BSH saves 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity
with Super Efficiency Portfolio

Home appliance maker triples sales of its best appliances

BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH has become the first home appliance manufacturer to bring its most efficient appliances together into a “Super Efficiency Portfolio”. With sales of its super-efficient appliances, the group is making a direct contribution to cutting electricity consumption in households, and thus also to climate protection. The appliances sold by BSH in Europe during 2009 will bring a saving of some 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, calculated over the average duration of use of the appliances. This is equivalent to the average annual electricity consumption of more than 300,000 private households in Germany. These figures have been validated by a firm of auditors, and published in the new BSH sustainability report.

In what is now its 18th sustainability report, the home appliance maker sets out how it implements its corporate strategy, with its orientation towards sustainability. “We assume responsibility for the environment and society, and thus also contribute to sustainable development around the world,” says Dr. Kurt-Ludwig Gutberlet, Chairman of the Board of BSH. First and foremost, this embraces the development and production of home appliances that are particularly sparing with energy and water. This reflects the fact that more than 90 percent of the environmental impact occurring during the product lifecycle arises in the usage phase, that is to say from the energy, water and detergents consumed.

“With our innovative and super-efficient home appliances we can make a decisive contribution to climate and environmental protection,” says BSH CEO Gutberlet. Many of the appliances produced by BSH are now so sparing with water and electricity that there is no longer an appropriate EU Energy Label rating for them. With a view to making its energy efficiency progress visible and measurable the group has brought its most economical home appliances together into a Super Efficiency Portfolio. The appliances sold in Europe during 2009 will bring a saving of some 1.1 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, calculated over the average duration of use of the appliances. This is equivalent to the average annual electricity consumption of over 300,000 private households in Germany.

Uniform criteria have been defined for the selection of the product mix for inclusion in the Super Efficiency Portfolio. Accordingly, only appliances and countries that use the EU Energy Label are included. Appliances with the highest energy efficiency levels in the marketplace receive the designation “super-efficient”. Because there are no standards for the recording and calculation of these savings effects in the white goods sector, BSH has had the Super Efficiency Portfolio validated by a firm of auditors. The group has been able to triple sales of its super-efficient home appliances compared with last-year’s figure. This already amounts to 15 percent of the company’s overall European sales, while in revenue terms, appliances from the Super Efficiency Portfolio now account for 18 percent of the total posted by BSH in Europe.

Progress report for the Global Compact
The report “Environmental and Corporate Responsibility 2009” provides information on BSH’s sustainability performance and activities related to the environment, society and employees. Last year, for instance, the company for the first time conducted an international stakeholder survey, with the aim of finding out how the various stakeholder groups rate BSH’s level of engagement and commitment, and what expectations they have of the company.

Last year’s survey polled employees in 17 countries. BSH was keen to find out from them where they saw the company’s strengths in day-to-day business activities, and where there was room for improvement, and how the measures put in place in response to the previous survey had affected them. Indicators tracking financial, environmental and social performance show BSH's development in recent years, what progress has been made, and where there is still room for improvement. The sustainability report at the same time details the company’s progress in relation to the United Nations’ Global Compact, which BSH joined back in 2004, and takes its orientation from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines.

Contact for this press release:
Fridolin Weindl
fridolin.weindl@bshg.com
Tel: +4989/4590-3391

With sales in the year 2009 of about 8.4 billion Euros and a workforce numbering with over 39,000 BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH is currently the world’s third largest company in the home appliance sector. BSH manufactures its products in 41 factories, and has with about 60 companies a presence in more than 40 countries.