A 400% increase in "green" product launches and 9 million Euros to healthcare and education projects globally help make Philips a market leader in sustainability
Dubai - Philips Electronics registered a record number of environmentally friendly product launches and initiated 200 social investment projects globally in 2004, just two examples of how the company continues to live by the code of its founding brothers who always put people at the centre of their work.
These and other achievements were revealed in the recently issued 2004 Philips Sustainability Report, which reinforces the company's leadership in the field of corporate social responsibility and its commitment to fully embed sustainability into every part of its business. The report shows why the Dow Jones Sustainability Index ranked the company No. 1 in the cyclical goods & services category for the second year in a row.
"Sustainability, quite simply, is a central part of what Philips is, what we aspire to and how we do business. It makes sense that socially and environmentally responsible behaviour contributes to sustained profitable growth and value creation," said Louis Hakim, CEO Philips Middle East. "We will strive in 2005 and beyond to achieve further progress in embedding sustainability throughout the organization and into our supply chain as well."
In 2004, Philips increased supplier involvement by urging them to sign a Declaration of Sustainability, which covers health, safety, the environment and working conditions. Philips also began an extensive supplier audit program on sustainability compliance that included the training of 400 internal assessors who will help implement a new Global Supplier Rating System.
On the manufacturing front, the company launched 21 environmentally friendly Green Flagship products - a 400% increase over the previous year - which join the more than 100 Green Flagships already on the market. Among the new products is the iU22 ultrasound scanner, which weighs 22% less, eliminates 82% of the hazardous substance mercury, reduces energy consumption by 37% and uses 20% less packaging.
In the communities in which Philips operates, the company has invested 9 million Euros in more than 200 projects to provide healthcare and education to the underprivileged. Other efforts include the launch of two pilot projects in India and Brazil as part of Philips' New Business Initiatives program designed to promote the exploration of new business models.
In the Middle East, Philips has continued its three-year-old sustainability program - a home- grown social responsibility initiative that supports hospitals and special needs centres for children. Since 2002, Philips has completed 12 projects in the Middle East. This includes renovations of children's wards in six hospitals, equipping rooms at an autism centre and a special needs centre in the UAE, fitting out four therapy rooms in special-needs centres in Saudi Arabia and helping one hospital renovation in Iran.
-Ends-
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe's largest, with sales of EUR 30.3 billion in 2004. With activities in the three interlocking domains of and 161,500 employees in more than 60 countries, it has market leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patient monitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting and silicon system solutions. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
For more information please contact:
Reem Saleh
PR Executive
Philips Electronics Middle East & Africa
Tel: +971 4 3353 666
Fax: +971 4 3353 999
E-mail: reem.saleh@philips.com
© Press Release 2005
