Introduction to Krups-Rowenta, In Reality Groupe SEB

Founded 165 years ago, Groupe SEB has become the ideal partner for the home. It was built, little by little, through major innovations but also through the acquisition of major brands such as Tefal, Calor, Rowenta, Moulinex, Krups, Supor and WMF.

The pillars of the SEB Group’s growth strategy are organised through its 32 brands in three main subsets:

  • Core brands
  • Premium brands
  • Professional brands

THE world reference in small domestic equipment

Important for Us

The company’s aspirations are expressed in the signing of the “Act for sustainable livings” and are based on four pillars related to its 2023 goals:

  • Demonstrating everyday respect for every person and usefulness to society
  • Empowering customers to adopt sustainable lifestyles through products and services
  • Putting products and services at the heart of the circular economy
  • Contribute to the fight against global warming through a low-carbon strategy

Criteria

Carbon Footprint, High

In 10 years, the company has exceeded its targets for reducing the carbon footprint of its industrial and logistics activities.

It has also committed to reducing its carbon footprint, with a 30% reduction in energy consumption at industrial sites -baseline year 2010- and a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the transport of products and components -baseline year 2013-.

Ecological Impact, High

In addition to its strategy of manufacturing low-carbon products, Groupe SEB has also taken steps to promote sustainable development through its products and services:

  • Empowering customers to adopt sustainable lifestyles with its products and services
  • Making healthy and tasty homemade food available to everyone
  • Helping everyone to live better in a healthy home, regardless of their age and health status.
  • Make its products and services part of the circular economy.

Groupe SEB’s sustainable development strategy is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Energy Consumption, Medium

Since 2015, Groupe SEB has globalised its policy through the Smart Energy Products project, which identifies the product families with the greatest impact in terms of energy consumption and focuses energy efficiency efforts on these ranges.

The company’s R&D teams have succeeded in dividing the energy consumption of cylinder hoovers by three, without compromising dust removal efficiency or noise levels.

Freight Density, High

Groupe SEB has given high strategic priority to L’Ecologistics, as transport is the main source of greenhouse gas emissions.

The company’s initiatives in this area take two forms: the development of alternative modes of transport other than road -waterway, rail- and the improvement of the loading rates of transport units -trucks and sea containers-.

Furthermore, it has globalised its policy since 2015 through the Smart Energy Products project, which identifies the product families with the greatest impact in terms of energy consumption and focuses energy efficiency efforts on these ranges.

Recycling Rates, High

Groupe SEB has made significant progress in incorporating recycled materials into its products and packaging.

In 2013, the company set a target of incorporating 20% recycled materials in new products and packaging by 2020, which it exceeded by reaching 34%. The company has now set a new target of 50% by 2023.

Groupe SEB has also made a specific commitment to recycled plastics, aiming to double annual usage in France by 2025 compared to 2017.

As regards metals, in all products, most of the stainless steel used by the group already comes from recycled sources. This percentage is 80% for cookware -utensils, frying pans, saucepans, pots, pressure cookers, etc.-. In the case of aluminium, which is mostly used for this product category, the proportion of recycled materials is lower but increasing. The use of recycled aluminium produces 90% less greenhouse gases than primary aluminium and consumes 16 times less energy.

Saving Levels, Medium

In 2022, Groupe SEB recorded a decrease in the consumption of many of its raw materials, such as metals, plastics, packaging, natural gas, electricity, water and heating oil.

The only area where there was an increase in resource consumption was packaging.

This overall decrease in consumption is due to the decline in sales of household appliances worldwide.

Specific Product Monitoring, Low

Groupe SEB has been committed to a proactive approach to technology watch for several years:

  • The patent document pool, which contains more than 200,000 documents, is unique in the field of household appliances.
  • Patent research is carried out in less than 3 weeks, whereas governmental organisations can take 9 months.

Groupe SEB’s approach to continuous technology watch is developed internally thanks to the dynamism of its teams of engineers and technicians, schools, institutes and its investment company.

Supply Chain Waste, Low

Groupe SEB’s supply chain management is vital to its competitiveness and affects all the business lines involved in making its products available to consumers.

The company’s supply chain teams manage information flows, from sales forecasts to orders for materials and components, and physical flows, from the supply of metals, plastics, engines and packaging to the distribution of finished products.

Sustainability Scorecards, No Information

We couldn’t find any information on Groupe SEB’s sustainability scorecards. However, we can tell you that Groupe SEB has been committed to an ethical, economically profitable, socially equitable and environmentally responsible approach for many years.

They have good infographics, but no visible and/or public sustainability scorecard system.

Water Management, No Information

We could not find any information on Groupe SEB’s water management.

Conclusions

The Krups-Rowenta scored 5.5/10 in the criteria analysed, making them an average sustainable appliances producer. Nevertheless, it maintains a detailed sustainable roadmap to be followed in the short term.

Read its Groupe SEB sustainable development strategy.

Related to other brands

Number of criteria met by each brand:

  • Electrolux 6.5/10
  • Siemens-Bosch 9/10
  • Whirlpool 8/10
Sources