Appliance maker goes green
ONE wouldn’t normally think of appliances as weapons against climate change and pollution, but here we are, about to extol the green virtues of some.
During last week’s Beko Global Sustainability Virtual Launch, Beko presented its BioCoffee Espresso Machine, AutoDose Dishwasher, EcoTub Washing Machine & Washer Dryer, GreenDry Tumble Dryer, EcoFiber Oven, and BioCycle Refrigerator. In a speech prior to the presentation, Hakan Bulgurlu, CEO of Beko parent Arçelik, discussed their environmental thrust. “You can see our vision statement behind me: ‘respecting the world; respected worldwide.’”
“We live by this statement in every area of our business and our personal lives,” he said.
He talked about the commitments they have made to reduce their emissions: these include a commitment to reduce its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 30% by 2030, and reducing Scope 3 emissions by 15%. Others include using 40% recycled plastic, recycling 99% of manufacturing waste, and reducing water consumption by 45%. They have also been carbon-neutral for the past two years.
“Many of my contemporary counterparts claim that they will become carbon-neutral by 2030, 2040, some even 2050. All I’m saying is that it’s too late. We have to act today and we have to put our responsibility towards the planet before anything else,” said Mr. Bulgurlu.
The espresso machine, for example, is developed with bio-composite technology, and each Espresso Machine is made of five cups of coffee residue, reducing its carbon footprint by 5% in bio-composite parts. The dishwasher, meanwhile, dispenses the right amount of detergent, and in each wash, up to 28% less detergent is used.
The fridge is made from durable components composed of bio-based plastics, and the egg trays are made, appropriately, from eggshell wastes and bioplastics (each egg tray boasts of using eggshell waste from five eggs). The fridge’s fan cover is made of 100% bio-based plastics from sustainable resources such as corn starch or sugarcane, and the door seal is made from 25% bio-based (soybean oil) materials.
The oven, meanwhile, uses a sustainable material from recycled fishnet waste and industrial thread waste, and 50% of the BI Oven inner display cover is made from industrial thread waste. The dryer uses recycled plastic in 15% of its plastic parts on average, including in the water tank housing and back cover.
Finally, the washing machine contains approximately up to 60 recycled 0.5L PET bottles, particularly in the tubs of the washing machines and washer dryers on certain models.
Why do they do it?
Mr. Bulgurlu says that some companies believe that going green costs money. He counters: “There are many, many ways where you can do the right thing, without any cost.”
“Doing the right thing is also profitable, or can make you more cost-competitive. We have lived this example, and we want to share this example with many companies.”
Adapting their methods and products for a pro-environment policy is also an adaptive measure, he said. “I believe that the companies that do the right things by the planet will get ahead, and the ones that don’t will disappear. Sustainability doesn’t only mean doing the right thing by the planet and the environment — it also means making your business more sustainable.
“By doing right, you will win; by doing wrong, you will lose.”
The brand has been in the Philippine market for five years and is currently available in select SM Appliance Centers, Robinsons, All Home, Anson’s, Savers, Great World, and Manila Imperial Appliances Stores, and Asian Home Appliance Center in Cebu, and in e-commerce partners: Lazada and Household Appliances Trading (hat.com.ph). For information, follow @bekoph on Facebook and Instagram or go to http://www.beko.ph. — J.L. Garcia
