Whirlpool has been committed to creating a sustainable environment since 1970 with the formation of an Office of Environment. Now proudly distributed by Arisit, the company is accelerating its progress by delivering on its commitments to improve plants and products while making a positive impact on people and the planet.
By 2030, Whirlpool aims to reduce emissions by 50% from its plants and 30% from its products compared to a 2016 baseline and have Zero Waste to Landfill in all manufacturing sites by 2022.
Three elements form the core of Whirlpool’s environmental sustainability priorities:
- Sustainable plants
Whirlpool is one of the largest Fortune 500 consumers of on-site wind energy in the US. Since 2015, it has reduced approximately 12% of the energy intensity in its plants. All Whirlpool employees in manufacturing are responsible for identifying and implementing ways to increase resource efficiency through initiatives such as Zero Waste to Landfill and energy and water efficiency projects. More than 96% of waste goes to recycling and less than 3.5% of waste goes into landfill.
World Class Manufacturing (WCM) methodology and principles were embedded across all 36 manufacturing plants in 13 countries as of 2019 for a uniform global platform of operational excellence.
2. Sustainable products
Whirlpool products are designed using materials with the lowest environmental impact possible, are resource efficient and can be recycled at the end of life. Design for Environment tools have been developed to deliver energy- and water-efficient products alongside more recycled content on major plastic components by 2025, as well as the use of majority recycled-content steel. This year, Whirlpool launched a new full materials transparency system to offer insight into substances of concern.
3. Sustainable practices
Whirlpool’s sustainability commitment is embedded into day-to-day operations including design, sourcing, and manufacturing, as well as distribution, marketing, and management of end-of-life for products. New information technology tools better track and monitor key sustainability metrics.