Be a force for good

Progress on our promise

Electrolux will make a positive difference in our local communities, focusing on important areas of social needs.

The roadmap to 2020	Next steps
Establish and implement a Group approach to social investment, focusing on key strategic areas of need that fit with our business strategy.	Implement local and global projects supported by the Electrolux Food Foundation and the partnership with Worldchefs and AIESEC – learn, replicate and scale-up.

On track

Additional effort is required

Off track

Work has not yet begun

How we measure progress

Number of projects implemented, with the support of Electrolux Food Foundation and the Feed the Planet partnership.
Outcome metrics, including people reached, people trained, meals served, etc, in line with local project targets.

As a sustainability leader in our industry, we believe we have the responsibility and opportunity to make a positive difference, not only for those directly affected by our activities, but also in our local communities. To maximize the positive impact of our efforts, we focus on food related challenges.

During 2015 and 2016, we developed our approach to social investment, engaging in dialogue across sectors, regions and functions and involving external partners, to determine how best we can make a positive difference in our local communities. This led to the launch of two key initiatives during the year:

The Electrolux Food Foundation: With an initial investment of SEK 10m, the Foundation will support local and global Electrolux projects that tackle food related challenges.
The Feed the Planet partnership: Through this partnership, projects can access expertise, skills and manpower from the two partnering organizations Worldchefs, organizing over 10 million chefs worldwide, and AIESEC, a global network of young leaders focusing on world issues and leadership development.

One of the aims of our approach to social investment is to encourage local business units and employees to engage in projects. This is to further strengthen our corporate culture and employee pride in working for a socially responsible employer. Part of the vision is to have local Electrolux, Worldchefs and AIESEC volunteers working side by side to have a real impact on communities. In particular, projects focusing on one or more of the below areas are incentivized through the Electrolux Food Foundation and the Feed the Planet partnership:

Read about
this promise

Case studies

Helping to feed the planet

Bright ideas for better food

Consumer education and awareness campaigns, to help people make more sustainable and/or healthy food choices, reduce waste and minimize the environmental impact from food consumption.
Professional education and the qualification of people in need, to help them get a job and thereby put food on the table for themselves and their families.
Citizen food initiatives, providing cooked, nutritious meals at affordable prices to less privileged people.

Four local and two global projects were approved for funding through the Electrolux Food Foundation in 2016, all driven by the Feed the Planet partnership:

Asia food waste program
Ongoing regional program aiming to encourage consumers to think about food waste and change their behavior, whilst at the same time supporting people in need through collaboration with foodbanks and other not-for-profit insitutions. The program also develops educational materials, including recipes to minimize food waste together with Worldchefs.
Curitiba, Brazil
Establishing an educational kitchen with a program to train under-privileged youth to work in professional kitchens. The initiative has involved collaborating with Wordchefs, AIESEC, and Fundação de Ação Social.
Sweden
Supporting a project led by the not-for-profit organization Stockholms Stadsmission, aimed at reducing food waste through setting up a social restaurant that provides affordable meals and empowers unemployed people through labor integration in the restaurant. Electrolux focuses on promoting sustainable food consumption and cooking, together with Worldchefs and AIESEC.
Poland
Working together with Wordchefs and the Polish not-for-profit FoodSharing on a project aimed at raising awareness of bad food consumption habits and inspiring positive changes through a series of workshops and awareness campaigns.
Worldchefs without Borders
Supporting the humanitarian arm of Worldchefs.
Sustainability curriculum for chef schools
Supporting Worldchefs ongoing program to integrate sustainability into the curriculums of culinary schools around the world.

The challenges

Finding a balance between local priorities and generating benefits on a Group level.
Meeting the needs and expectations of all three partnering organizations – Worldchefs, AIESEC and Electrolux.