Sustainability Report 2018

PDF of legal annual report with financial statements.

Download PDF
Sustainability In Brief

PDF version of this site.

Download PDF

Our consumers can feel reassured that we are managing chemicals carefully and replacing those that cause concern.

Our promise

Electrolux will protect people and the environment by managing chemicals carefully and continuing to replace those that cause concern.

Roadmap 2015 to 2020

  • Implement a best-in-class global system for improving the control of chemicals throughout our complex supply chain and work with suppliers to replace chemicals of concern
  • Raise the bar on chemical requirements, taking into account new scientific findings
  • Eliminate high-impact greenhouse gases from our products

The case for action

As the use of chemicals increases, we need to be increasingly aware of the impact of chemicals on people and the environment.

We want consumers to feel reassured that Electrolux has a robust approach to choosing materials for its products – to protect human health and the environment. Customers and consumers are increasingly aware of chemicals and are raising their expectations on appliance companies such as Electrolux.

Our approach

Chemical management and compliance

The Electrolux Global Chemicals Office coordinates and manages the chemicals listed on our Restricted Materials List throughout the Group and among our suppliers. Our environmental management process tracks material use on a site-by-site basis. Focusing on high-risk applications and suppliers, we test thousands of components every year for chemical compliance at Electrolux laboratories and selected approved institutes.

Eco@web

The Eco@web online database is our Group chemical management tool, and includes detailed information on the chemicals used in our products. It allows us to avoid unwanted materials and track those that might cause concern in the future. Eco@web helps to manage our complex supply chain of over 3,000 direct suppliers and provides proof of chemical compliance for customers and institutions.

Electrolux Restricted Materials List

The Electrolux Restricted Material List, which is an integral part of our contracts with suppliers, provides information about chemical phase-out as well as the requirements for the use of chemicals. We continuously update the list in light of new legislation and research, as well as demands from customers and NGOs.

Challenges

  • Driving the phase out of chemicals where it is not supported by regulation.
  • Complete substitution of HFCs in air conditioners, where there are no common industry solutions available.
  • Replacing high-impact greenhouse gases needs to be driven industry-wide as solutions are dependent on legislation to enable viable alternatives.

The progress on our promise 

How we measure progress

  1. Level of implementation of the Group chemical management tool Eco@web throughout the organization.
  2. Annual update of the Electrolux Restricted Materials List.
  3. Progress on the phase-out of high impact greenhouse gases.

Chemical management and Electrolux Restricted Materials List

In 2018, we continued the global roll out of our Eco@web tool. We focused on the Asia-Pacific region, the Home Care & Small Domestic Appliances product category, as well as the Professional Food Service category where we completed implementation of the tool. We will continue to work toward completing the global implementation and to cover a larger supply base in the areas where the system has already been installed.

Phase-out of high-impact greenhouse gases.

One focus area is the phase out of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) that have a high global warming potential and are used in some markets as refrigerants or for foam blowing. We aim to have phased out HFCs from all markets by 2020, which will reduce our CO2 footprint by 14% compared with the 2005 baseline.

At Electrolux Australia, as well as in countries in Asia, the phase-out of HFCs in refrigerators was completed ahead of legislation, and we are in the process of doing the same in other markets. We have made significant investments in the US to move to hydrocarbon refrigerants, which have less climate impact than HFCs. For example, a large manufacturing site in the US has already replaced the HFC blowing agent with cyclopentane, and other North American operations will follow suit by 2020.

Following several years of advocacy in the US, spearheaded by Electrolux and the North American industry organization AHAM, US safety standards were revised in 2018 to allow producers of consumer refrigerators and freezers to transition away from HFCs to more eco-friendly hydrocarbon refrigerants. This is a clear example of how we work together with key stakeholders to overcome challenges and influence legislation for the better.

Next steps

 Roadmap 2015 to 2020Next steps in 2019 Status 
Implement a best-in-class global system for improving the control of chemicals throughout our complex supply chain and work with suppliers to replace chemicals of concern.Improve coverage of supplier declarations of chemicals throughout our regions. dot2
Raise the bar on chemical requirements, taking into account new scientific findings.Annual update of the Electrolux Restricted Materials List. dot2
Eliminate all high-impact greenhouse gases from our products.Continue to phase-out high-impact greenhouse gases in air conditioning, food preservation and fabric care globally. dot2

On track

Additional effort is required 

Off track

Work has not yet begun

Electrolux

Electrolux shapes living for the better by reinventing taste, care and wellbeing experiences that make life more enjoyable and sustainable for millions of people. Through our brands, including Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, we sell more than 60 million household and professional products in more than 150 markets every year.

S:t Göransgatan 143

SE-105 45 Stockholm, Sweden

Terms & Conditions 2018