Partnering and Innovating for Sustainable Lifestyles
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) today announced that the sustainable lifestyles of the future are taking shape under a new collaboration between Whirlpool Corporation, P&G and Firmenich at the Whirlpool ReNEWW House – a live-in laboratory on Purdue University’s campus in Indiana, USA.
Watch this video to learn more about the ReNEWW House and the collaboration experience.
By 2030 there will be three billion additional members of the global middle class, within a world population of more than eight billion, together requiring 50% more energy, 40% more water and 35% more food. Leading companies understand that they will need to work together to address the challenges that our societies will face in the years to come.
As part of World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Sustainable Lifestyles program, Whirlpool Corporation, P&G and Firmenich are taking part in a new and exciting collaboration. The companies will leverage their expertise in contributing to people’s lives, and work together at the ReNEWW House to accelerate the development of new clean sustainable lifestyles that are smart, healthy and enjoyable.
The ReNEWW House (which stands for Retrofit Net-Zero Energy Water Waste) is a 1920s three bedroom home on the campus of Purdue University that has been extensively retrofitted and refurbished to be as energy and water efficient as possible. It operates as a live-in research lab and sustainable living showcase. During the summer, the house has been a home to Firmenich and P&G employees, helping to inspire collaborative innovation as they experienced more sustainable living.
Transformative approaches, such as this collaboration at the ReNEWW House, are increasingly important. Investigating lifestyle solutions allows companies to look beyond mere efficiency. It enables a broader perspective that also considers the transformation potential of areas such as infrastructure, technology, business models and individual behaviors. The partners have initially focused on exploring a range of lifestyle activities around the use of water and energy.
Ultimately, the companies taking part in WBCSD’s Sustainable Lifestyles work want to enable and inspire people to live, work and play in a way that significantly reduces environmental impacts while at the same time improving comfort and quality of life for everyone.
The WBCSD Sustainable Lifestyles program is co-chaired by Firmenich CEO, Gilbert Ghostine, and P&G President and Executive Sponsor for Global Sustainability, Shailesh Jejurikar.
Quotes from the collaboration partners
Peter Bakker, President and CEO of WBCSD, said: “If 9 billion people are to live well and within the limits of the planet by 2050, business needs to develop new and better ways to support people in the enjoyment of their lives. I’m delighted that the companies in WBCSD’s Sustainable Lifestyles program are driving action in this critical area. We are very grateful that WBCSD member companies can benefit from Whirlpool Corporation’s forward-thinking approach - the ReNEWW House is a game changer. Our member companies can build on its foundation and the experience it makes possible, so that they can explore how to match their own expertise to infrastructure that’s future-ready.”
Ron Voglewede, Global Sustainability Director at Whirlpool Corporation, said:
“At Whirlpool Corporation, we pride ourselves on the ability to build innovative products that define and transform the home. The ReNEWW House provides the ideal open, collaborative platform to help us and our partners create meaningful change and positive impact for sustainable living. Whirlpool is proud to be a leader in bringing purposeful technology and partners together to make this future a reality.”
Virginie Helias, Vice President, Global Sustainability at P&G, said:
“We are committed to finding new ways to not only reduce the environmental impact of our products and operations but help consumers reduce their footprint. Increasing the efficacy of our products and enabling people to use them with fewer resources such as cold water washing to reduce energy or less water like Downy single rinse, will have the greatest positive impact. Working in partnership with Whirlpool and Firmenich in the ReNeWW House allows us to think more creatively and inspires innovation.”
Gilbert Ghostine, CEO of Firmenich, said:
“We engage in innovation-driven partnerships, such as the ReNeWW House, to make sustainable lifestyles a reality and an aspiration for all,” says Gilbert Ghostine, CEO at Firmenich. “Our goal is to create game-changing solutions for our customers, to meet consumers’ demand for more sustainable choices.”
About The ReNEWW House
Developed to help Whirlpool Corporation and partner companies study systematic solutions to enable more sustainable lifestyles, the ReNEWW House has been the ideal test site to investigate what contributes to sustainable lifestyles and how they can be achieved. Originally built in 1928, the unmodified house was 77% less energy-efficient and 65% less water-efficient than a home built to today’s typical building codes. Today, the house is near net-zero energy and water usage. The ReNEWW House is lived-in by Whirlpool top-talent engineers studying for a Masters at Purdue as part of their development. www.renewwhouse.com
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a WBCSD is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses and partners working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. WBCSD helps its member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies. WBCSD member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing a combined revenue of more than $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. The WBCSD global network of almost 70 national business councils gives members unparalleled reach across the globe. WBCSD is uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues. www.wbcsd.org Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR) is the number one major appliance manufacturer in the world, with approximately $21 billion in annual sales, 97,000 employees and 70 manufacturing and technology research centers in 2015. The company markets Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, Jenn-Air, Indesit and other major brand names in nearly every country throughout the world. Additional information about the company can be found at WhirlpoolCorp.com, or find us on Twitter at @WhirlpoolCorp.
Procter & Gamble
P&G serves consumers around the world with one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and information about P&G and its brands.
Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.0 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2015. More information about Firmenich is available at www.firmenich.com.
For more information, please contact:
Heidi Salon
Firmenich, Senior Manager Corporate Communication
+41 22 780 5438
Julie deSylva
P&G, Senior Communications Manager
001 513-780-0006
Juliet M. Johnson
Whirlpool Corporation, Manager, Media & Public Relations - Global Corporate Communications
juliet_m_johnson@whirlpool.com
001 269-923-7440
Felicity Glennie-Holmes
WBCSD, Director, Communication
+41 79 933 3665
