Ragıp Balcıoğlu, Chief Commercial Officer, Arçelik

Empowering future generations to live healthier and protect our planet

HEALTHY LIVING IS ONLY POSSIBLE ON A HEALTHY PLANET

Raising awareness around healthy living and developing products that help consumers make healthy choices has been a long-term focus for Beko. Now the brand mission has evolved. Beko believes ‘healthy living is only possible on a healthy planet’. We asked Ragıp Balcıoğlu, Chief Commercial Officer of Arçelik, how Beko reflects the shift in consumer behaviour and the level of importance innovation plays in supporting sustainable living.

The past 18 months has been seen as a fresh start for the world, to build back better and cleaner.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that people and the planet are interconnected. While consumers are becoming more eco-conscious, they now expect brands to be too. In June 2021, Beko introduced ecofriendly appliances that reflect the brand’s sustainability mission by using recycled materials, bio composites and detergent saving technologies to help consumers reduce their carbon footprint at home.

How do you feel your consumers are responding to this call to action for a more sustainable future?

We have carried out consumer research across Europe to measure how consumers approach sustainability, their awareness of their individual effects on the environment, and to see which
consumer needs can be solved with innovative products.

One of the standout results revealed that the majority of respondents believe human environmental damage to be the biggest critical threat to a sustainable planet. People feel it is up to them to
make a personal difference with 8 in 10 respondents (83%) saying they are aware of the importance of purchasing sustainable home appliances to create a meaningful, positive impacts on the planet.

Beko is committed to protecting the planet by designing and manufacturing energy-efficient products made from recycled and bio-based materials; as well as investing in resource efficiency across production. Beko’s brand purpose focuses on empowering future generations to live healthier lives – which is only possible by living more sustainably and working towards a healthier planet.

Can you give more insight about Beko’s sustainable products? What is unique about them and how are they protecting the planet?
Our innovative design approach is supported by three key pillars to protect the planet; use of recycled materials, use of bio composites, and creating products that use fewer chemicals. These technologies are reflected in seven eco-friendly home appliances that we have recently unveiled: EcoTub Washing Machine & Washer Dryer, EcoFiber Oven, GreenDry Tumble Dryer, BioCycle Refrigerator, BioCoffee Espresso Machine, and AutoDose Dishwasher.

This is just the beginning, Beko’s goal is to eventually incorporate these sustainability measures into all our products. We are fostering an open innovation culture where sustainability is always on top, and improvements are made wherever and whenever possible to boost eco-friendly technologies.

We feel our latest eco-friendly appliances are a great step forward for us, and our consumers.

But of course, the solution to the climate crisis is a collaborative process. We would like to lead the way for the industry and encourage other manufacturers to follow suit.