of energy and water-efficient products.
  • Underscore the business case for efficient products.
  • Raise the bar on Green Range criteria in ways that are relevant for the Group’s major markets.
  • Global Green Range accounted for 10% of total sold units and 18% of gross profit for consumer products.
  • Criteria for inclusion in the green ranges were raised for example for Dishwashers in EU.
  • Raise the bar again on criteria for inclusion in the Green Range.
Promoting efficient products: Promote a green range of products in each business area. Green Range incorporates state-of the-art energy- and water-efficient appliances.
  • Realize the potential of a Green Range offering through marketing and communications.
  • Help build the market for efficient products in growth markets in Asia and Latin America.
  • New product launches include the Vario heatpump dryer, the Ecologic water-efficient washing machine and Professional’s Ecostore.
  • Continue to build on the ranges of top environmentally performing products.
  • Increase the focus on efficiency and other environmental benefits in marketing messages globally.
Innovating efficient products
  • Raise the bar on environmental performance of appliances.
  • Set long-term targets for reductions in energy, water and chemical use for products in all markets.
  • As of 2012, at least one third of the Group’s product development spend will be sustainability-related, the majority invested in energy efficiency.
  • Product targets for chemical use and energy and water reductions were set for key product lines in all major markets.
  • Update product targets.
  • Align with upcoming legislation.
  • Follow-up progress on targets.

 

Phase-out of greenhouse gases
  • Elimination of high global warming potential greenhouse gases in foam blowing agents and refrigerants in food preservation and air care.
  • Completed for refrigerators this year in Australia, ahead of 2016 legislation.
  • Greenhouse gases will be substituted for alternatives with low global warming potential across the company by 2020.
Restricted materials list (RML)
  • Eliminate hazardous substances from products.
  • Implementation in operations and among suppliers.
  • A new version has been updated and released to suppliers.
  • Continually update the RML.