Sustainability Q&A with Jonas Samuelson, Electrolux President and CEO

Could you tell us about the new Electrolux climate target?

In January 2018, our new science-based climate target were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative as being aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement. The target aims for 80% emissions reductions in our operations and 25% reductions from our products by 2025. I am proud that the target reinforces our position as a leading company on taking climate action. Our science-based target will contribute to long-term and structured action on climate change that goes beyond our current 2020 climate objective.

How have the re-engineering and efficiency investment plans progressed in 2018?

We stepped up our efficiency investments in factories and new products to SEK 5.6 billion during the year. We have also increased our R&D expenditure to 3.2% of net sales. These large investments will realize significant financial and environmental savings and make a major contribution toward our climate targets.

As part of our commitment to Better Operations, we have commenced several projects to upgrade our factories in North America and Latin America. In February 2018, we published our re-engineering plan, which details our investments to improve energy efficiency and eliminate hydrofluorocarbons.

We also continue to improve product environmental performance and efficiency. New efficient products include our professional Line 6000 tumble dryer that achieves over 60% energy savings compared with standard driers and provides the shortest drying times on the market. In parallel with the manufacturing re-engineering program, we are introducing new product platforms to improve energy efficiency and environmental performance. These products will be presented to the market during 2019 and 2020. We estimate the investment plan will avoid greenhouse gases equivalent to millions metric tons of CO₂.

What progress has been made in terms of diversity?

We stepped up our efforts with inclusiveness and diversity during the year. Our diversity network is growing and has proved to be a useful platform for discussion, interaction and cooperation. It is pleasing that our proportion of female Tier 3 managers increased to 35% and initiatives such as our Global Engineering Program have provided us with a great way to recruit more female engineers.

How important are the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Electrolux?

The SDGs are an important part of our materiality for sustainability issues, and our sustainability framework – For the Better – supports several of the goals. Crucially, I believe the correlation between our sustainability framework and the SDGs highlights that our agenda reflects societal objectives. Our framework is further reinforced by international agreements, such as the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, which we are a long-term signatory of.

How has the work gone to integrate the Electrolux purpose into the business?

As ‘Act Sustainably’ is one of the three drivers of our ‘Shape living for the better’ purpose, it really helped us to more closely integrate sustainability into everything we do in 2018. This work paved the way for a new ambitious program that will be launched in 2019 as part of our 100-year anniversary.

What does the 100-year anniversary mean for sustainability at Electrolux?

Our anniversary means that we have been reinventing great taste, care and wellbeing experiences for our consumers for a century. In doing this, we have increased the quality of life for hundreds of millions of people around the world. Our driving force to constantly improve has always been to innovate on the basis of solving real problems in everyday life, which we have increasingly done while being mindful of the impacts on the planet.

During 2018, we have considered how to turn our purpose into action and continue to shape living for the better – today, tomorrow and for another 100 years. In 2019, we will renew and step up our work with sustainability with a global, long-term initiative to create a more enjoyable and sustainable future. I look forward to telling you more about our most important initiative ever, and how it will benefit you as an Electrolux consumer, investor, employee, partner or stakeholder.