The SDGs provide the global community with a roadmap on how to combat global challenges related to economic, social and environmental sustainability. The initiative has gained broad acceptance and has encouraged initiatives from businesses and other stakeholders.
At Electrolux, our sustainability framework – For the Better 2030 – contributes to several of the SDGs. This chapter describes our most relevant SDGs and how we contribute toward them through our Promises.
As a sustainability leader in the appliance industry, we believe we can make the greatest contribution in relation to SDGs 8, 12, 13 and 17. These four goals are closely aligned with our For the Better sustainability framework as described below. The correlation between the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Electrolux sustainability framework shows that the Group's materiality analysis is aligned with societal priorities.
Providing decent work and economic growth is related to our manufacturing operations. Our Workplace Policy and Supplier Workspace Standard set out decent labor standards as a requirement for our operations and suppliers.
8.5 – By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
8.8 – Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.
Promoting responsible consumption and production is the most significant SDG for Electrolux. We strive to bring resource-efficient products, manufactured in a sustainable way, to as many people as possible around the world. We have set ambitious targets to reduce the footprint of our products and production, including our suppliers. Additionally, a key focus of our social investment program is sustainable food consumption.
12.2 – By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
12.3 – By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
12.5 – By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
12.a – Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
Our action on climate change is reflected in Our Climate Targets to reduce our CO2 footprint, including product usage, production and transportation. We are committed to achieving science-based emission targets by 2025, becoming climate neutral in our operations by 2030 and climate neutral throughout the value chain by 2050. We have set a new target to increase the proportion of renewable energy used in our operations to 50% by 2025.
13.2 – Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 – Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
Electrolux engages in numerous partnerships to drive the agenda toward the achievement of the SDGs. Electrolux is part of the UN Global Compact (www.unglobalcompact.org), United4Efficiency (www.united4efficiency.org) and Cool Coalition (www.coolcoalition.org) programs. Electrolux is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-led SmartWay (www.epa.gov/smartway) and the BSR Clean Cargo initiative (www.bsr.org/en/topics/all-channels/Clean-Cargo-Working-Group) with a commitment to reduce road and ocean transport-related emissions respectively. Electrolux is part of the the 50L Home Coalition, a platform bringing business, government and organizations together to innovate solutions for responsible water usage in the home. Electrolux partners with Stena Recycling in the collaboration Circular Initiative, which aims to drive Swedish industry toward a more circular economy where materials are used and handled more sustainably. The Electrolux Food Foundation partners with Worldchefs and the AIESEC youth-led organization to achieve greater community impact.
17.16 – Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the sustainable development goals in all countries, in particular developing countries.
17.17 – Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
We additionally strive to contribute to other SDGs through our solutions, operations and societal engagement.
We prioritize health and wellbeing in our operations by promoting health and safety among our employees and contractors. We also provide solutions for healthy and sustainable living for more people.
The Electrolux Food Foundation and our global partnership Feed the Planet offer vocational culinary training to enter the labor market, raise awareness on sustainable food habits and work with schools around the world.
We have a specific focus on gender diversity and aim to continuously improve the number of female leaders at all levels. Read more in our Promise Act ethically, lead in diversity and respect human rights. Our social investment projects also often empower women in society.
We provide a range of water efficient domestic appliances that help to conserve local water resources. Our laundry products promote sanitation in homes, hotels and hospitals. Electrolux endorses the UN’s CEO Water Mandate and reports annually about progress in implementing the Mandate’s six elements. Read more in our Promise Lead in energy and resource efficient solutions.
We are working to increase our share of energy from renewable sources to 50%. Read more in our Promise Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource-efficient operations.
Electrolux is a leading global appliance company that has shaped living for the better for more than 100 years. We reinvent taste, care and wellbeing experiences for millions of people around the world, always striving to be at the forefront of sustainability in society through our solutions and operations. Under our brands, including Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire, we sell approximately 60 million household products in approximately 120 markets every year. In 2019 Electrolux had sales of SEK 119 billion and employed 49,000 people around the world.
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