The Electrolux vision is to be the best appliance company in the world as measured by customers, employees, shareholders and our planet. Electrolux focuses on creating the industry’s best consumer experiences for the products and services offered. Through profitable growth, innovative products under strong brands, operational excellence, and dedicated employees Electrolux creates the conditions to reach its vision.
Electrolux focus is on strengthening the position in its core markets and increasing the share of sales in growth markets. The strategy is to achieve this through an increased speed of innovative products to the market and targeted growth in new segments, distribution channels and product categories. In addition to organic growth, Electrolux sees a potential to grow through acquisitions. Electrolux objective is to grow with consistent profitability, see the financial goals below.
Dedicated employees with diverse backgrounds and a position of leadership in sustainability are necessary for Electrolux to implement its strategy and achieve its goals. The objective is to develop smarter, more accessible, resource-efficient solutions.
The financial goals set by Electrolux aim to strengthen the Group’s leading, global position in the industry and assist in generating a healthy total yield for Electrolux shareholders. The objective is growth with consistent profitability.
The Electrolux vision is to be the best appliance company in the world as measured by customers, employees, shareholders and our planet.
Profitable growth
Experience
innovation
Operational
excellance
Talent and teamship
Core values
Passion for
Innovation
Customer
Obsession
Drive for
Results
Foundation
Respect and
Diversity
Ethics
and Integrity
Safety and
Sustainability
Sustainability leadership is crucial to realizing the Electrolux strategy for long-term profitable growth. The objective is to steadily improve at meeting people’s needs and enhancing their daily lives in a sustainable way. In 2016, Electrolux most resource-efficient products represented 20% of products sold and 28% of gross profit.
The company takes a consistent approach to sustainability in the countries where Electrolux operates. Understanding and engaging in challenges such as climate change, creating ethical and safe workplaces, and adopting a responsible approach to sourcing and restructuring are important for realizing the business strategy. Values such as respect, diversity, integrity, ethics, safety and sustainability are at the core of all employee actions when they interact with customers and colleagues around the globe. Key policies in this context include the Electrolux Code of Ethics, the Electrolux Workplace Code of Conduct and the Electrolux Policy on Corruption and Bribery.
In 2016, Electrolux maintained the position as industry leader in the Household Durables category in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. RobecoSAM publishes the Dow Jones Sustainability Indecies (DJSI), which evaluate the performance of the world’s leading companies in sustainability – from each industry on a global and regional level, respectively. The evaluation is based on criteria such as corporate governance, risk management, branding, climate change mitigation, supply chain standards and labor practices.
Electrolux has a global Ethics Program, encompassing both ethics training and a whistleblowing system – the Electrolux Ethics Helpline. Through the Ethics Helpline, employees can report suspected misconduct in local languages. Reports may be submitted anonymously if legally permitted. The majority of the reported cases during 2016 related to discrimination and harassment.
In line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, a Group level human rights risk assessment was conducted in 2016. The next steps include taking mitigating actions and conducting local risk assessments. Educational activities relating to Electrolux Workplace Code of Conduct, which was updated in 2014, have taken place throughout the organization in 2015 and 2016.
Read more about Electrolux sustainability work on www.electroluxgroup.com/sustainability.
One important aspect for Electrolux of being the best appliance company in the world is to act as a good corporate citizen and taxpayer wherever Electrolux operates.
Electrolux plays an important role in contributing to public finances in all jurisdictions where the Group operates. The Group has 55,000 employees in about 60 countries and about 50 manufacturing facilities across five continents.
Of Electrolux total tax contribution, as defined in the below chart, corporate tax represented approximately 16% in 2016. Corporate income taxes are only a portion of the Group’s total contribution to public finances in Electrolux markets. In addition to corporate income taxes, Electrolux pays indirect taxes, customs duties, property taxes, employee related taxes, environmental charges and a number of other direct or indirect contributions to governments. The total contribution to public finances for 2016 amounted to approximately SEK 7bn whereof more than half related to emerging markets.
Electrolux most transparent contribution to public finances around the world is corporate income taxes, see note 10. Corporate income taxes amounted to SEK 1,088m in 2016, representing a global effective tax rate of the Group of 19.5%. Approximately 40% of the total corporate income taxes in 2016 related to the Group’s activities in emerging markets.
For more information on Electrolux tax policy, see www.electroluxgroup.com.
| Employer tax & fees, 36% | 36 |
| Corporate tax, 16% | 16 |
| Property tax, 3% | 3 |
| Customs, 23% | 23 |
| Indirect tax, 17% | 17 |
| Environmental tax & fees, 5% | 5 |
Electrolux monitors and minimizes key risks in a structured and proactive manner. In general, there are two types of risks: Strategic risks and manageable business risks. The strategic risks are related to the Group’s strategy and are impacted by the external environment. The business risks comprise of operational and financial risks which are managed by the Group’s operational units and Group Treasury, respectively.
Electrolux ability to increase profitability and shareholder value is largely dependent on its success in developing innovative products and create best-in-class consumer experience under strong brands while maintaining cost-efficient operations. Realizing this potential requires effective and controlled risk management.
Macroeconomic trends, changes in industry dynamics and political risks are factors that impact the appliance industry and the markets in which Electrolux operates. To manage external risks and opportunities, Electrolux puts close attention to understanding the economic and political development in its key markets and pro-actively manage and adapt operations. External risks include, variations in demand, price competition and changes in prices for raw materials. Changing industry dynamics such as digitalization, consolidation and sustainability are other examples. In addition, the Group is exposed to risks related to financial operations, e.g., interest risks, financing risks, currency risks and credit risks.
The Group has established internal bodies to manage these risk exposures, see chart below.
The purpose of the internal audit function, Management Assurance & Special Assignments, is to provide reasonable assurance that the Group’s goals are met in terms of efficient operations, compliance with relevant laws and regulations and reliable financial reporting, see page 148.
Electrolux aims at implementing strict norms and efficient processes to ensure that all operations create long-term value for shareholders and other stakeholders. This involves the maintenance of an efficient organizational structure, systems for internal control and risk management and transparent internal and external reporting.
The Group has a decentralized corporate structure in which the overall management of operational activities is largely performed by the business area boards.
Electrolux operations are organized into six business areas. Within Major Appliances, the business areas are geographically defined, while the business areas Small Appliances (as of January 2017, the name of this business area is changed to Home Care & Small Domestic Appliances) and Professional Products are global. There are six group staff units that support all business areas: Finance, Legal Affairs, Human Resources and Organizational Development, Marketing and Branding, Global Operations and Communications.
There are a number of internal bodies which are forums that are preparatory and decision-making in their respective areas. Each body includes representatives from concerned functions and in most cases the President and CEO, see chart below.
In order to fully take advantage of the Group’s global presence and economies of scale, the Group has established Global Operations with the responsibility for product development, purchasing, manufacturing, design and quality.
