Our Environmental Sustainability
An affordable
twin-tub washer
developed for India
At Whirlpool Corporation, our environmental sustainability approach drives at the heart of addressing the major challenges our planet and our consumers face. With climate change expected to impact many aspects of our lives for years to come, we take our responsibility seriously.
The idea of contextual sustainability is at the center of our efforts to drive areas of sustainability that focus on our most important priorities. These focus areas include:
- Designing for the Environment
- Zero Impact Operations
- Product Efficiency and Innovation
Dishwashers
that use less than two gallons of water are
3 to 4 times
more carbon- and water-efficient than conventional handwashing(g)
Designing for the Environment
We work hard to address plastic waste and eliminate hazardous materials in our products and packaging by creating demand for recycled materials, developing new alternatives and creating value from our products throughout and at the end of their useful life. We have set voluntary commitments with internal targets on recycled content, sustainable packaging and phaseouts of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC). This full life cycle thinking and our innovation will together create better and more sustainable products.
Zero Impact Operations
Our approved science-based targets represent our commitment to meet and exceed the well below 2 degree Celsius target prescribed by the Paris Climate Agreement and drive significant emissions reductions across Whirlpool Corporation’s supply chain. In 2020, we invested in renewable energy through a Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA), expected to cover 50% of our Scope 2 electricity emissions in the U.S. It will help reduce our overall global carbon footprint in operations by nearly 15% starting in 2021. We also made on-site solar installations with new capacity in India and procured utility renewable energy in Mexico.
True ventless heat pump dryers
with the highest efficiency rating in EMEA
Product efficiency and innovations
We continue to make investments in both the efficiency and innovation of our products to improve lives at home and in our communities. We improved our Greenhouse Gas Emissions Management Systems (GEMS) which was launched in 2018 to monitor our global emissions footprint for products in use. We are currently on track to achieve our emissions reduction targets and will continue to drive energy efficiency in our products across all pricing levels. We are also investing in innovations that automate water levels, utilize cold water settings as default, and auto dose detergents to further lower our environmental impacts and save consumers time and money. These innovations and engagement with our consumers have the ability to drive significant gains in the emissions of our products in use to exceed our 2030 goals, while providing savings on consumer utility bills.
Product at the core A Whirlpool Dishwasher
Our new global platform approach incorporates Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles and goals for true holistic impact.
Environmental
ZERO
Manufactured at gold level (UL2799) Zero Waste to Landfill plants.
15%
Renewable electricity from our onsite wind farm at our dishwasher plant in Findlay, Ohio.
70%
Reduction in GHG emissions achieved by dishwashers during their use phase compared to manual handwashing(h).
3 to 4 times
More water-efficient vs. handwashing with most of our dishwashers saving over 2,500 gallons a year(h).
Learn more about our goals and commitments in our 2020 Sustainability Report.
Social
saves
30
minutes of time per cycle vs. handwashing thereby freeing over 100 hours(h) per year for families.
Our largest capacity
3rd Rack
dishwashers help you make more room when you need it(i).
Governance
Holistic innovation using Design for Environment principles in our global platforms connecting product sustainability directly with business goals.
Responsible sourcing with supplier audits and meeting our aggressive standards on restricted materials.
Product safety process with industry-leading best practices and benchmarked by other companies to improve their own programs.
Footnotes
(g) Based on comparison of KitchenAid Model No. KDTM354ESS to manual handwashing among 40 study subjects using conditions and assumptions set forth in Gabriela Y Porras et al 2020 Environ. Res. Commun. 2 021004.
(h) Based on favorable water and energy use comparison of KitchenAid Model No. KDTM354ESS, which was compared to manual handwashing among 40 study subjects using conditions and assumptions set forth in Gabriela Y Porras et al 2020 Environ. Res. Commun. 2 021004. Assumes 215 cycles / year.
(i) Models WDTA80SAK, WDT750SAK, WDTA50SAK based on total usable volume. Compared to 3rd Rack models WDTA75SAH, WDT970SAH, WDT975SAH. Handle styles vary by model.
(j) Meeting UL2799 Gold and Platinum levels, self declared.
| Scope 1 | Scope 2 | Scope 1 & 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 241,266 | 591,405 | 832,671 |
| 2017 | 195,274 | 613,682 | 808,956 |
| 2018 | 178,859 | 574,713 | 753,572 |
| 2019 | 182,097 | 502,314 | 684,411 |
| 2020(j) | 191,234 | 471,938 | 663,172 |
| 2016 | 72.3 |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 71.7 |
| 2018 | 66.2 |
| 2019 | 67.6 |
| 2020 | 61.4 |