Sustainability: Beko's CEO on Energy Efficient Appliances

Beko, one of the world’s leading home appliance manufacturers, operates through subsidiaries in more than 55 countries, with a workforce of more than 50,000 and a portfolio of 22 brands. 

Serving hundreds of millions of homes worldwide, the company recognises the immense responsibility that comes with this scale. 

Hakan Bulgurlu, CEO of Beko shared his expertise with Energy Digital's sister title Sustainability Magazine.

How has Beko’s sustainability progressed across regions?

Sustainability used to be a niche expectation in a few developed markets but today, it’s a global imperative. 

We are seeing a rising demand for cleaner, more efficient solutions across all markets we operate in. 

At Beko, we’ve made it our mission to ensure our ethos of sustainability is accessible to all and is deeply embedded in our manufacturing processes – in some markets, there are no energy-efficiency standards. 

We raised our own bar anyway because we answer to something bigger than compliance.

When we entered the South African market in 2011, the average refrigerator was ‘E’ energy class. 

We voluntarily improved our market offering so that the lowest class refrigerator we sell is an ‘A’ energy rating. 

We were able to reduce the energy consumption of refrigerators made in South Africa by 50%. 

Last year, our Defy brand launched its Solar Off-Grid refrigerator and freezer range, specifically designed to address the challenges related to frequent loadshedding and clean energy access in South Africa. 

The products are revolutionary themselves, by leveraging solar energy, this range operates independently of the electrical grid, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and minimising carbon emissions.

Emerging markets, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh and Egypt, are key to the global transformation effort but they can’t do it alone. 

These regions face unique challenges as rising incomes and temperatures drive greater energy demand. 

And it’s simply not acceptable to deny those in the Global South access to comfortable and healthy lives out of fear that emissions will rise as they gain access to what many in the Global North have taken for granted for decades.

That’s why we are focused on using advanced technologies in these markets and establishing sustainable manufacturing facilities. 

Our factory in Egypt will achieve up to 50% energy savings compared to conventional facilities. 

While in Bangladesh, our factory is designed to maximise natural daylight, featuring skylight roof surfaces for sustainable energy management with energy monitoring systems to track sustainability targets.

By investing in cleaner, more efficient production methods and creating localised solutions, we’re not only reducing emissions but also enabling these countries to leapfrog to more sustainable development pathways.  

In Ulmi, Romania, our manufacturing plant was awarded Sustainability Lighthouse status by the WEF for the implementation of cutting-edge sustainable technologies that includes advanced wastewater treatment and running on renewable energy and green electricity. 

These are practical examples of how sustainable design can be scaled globally without compromising on performance or accessibility across our planet. 

We want solutions that cross borders and solve real problems because unless sustainability is global, it’s not working.

What significant environmental progress has Beko made?

While our initial goal was to achieve 50 MWp of renewable energy capacity by 2030, we have exceeded expectations. 

In 2024, our renewable energy capacity reached 90.2-megawatt peak (MWp) — almost 30 times what it was just four years ago. 

As of 2024, 60.5% of the electricity we use in manufacturing comes from renewable sources, with a goal to reach 100% by 2030, we’ve also scaled our circular economy model. 

Since 2014, we’ve recycled more than 1.86 million Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) units in our WEEE recycling plants and in 2024, more than 114,000 products were refurbished across our global refurbishment network which covers facilities in UK, Italy and Türkiye. 

In addition, thanks to the innovative recycled material formulations we have been developing, we have increased our use of recycled plastic throughout the years. 

In 2024, 27,835 tonnes of recycled plastics were used in our products and our products are becoming more efficient, too. 

In 2024, 61.9% of our turnover came from energy-efficient products, while low-carbon products accounted for 71.5% – that’s impact at scale.

No one would expect a sustainability leader to come from an emerging market. 

Yet, we have been leading our industry in Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last 6 years in a row. And we didn’t get there by doing what was easy. 

We got there by embedding sustainability into the DNA of how we design, build, operate and lead.

These efforts also contributed to us earning a place in TIME Magazine’s list of the world’s most sustainable companies, ranking 17th overall (a leap from 44th in the 2024 list) and first in our industry.

How have the KPIs been strengthened?

For us, sustainability is an operating system. 

By aligning our key performance indicators to global climate goals, we are safeguarding our sustainability intentions and sticking close to the science. 

We have science-based targets officially validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to cut our Scope 1,2 and Scope 3 use phase emissions by 42% by 2030 and reduce Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 90% by 2050, aligned with the 1.5°C climate scenario. 

We have embedded sustainability into our leadership DNA by indirectly linking the success of sustainability related KPIs to executive compensation as part of the overall performance reviews. 

Targets for reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, along with supply chain sustainability integration, are included in the scorecards of our key C-suite leaders.

Our Sustainability Linked Financing Framework ties our financial commitments to tangible goals, including reducing GHG emissions and increasing female representation in our workforce.

And we publish it all: verified, transparent ESG data that meets CSRD, GRI and IIRC standards. 

We believe sustainability metrics should be as robust as financial ones because in the future, they will be.

How does Beko extend its sustainability into product design and its supply chain?

We take a full lifecycle approach to sustainability and that starts with the materials we use. 

We use recycled PET bottles, fishnets and textile wastes in washing machines, dishwashers, ovens and air conditioners and we’re also designing products for easier disassembly and recyclability.

As a global appliance manufacturer, we recognise the critical role our industry plays. Four major product categories, electric motors, air conditioners, refrigerators and lighting, account for 40% of global electricity consumption. 

With appliances accounting for more than a third of residential energy use and 15% of global carbon emissions, we have an obligation to do our part.

For years, our industry has focused on Scope 1 and 2 emissions, those we can directly control. 

At Beko, we’ve also made substantial progress in reducing emissions in our manufacturing plants through energy efficiency initiatives and renewable energy investments but, these only represent around 1% of our total emissions. 

The real challenge lies in Scope 3, which accounts for almost 99% of our company’s GHG emissions and more than 80% of these Scope 3 emissions come from the use phase of our appliances in consumers’ homes – innovation plays a critical role here too. 

Technologies across our appliances such as EnergySpin achieves up to 35% energy savings in comparison to our traditional washing machines in everyday wash programmes, not just in eco mode, while our smart home platform HomeWhiz tracks energy consumption in connected devices, with personalised intelligent recommendations and energy saving modes. 

In our supply chain, we've gone beyond audits and reporting.

We’ve built ESG data dashboards, trained teams on climate metrics and embedded sustainability criteria into procurement. 

Transparency is non-negotiable, our suppliers must meet ESG criteria that match the rigor we apply to ourselves and we reward that. 

For instance, suppliers that hit environmental and social performance benchmarks gain access to preferential early payment terms. 

It’s a win-win: we decarbonise our supply chain while raising the bar for shared accountability.

How can people reduce their environmental footprint from home? 

Many people don’t realise that household appliances account for a significant amount of global carbon emissions, that means every choice matters. 

At Beko, we make that choice easier with a wide range of low-carbon appliances that are energy and water efficient and support users to take simple steps that reduce their impact. 

Through our connected platform, HomeWhiz, users can monitor their consumption and get real-time suggestions to optimise efficiency. 

For example, our CoolAdapt technology in refrigerators adjust around usage patterns and external conditions to reduce energy use – proving that small changes can add up. 

Choosing efficient appliances with adaptive features, maintaining them properly and using features like eco programmes can significantly lower both emissions and energy bills. 

Even switching your laundry from a 40 °C wash to a 30 °C wash can cut energy consumption by approximately 30–40%.

Ultimately, our goal is to give people the tools and technology to live more sustainably, without having to compromise on comfort, convenience or performance.