Kitchen & Bath Business July/August 2021 - 16

BEHIND THE BRANDS
Making the World a Better Place
A
CCORDING TO THE 2019 GLOBAL STATUS REPORT
for Buildings and Construction, nearly 40%
of energy-related greenhouse gas emissions
are from the buildings and construction
sector. Brands are stepping up to do their part to
change this, making their factories less wasteful and
more effi cient, their products more eco-friendly
and their sustainable goals loftier. KBB spoke with
four kitchen and bath manufacturers with these
values at their core to fi nd out what they are doing
to make planet healthier for future generations.
WHIRLPOOL PUTS IN THE COMMITMENT
Sustainability is not new for this company, which
established its Offi ce for Environmental Aff airs in
1969. Recently, Whirlpool announced a commitment
to net-zero operations by 2030, which will
cover more than 30 of its manufacturing sites and
distribution centers globally. Th e company also
committed to a 20% reduction in emissions linked
to its products across the globe by 2030, compared
to 2016 levels - building on the company's 60%
reduction in emissions since 2005.
" We know fulfi lling our vision of improving life
at home requires us to think of home as not only
the four walls but also the planet that sustains us, "
said Ron Voglewede, global sustainability director,
Whirlpool Corp.
Th e company plans on reaching its goal through
continued investments in renewable energy and
in its manufacturing processes to help reduce water
and energy usage and prevent waste going to
landfi lls. One example is the plant in Greenville,
Ohio, where three on-site wind turbines supply
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/ JULY-AUG. 2021 / KBBONLINE.COM / Th e offi cial publication of NKBA (NKBA.org) and KBIS (KBIS.com)
By ERINN LOUCKS
ABOVE Whirlpool's wind
turbines power its Findlay,
Ohio, plant.
BELOW Cosentino off ers
bicycles for its employees
to get around its large
manufacturing plant in
Almeria, Spain.
Four manufacturers delve
into their sustainable
practices, values and goals
more than 40% of the electricity needed to run the plant. Th e company also
has solar and wind onsite at 12 diff erent facilities around the globe. In addition,
they recycle more than 96% of their manufacturing waste.
COSENTINO SUPPORTS SUSTAINABILITY AT HOME
Th is brand is setting an example, starting with its factory on the coast of
Spain. According to Massimo Ballucchi, vice president of Cosentino North
America for the Kitchen and Bath channel, sustainability is particularly
important to this manufacturing site also because of its connection to the
local community.
" Th e impact we have in our industry is important to our employees, " he
said, explaining that the company has more than 2,000 employees living and
working in this remote part of Spain. " We have a responsibility. "
Along with building an extensive green belt within the Cosentino Industrial
Park and providing bikes to employees to facilitate travel within
the large campus, the company recently launched a self-contained
residual materials processing and recovery plant. Th is plant helps
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Kitchen & Bath Business July/August 2021

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