Electrolux in a changing world
Electrolux and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the global community with a roadmap for 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 Goals.
Our most relevant SDGs
As a sustainability leader in the appliance industry, we believe we can make the greatest contribution to SDGs 8, 12, 13 and 17. These four goals are closely aligned with our For the Better 2030 sustainability framework as described below. The correlation between the UN SDGs and the Electrolux sustainability framework shows that the Group's materiality analysis is aligned with societal priorities.
SDG 8 – Decent work and economic growth
Providing decent work and economic growth is related to our manufacturing operations. Our Workplace Policy and Supplier Workplace Standard set out decent labor standards as a requirement for our operations and suppliers.
Relevant SDG sub targets
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 labor rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment.
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
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 encouraging consumers to adopt more healthy and sustainable eating habits at home - such as wasting less food. Read more in Community investment.
Relevant SDG sub targets
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.
SDG 13 – Climate action
Our action on climate change is reflected in Our Climate Goals to reduce our CO2 footprint, including product usage, production and transportation. We are committed to achieving our 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.
Relevant SDG sub targets
13.3 – Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals
Electrolux engages in numerous partnerships to work toward the SDGs:
US Environmental Protection Agency-led SmartWay
United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs)
The Electrolux Food Foundation partners with:
Worldchefs and AIESEC.
Relevant SDG sub targets
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.
Other relevant SDGs
We additionally strive to contribute to other SDGs through our solutions, operations and societal engagement.
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
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.
SDG 4 – Quality education
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.
SDG 5 – Gender equality
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 Goal Act ethically, lead in diversity and respect human rights. Our social investment projects also often empower women in society.
SDG 6 – Clean water and sanitation
We provide a range of water efficient domestic appliances that help to conserve local water resources. Our laundry products promote sanitation in homes and Electrolux endorses the UN’s CEO Water Mandate and reports annually about progress in implementing the Mandate’s six elements. Read more in our Goal Lead in energy and resource efficient solutions.
SDG 7 – Affordable and clean energy
We are working to increase our share of energy from renewable sources to 50%. Read more in our Goal Be climate neutral and drive clean and resource-efficient operations.
