News
Philips delivers strong sustainability performance in 2009, aims to cut energy use in products 50% by 2015

Amsterdam — Royal Philips Electronics announced this week that it has made significant progress in its EcoVision4 program launched in 2007, which set targets for green sales, green innovation investments and for increased operational energy efficiency by the end of 2012. Philips reported that 31 per cent of total 2009 sales stemmed from the sale of Green Products, three years ahead of schedule, and expects to reach the 50 per cent mark by 2015. The company will reach its Green Innovation investment target of a cumulative EUR 1 billion in 2010 and is well positioned to deliver on its 25 per cent operational energy efficiency improvement commitment.
 
"The fact that we are so far ahead of what we set out to achieve in late 2007 with EcoVision4, shows that sustainability truly is a driving factor in Philips’ business strategy," said Rudy Provoost, Chairman of Philips' Sustainability Board and CEO of Philips Lighting. "Sustainability is an integral part of our DNA as a Health and Well-being company. Given the need for ambitious approaches in this area, we will continue to set such targets and to deliver upon them."
 
Under the program name EcoVision5, Philips announced its 2015 sustainability targets, based on the global trends to which the company can offer meaningful solutions. These new targets broaden Philips’ approach to sustainability well beyond the ecological footprint, in line with the company’s Health and Well-being strategy.
 
That is why Philips strives to bring care to more than 500 million people by 2015. This target will be tracked by taking into account all Philips products and solutions which directly address care. An example is the MammoDiagnost DR, which was included as part of a Mobile Breast Screening Unit, designed to facilitate access to preventative care for women in remote areas of the Middle East.
 
By 2015, Philips will improve the energy efficiency of its overall product portfolio by 50 per cent. Lighting accounts today for 19%, or nearly one fifth, of the world’s total energy consumption. With LED technology quickly set to become the industry norm, Philips has the insights and capabilities to make a globally significant difference in addressing the energy imperative through its lighting innovations. An illustration of this is Philips' introduction of the first ever solar-powered LED Floodlighting Solution to South Africa. Philips is enabling communities to enjoy the simple enhancement of life through light, well beyond sunset, without the use of electricity infrastructures.
 
Philips also aims to double the collection and recycling of its end-of-life products, as well as the amount of recycled materials used in Philips products by 2015. Scarcity of material resources, the lack of collection and recycling legislation in certain areas of the world, coupled with growing consumer demand in emerging economies, present the planet with clear ecological risks. Philips’ EcoDesign approach to product development has resulted in such solutions as the Performer Energy Care vacuum cleaner, which is made up of 60% recycled and bio-based plastics. Philips has also been a partner in the development of collection and recycling legislation in the EU. It has expanded its voluntary collection and recycling services started in 2008 both in India and Brazil, and has launched them in Argentina in 2009.

February 24, 2010  By Newswire