We use the definitions in line with GHG Protocol:
Scope 1 – are emissions produced directly by an organization, for instance through the combustion of fuels, e.g. natural gas combustion for heating.
Scope 2 – includes indirect emissions generated through the consumption of purchased energy, e.g. through electricity use.
Scope 3 – other indirect emissions due to the activities of an organization, but that are produced and controlled by a different emitter, e.g. emissions resulting from the use of a company's products.
Our Climate Goals
Our ambitious climate goals focus on our major impacts - to prevent millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere.
Read more about our progress on our Climate Goals.
The case for action
Tackling climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the greatest, most urgent challenges facing society. According to the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report released in August 2021 (IPCC Sixth Assessment Report), human activity is already changing the climate in unprecedented and sometimes irreversible ways. The report calls for strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases to limit climate change.
Our approach
As product energy use is responsible for around 85% of our climate impact, product efficiency is where we can make our greatest contribution to tackling climate change. We are reducing CO2 emissions from our own manufacturing facilities, product transport, and the energy consumed during their use.
We can also make a difference by eliminating the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in refrigerators, air conditioners and products with heat pumps. HFCs are gases with a high global warming potential that are still used in some countries due to regulatory or technical barriers to alternative solutions.
Read about the plan Electrolux submitted to the UN Cool Coalition initiative to replace high-impact greenhouse gases in our Goal Eliminate harmful materials.
Our Climate Goals
Our long-term ambition is to ensure that our entire value chain is climate neutral by 2050. This supports the United Nations Global Compact - Business Ambition for 1.5° C, which our President and CEO Jonas Samuelson has signed.
We currently have two shorter-term targets that act as stepping stones to our 2030 Climate Goals:
- Our science-based target1) - aims to reduce our scope 1 and 2 emissions by 80% between 2015 and 2025, and the absolute scope 3 emissions from the use of our sold products by 25% during the same time period. The scope 3 target covers two thirds of all products sold by Electrolux. Our science-based climate target is aligned with the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement on climate change, which aims to keep the global temperature rise well below 2°C this century to avoid the most severe impacts from climate change.
- Our climate neutral operations by 2030 target - aims to achieve climate neutral operations (scope 1 and 2 emissions).
Our climate neutrality roadmap
1) Science-based target (SBT)
2) Company target (Scope 1 + 2 = 0)
Initiatives to reduce emissions
Scope 1 & 2
- Resource and energy efficient manufacturing.
- Increased share of renewable energy.
- Phase-out of fossil fuels in operations.
- Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phase-out.
Scope 3
- Supply chain initiatives i.e. collecting supplier CO2 data.
- Transition to greener logistics (biofuel and electrification).
- Use of more sustainable materials, for example recycled plastics and green steel.
- Increased product efficiency.
- Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phase-out.
What are scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions?
Progress on our Climate Goals
We currently have two shorter-term targets that act as stepping stones to our 2030 Climate Goals.
Our science-based target
Scope 1 and 2 1)
78%
reduction compared to 2015
Scope 3
~20%
reduction compared to 2015
1) Includes contributions from energy use and grteenhouse gas fugitive emissions.
Progress on our scope 1 and 2 emissions
By the end of 2021, we reduced our absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 78% compared to 2015 - toward our 80% reduction target by 2025 and our 100% reduction by 2030. Read more about our scope 1 & 2 emissions in our Goal Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource-efficient operations.
Progress on our scope 3 emissions
Electrolux science-based target (SBT) scope 3 emissions also decreased by around 20% compared to emissions in 2015.
The Electrolux SBT scope 3 covers 75% of the emissions from the use of sold products in the original baseline. Electrolux SBT scope 3 emissions "use of sold products" is calculated based on annual energy consumption (as defined by legislation standard use models for each major market), sales volumes per category, IEA's ETP 2017 emission scenario factors per region, and estimated product lifetime. This methodology and the data quality are evolving and improving over time. We aim to include more product categories as this work continues.
Phase-out of high-impact greenhouse gases
We are working to phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that have a high Global Warming Potential but can be replaced by hydrocarbon refrigerants that have a lower climate impact. In 2021, we completed the HFC phase out in all our North American operations as a HFC blowing agent was replaced with cyclopentane, which has a lower climate impact.
In Europe, our new highly efficient range of heat pump driers uses a hydrocarbon refrigerant in their compressors instead of a HFC refrigerant. Following the phase-out of HFCs in refrigerators ahead of legislation in Australia and several countries in Asia, we are in the process of phasing out HFCs in other markets in the region.
CDP
In 2021, we were recognized for our sustainability leadership with a prestigious “double A” score for climate and water and as a Supplier Engagement Leader by the global non-profit CDP. Electrolux was one of a few companies to receive top marks for its efforts to tackle climate change, protect water security and engage with suppliers. We have been on the CDP Climate A list for the past six years and on the Water A list since 2020.
Next steps
| Roadmap to 2030 | Read more in the relevant Goals | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Be a leader in product efficiency in our most important markets. | ||
| Eliminate high-impact greenhouse gases from our products. | Eliminate harmful materials | |
| Improve efficiency throughout our operations and supply chain. | Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource-efficient operations | |
| Increase the proportion of renewable energy for our operations to 65% by 2025 | Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource-efficient operations | |
- On track
- Additional effort is required
- Off track
- Work has not yet begun