Liebherr’s domestic appliances division publishes its third Corporate Responsibility Report

The third Corporate Responsibility Report, published in 2019, documents the activities, performance, progress and goals of the domestic appliances division with regard to sustainable economic, ecological and social development. The report was prepared in orientation on the international guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). It records activities at the division's three European plants in Ochsenhausen, Germany, in Lienz, Austria, and in Radinovo, Bulgaria, for the years 2018 and 2019.

For the first time, the domestic appliances division’s report highlights its contribution to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The domestic appliances division is able to make a significant contribution to eight of these SDGs and has set itself the goal to increase these contributions in the coming years together with its stakeholders. It makes particularly significant contributions towards goals numbers 12 (sustainable consumption and production), 11 (sustainable cities and municipalities) and 13 (climate protection measures).

The domestic appliances division and its products further reduce CO2 emissions

Climate protection is one of the most urgent problems of our time, as emphasised by the European Union’s “Green Deal” with its target of climate neutrality by 2050. The domestic appliances division has set itself ambitious goals and already achieved a great deal. For example, it has reduced CO2 emissions at its European sites by more than 60 percent in the last two years. From 2022, green electricity will be used at all European production sites. This will cut CO2 emissions by around 80 percent compared to 2017. The plan is to achieve climate neutrality in Scopes 1 and 2 at the European production sites by 2030 at the latest.

If we consider the ecological footprint of a highly energy-efficient refrigerator-freezer over its entire service life (materials used, production, use, recycling), two thirds of the emissions are generated while it is in use. For less energy-efficient appliances this proportion is significantly higher. The energy efficiency of appliances therefore offers the greatest leverage for effectively contributing to climate protection. By consistently using modern and resourceefficient technologies, Liebherr has ensured that 88 percent of its domestic appliances are in the top energy efficiency classes A+++ and A++.

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. In combination with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, it sets the course for a global transition towards sustainable and low-emission living and economic practices. For the domestic appliances division, it is clear that businesses and industry must make a decisive contribution to implementing the sustainability agenda – this is the only way we can create the basis for a society worth living in.

The 2019 Corporate Responsibility Report and the 2019 Corporate Responsibility Fact Sheet can be downloaded from the Liebherr domestic appliances website: home.liebherr.com > Why Liebherr? > Good Reasons > A focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility