A partner for the generations
2017 Sustainability Repor tContents
Foreword

At a glance

About this report

Imprint

1 Strategy

4 Environment

1.1 Remit

4.1 Remit

1.2 Sustainability strategy

4.2 Environmental management

1.3 Objectives

4.3 Resource efficiency

1.4 Sustainability management

4.4 Energy use and emissions

1.5 Stakeholder engagement

4.5 Transport and logistics

1.6 Outlook

4.6 Outlook

2 Products

5 People

2.1 Remit

5.1 Remit

2.2 Product portfolio and quality

5.2 Human resources management

2.3 Development and innovation

5.3 Vocational training and development

2.4 Sales

5.4 Occupational health and safety

2.5 Recycling and disposal

5.5 Diversity and equal opportunity

2.6 Outlook

5.6 Social engagement

3 Supply chain

5.7 Outlook

3.1 Remit

6 Facts & figures

3.2 Resources and materials

6.1 Key figures

3.3 Supplier management

6.2 Objectives

3.4 Outlook

6.3 Dialogue
6.4 GRI Index

Foreword

from the Executive Board[GRI G4-1]

Dear readers,
We have formulated a clear vision in our sustainability strategy: wewant to be the most sustainable company in the industry. In order
to live up to this vision, we cannot rest on our laurels – we haveto keep improving all the time. Our founders set the precedentin this regard by printing the guiding principle “Immer besser”(Forever Better) on the very first Miele machines. We have upheldsustainability standards for many generations now – and willcontinue to do so in the future. That is why this eighth Miele
Sustainability Report is entitled “A partner for the generations”.
For us, winning the National German Sustainability Award in 2014
was more than just recognition of our achievements – it was anincentive to do even better in the future. In 2015, we conducted acomprehensive analysis and put the Miele sustainability strategy
to the test. The key question was: are we ideally equipped to meetthe central global sustainability challenges of the next ten years?
The results corroborated many aspects of our work to date. For
example, we believe that demand for particularly durable, efficient
products will continue in the future. In total, we met 93 percentof the objectives that we had set ourselves over the course of
the reporting period. At the same time, however, we have also
identified potential for further improvement in the years to come.
We have therefore defined a number of ambitious new objectives,
which can be found in our updated sustainability strategy.
These objectives primarily relate to topics that, based on our
analysis, we believe will become increasingly important for
Miele over the next few years. These include compliance with

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4

The Executive Directors from left: Dr Stefan Breit (Technology), Dr Markus Miele (Executive
Director and Co-Proprietor), Olaf Bartsch (Finance and Central Administration), Dr Reinhard
Zinkann (Executive Director and Co-Proprietor) and Dr Axel Kniehl (Marketing and Sales)

environmental and social standards in the supply chain, thedevelopment of particularly resource-saving products and thegrowing demand for sustainable innovations. We made significant
progress in these areas once again in the reporting period.
When it comes to developing resource-saving products, one of thecentral challenges is to keep reducing the use of resources withoutcompromising on the quality of our products. That’s why we are
gradually working towards establishing a full circular economy (cradle
to cradle). We are already successfully recovering and reusing metals
from old Miele washing machines as part of an ongoing project.
Over the course of the reporting period, we were also able tointroduce our customers to numerous innovations which demonstrate
improved sustainability not only in the laboratory, but in real-life
operation. For example, the PowerWash 2.0 Miele technology, which2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

5

Miele presented its firstbagless vacuum cleaner
to the public in the formof the Blizzard CX1.

was launched in 2015, achieves outstanding consumption values evenwhen washing machines are not fully loaded, as is typically the casewhen they are in daily use. The EcoFlex dishwashers, available since2016, are also very energy-efficient thanks to the use of an innovative
heat storage system – and they offer short programme durations.
With the UN climate conferences in Paris and Marrakech, and
the German government’s climate protection plan, the subjectof climate change has been very much at the forefront of thepolitical agenda recently. It has also been a key priority at Miele
for many years: since 2000, we have reduced our global energy
consumption by 15.4 percent – while also experiencing a 70 percent
increase in sales. The latest proof of our commitment to climate
protection is the major investment in a new energy concept at
the Bünde site, where we have extended the cogeneration plant.
Investments like this one also demonstrate Miele’s long-term
commitment to Bünde and other sites – showing residents andpoliticians that we have a forward-looking regional policy.
One example that is evidence of our consistent growth trajectoryis the expansion of our logistics site in Gütersloh during 2014 and2015. During the 2015/16 business year, we boosted our sales by
6.4 percent – an increase that is reflected in our growing numberof employees. In the first nine months of the 2016/17 businessyear alone, we have welcomed more than 1,000 new Miele
colleagues. On 31th March 2017, we had 19,400 employees.

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6

Over the next few years, we will work tirelessly to achieve the new
objectives in our revised sustainability strategy together with our
employees. As ever, though, there will be conflicting objectives: forexample, we want to meet the growing demand in our overseas markets without significantly increasing transport-related CO2 emissions.
We want to achieve higher consumption efficiency for our products
without compromising on convenience. We intend to face thesechallenges in the manner demonstrated by our company founders:with both prudence and determination. At the same time, we arecommitted to the objectives of the UN Global Compact, which Miele
has been a member since 2004, as well as the objective of the Parisclimate conference which aim to limit global warming to less than 2 °C.
We are relying on the feedback and support of our stakeholders inthis matter. We hope that reading this report, the eighth sustainability report published by Miele, will serve as encouragement.
Miele & Cie. KG Executive Board
Olaf Bartsch, Executive Director Finances and Administration
Dr Stefan Breit, Executive Director Technology
Dr Axel Kniehl, Executive Director Marketing and SalesDr Markus Miele, Executive Director and Co-Proprietor
Dr Reinhard Zinkann, Executive Director and Co-Proprietor

Just like here in Vienna,
Miele showcases its
products in 90
showrooms worldwide.

Miele at a glance

PHILOSOPHYThe Miele Group[GRI G4-56] Miele has been
an independent family-owned
company since its establishment
in 1899 and is equally committed
to its owners, employees,
customers, suppliers, theenvironment and society. Miele
embodies partnership-based
conduct towards its business
partners, an employee-focusedcorporate culture as well as
continuity of values, goals andleadership. The remit is industry
leadership in terms of quality
and technology. Miele offers its
customers products which set
the standard for longevity, performance, operating convenience,
energy efficiency, design andservice. This fulfils the company’s
guiding principle “Forever Better”,
which even the founders Carl
Miele and Reinhard Zinkann
wrote on their first machines, andwhich continues to shape Mieleto this day. The company focuses
exclusively on the Miele brandand its consistent positioning
in the premium segment.

[GRI G4-3, G4-5, G4-7, G4-9, G4-10]

Contents Miele Back

Miele is held in high esteem as theworld’s leading manufacturer ofpremium domestic appliances.
“Miele Professional”
offers solutions for commercial applications.

18,370employees1), 56 percentof whom are in Germany1)

as of 30th June 2016

Headquarters: Gütersloh
Miele & Cie. KG: central administration,
plants and subsidiary in Germany
Miele Beteiligungs-GmbH: foreign subsidiaries and plants
imperial-Werke oHG: subsidiary (100percent) of Miele & Cie. KG with the Bünde
and Arnsberg plants

8Miele & Cie. KG Executive Board[GRI G4-34]
Olaf Bartsch
Executive Director
Finance and Administration

Dr. Stefan Breit
Executive Director
Technology

HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS

Dr. Axel Kniehl
Executive Director
Marketing and Sales

Dr. Markus Miele
Executive Director
and Co-Proprietor

MANAGING DIRECTORS OF PLANTS

Dr. Reinhard Zinkann
Executive Director
and Co-Proprietor

MANAGING DIRECTORSOF SUBSIDIARIESThe Executive Board of the Miele Group consists of five Executive Directors with equal voting rights. These include
two Executive Directors who act as representatives of the families of owners, as well as three Executive Directors
with divisional responsibility, who are not associated with the families. The management level immediately below
the Executive Board is divided into the heads of the central departments, the plants and the subsidiaries.

Locations[GRI G4-6, G4-9, G4-EC8] Miele produces its devices in 13 factories in a total of 12 locations,most of which are in Germany. Production is also active in Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic
and China. With its own subsidiaries or importers Miele is represented in about 100 countries. As
a key employer and taxpayer in these regions, Miele is conscious of its own multi-layered responsibilities. A central policy at Miele is therefore to keep jobs secure at all company locations.

GermanyGütersloh
Bielefeld
Euskirchen
LehrteOelde
Warendorf
Arnsberg
Bünde

Austria
Bürmoos

RomaniaBrașovCzech Republic
Uničov

China
DongguanCountry withsubsidiary
From subsidiarycontrolled
sales region2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

9

Sales[GRI G4-9] in the 2015/16 business year

5,596,000
domestic appliances sold

Turnover96,000commercial machines soldby business areas 2015/16,
as a percentage

3.71 billion

6%

euros in the 2015/16
business year

4%

13 %

77 %
[GRI G4-8] by regions 2015/16,
as a percentage of total turnover

30 %Domestic appliances

19 %Professional1)
Customer service
Care products and accessories

Germany

America, Australia,
New Zealand, South Africa

25 %

20 %

6%

Northwest Europe

Southern, Eastern,
Central Europe

Asia

Contents Miele Back

1)

Commercial machines, service and spare parts.

10

Product groups[GRI G4-4] Miele’s portfolio is divided into premium appliances for cooking,laundry care and floorcare, plus machines for commercial use, for medical
applications and for laboratories (“Miele Professional”).

Products for domestic applications
Kitchen appliances:

Laundry care:

Coffee machines

Washing machines

Cooker hoods

Washer-dryers

Cookers and ovens/
combination units

Tumble dryers

Consumables:

Rotary ironers

Detergents (for washing machines)

1)

Dishwashers

Accessories and domestic
appliance networking

Detergents (for dishwashers)

Hob units
Microwave ovens1)
Refrigerators and freezers1)
Steam ovens/combination units

Floor clare:

Cleaning products

Cylinder and upright vacuum cleaners

Tumble dryer fragrance

Stick vacuum cleaners

Dustbags

Robotic vacuum cleaners

Vacuum drawers
Warming drawers
Wine units1)

Products for commercial applications
Commercial laundry technology:

Medical technology:

Washing machines

Washer-disinfectors

Tumble dryers

Sterilisers

Rotary ironers

Container and trolley washers

Industrial washers
Accessories andprocess chemicals

Lab washers
Dishwashing technology:
Fresh water dishwashers
Tank dishwashers

1)

With these appliances, Miele cooperates with manufacturing partners.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

11

Value chain[GRI G4-12, G4-20, G4-21] The Miele value chain extends across product development, the selection
and procurement of raw materials and components, the production in the Miele factories, transportand sales, and usage itself. The chain ends with recycling or disposal of the appliances.

Product development

Supply chain

Production

Primary
stakeholders
involved

Miele
Legislators
Customers
Research & science

Miele core
activities

Research and development Procurement and review

Focus topics

Customer requirements
Energy label andother legislation

Availability of resources
Transparency
Adherence to standards

Energy efficiency
Conservation of resources
CO2 savings
Automation

Key GRI aspects

Procurement Practices;
Materials; Products
and Services

Procurement Practices;
Materials; Supplier Assessment;
Investments (human rights);
Non-discrimination; Freedomof Association and Collective
Bargaining; Child Labour;
Forced or Compulsory Labour;
Assessment (human rights); Local
Communities; Anti-corruption

Materials; Energy; Water;
Emissions; Effluents andWaste; Products and Services;
Occupational Health and Safety;
Product and Service Labelling

Comprehensive
GRI aspects

Contents Miele Back

Miele
Suppliers
Legislators

Miele
Legislators

Environmentally friendly
production with highly
vertical integration

Economic Performance; Employment; Labour/Management Relationship; Occupational Health and
Safety; Training and Education; Diversity and Equal Opportunity; Equal Remuneration for Women andMen; Labour Practices Grievance Mechanism; Public Policy; Anticompetitive Behaviour; Compliance12

Sales & transport

Use

Recycling &disposalPrimary
stakeholders
involved

Miele
Dealers

Customers
Miele
Legislators

Customers
Disposal companies
Legislators
Miele

Miele core
activities

Transport
Selection andtraining of dealers
Other sales

Offer of an appliance thatis as durable, efficient,user-friendly and repairfriendly as possible
Service

Disposal assignment
Development ofappliances that are as
recyclable as possible

Focus topics

Emissions for growing
transport volume

Goal conflict between
ecological optimisation,
performance andcustomer advantages
Data security

Old machines/legacy systems
Disposal standards

Key GRI aspects

Emissions; Transport; Productand Service Labelling

Energy; Emissions; Products
and Services; Customer Healthand Safety; Customer Privacy;
Product and Service Labelling

Emissions; Effluents andWaste; Products and Services;
Occupational Health and Safety;
Customer Health and Safety;
Product and Service Labelling

Comprehensive
GRI aspects

Economic Performance; Employment; Labour/Management Relationship; Occupational Health and
Safety; Training and Education; Diversity and Equal Opportunity; Equal Remuneration for Women andMen; Labour Practices Grievance Mechanism; Public Policy; Anticompetitive Behaviour; Compliance2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

13

1 | Strategy
1.1 Remit
1.2 Sustainability strategy
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Sustainability management
1.5 Stakeholder engagement
1.6 Outlook

Strategic orientation
The development and implementation of the sustainability strategy is being carried out by teams from a variety
of fields: Torsten Spließ from Quality Management (left)
ensuring the link with the Miele management system;
Sebastian Wegener, Technical Product Management andEnvironmental Office, controls the implementation.

Contents Back

The remit:
sustainability – forever betterNowadays, companies are faced witha multitude of global developmentsthat impact their business:from climate change andthe scarcity of valuable
resources to the digitisationof all areas of life anddemographic change. Miele
is committed to facing thesechallenges with an open
attitude. In accordance with
its core corporate values,
the company’s actions arealways considerate and oriented toward the long term.
For Miele, sustainability
stands for integrity, a senseof responsibility towards
people and the environment,
continuity and, last but notleast, a sense of quality.
The sustainability strategy
forms the foundation forsustainable corporate development. At the same time,
Miele always incorporates
the expectations of relevant
stakeholders. [GRI G4-2]

What Miele has already achieved1)

National German
Sustainability Prize

2014
Miele is Germany’s mostsustainable large-scale company.

All 12 locations are
certified according tointernational standards:

ISO 9001
ISO 14001
OHSAS 18001
SA80001)

Contents Strategy Back15

company-wide
strategic sustainability
objectives

93 %objective
achievement rate

13

departments
are represented in
the Sustainability
Action Team.

With reference the reporting period.

16Strategic objectives for 2025

Management

The long-term financial success of Miele is ensured through sustainability.

Reputation

Miele is recognised and valued worldwide as the most sustainable company
in the industry. Sustainability is an integral part of its brand identity.

Stakeholder dialogue

Sustainability communication with stakeholders is
tailored to the target audience and international.

Risk management

In addition to legal requirements, risk management also
takes into account the expectations of stakeholders.

“The sustainability
strategy and its objectives
help us live up to ourpledge of being ‘Forever
Better’. The company’s
guiding principle andsustainability vision
therefore go hand in hand.”Christoph Wendker, Director
Technical Product Management andEnvironmental Office, Gütersloh

Sustainability strategy
Basis for current and future challenges

For Miele, sustainability in practice has always been an
indispensable part of its business activities. Miele’s
sustainability policy was set down in an independent,
comprehensive sustainability strategy for the first time in
the 2011/12 business year. To this end, a team of commissioners,
in close coordination with the Executive Board, determined therespective fields of action, defined objectives, measures andresponsibilities, and defined key figures to measure progress. A
review was agreed upon to ensure the effectiveness and future
viability of Miele’s sustainability strategy. A detailed review process
in the 2015/16 business year revealed that the content needed to
be updated and adapted. The sustainability strategy underwent
further development in order to take this into account. The updated
strategy was adopted by the Executive Board in February 2016.
REVIEW: UPDATING AND IMPROVING THE STRATEGYIs the Miele sustainability strategy sufficiently concrete andambitious for the future? This question was the focus of areview process that was initiated in 2015. The objective was toContents Strategy BackIn the Sustainability Action
Team, the employees
responsible for the areas
meet in order to develop
ideas and discuss methods of implementation.

examine the extent to which the strategy is suited to addressing
central sustainability developments and challenges over the
next ten years. Miele decided on a time frame up to 2025 toallow for long-term development focused on continuity.
FIRST STEP: STATUS-QUO ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
The first step involved determining the extent to which previously
established sustainability objectives had been achieved. It also
assessed the effectiveness and efficiency of the implemented
measures. The basis for the analysis was, among other things,
the information from the annual reviews, such as the target/
performance comparison of the objectives. Furthermore,discussions were held with those responsible in order to identify the reasons why measures were unfulfilled or overfulfilled.
The objective was also to gain insights into how strongly thesustainability strategy was already anchored in the company.
The result: Miele had been able to improve its performance withregard to key strategic issues. In production, energy consumption
and CO2 emissions decreased, and the energy consumptionof the Miele appliances was also further reduced. Winning the
National German Sustainability Award 2014 contributed to a better
perception of Miele’s sustainability performance. However, not allof the defined communication objectives had been fully achieved:sustainability considerations were not playing as large a role inpublic relations activities outside of Germany and in marketing
and advertising as was intended. As part of her dissertation, adoctoral student at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich
also discovered that, although Miele’s experts and managers were
fundamentally aware of the topic of sustainability, they were notalways sufficiently aware of the existing sustainability strategy.
SECOND STEP: ASSESSING THE FUTURE VIABILITY
In 2015, in addition to the review, Miele also conducted a trend
analysis on important future developments. The aim was to ensurethat the sustainability strategy incorporates the relevant global
challenges of the coming years. The most important developments that will affect Miele between now and 2025 include:•

Increased demand for “sustainable” products:
consumers expect evidence regarding the soundorigin of raw materials, sustainable production
as well as sustainable product properties.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

2025

15 concrete strategic
objectives should beachieved by this year.
19•Technological developments: process and productinnovations are required in order to achieve further advancesin the environmental performance of the appliances, thedistribution of efficient technologies and also in terms ofusability. The subject of digitisation will play an increasingly
important role against the backdrop of domestic appliancesthat are becoming more and more interconnected.

•

Demographic development and recruitment of qualified employees:
an aging population is changing the requirements for productdesign and for Miele as an employer (shortage of skilled labour).

•Compliance with human rights: the public is increasingly focused on
violations of the core labour standards of the International Labour
Organization (ILO), and on inadequate labour standards across theentire value chain. Violations are also subject to harsher sanctions.

•

Resource scarcity: natural resources such as (drinking) water,energy and raw materials are becoming even scarcer due
to population growth.

•

Climate change: the effects of (human-induced) climate change
are becoming more evident; the reduction of emissions is coming
more to the fore.

The trend analysis was used for an evaluation of the material topics thatare expected to gain relevance for Miele between now and 2025. Thisevaluation included a competition benchmark, an analysis of the demandsof stakeholders (through events, association and committee work) as well
as expert appraisals. Miele experts were also consulted internally about
the respective topics, and the company held an internal trend workshop.
The topics identified include compliance with environmental and social
standards, resource-efficient products and sustainable innovation.
“Good leadership” (leadership improvement) and “sustainability
communication” are also relevant in this context. Further topics
with increasing importance are listed in the materiality matrix.
STRATEGY 2025: SUSTAINABILITY – FOREVER BETTER
While updating the sustainability strategy, Miele systematically considered the potential for improvement and the future trends identified in
the review process. The core of the sustainability strategy is formed
around the following vision: “Miele is the most sustainable company inthe industry – and is also perceived as such!”. This vision is set out inContents Strategy Back20

15 concrete strategic objectives to be achieved by 2025. The refinedsustainability strategy is an integral part of the corporate strategy andis incorporated into all of the Executive Board’s decisions. It is also
intended to serve as a model for all employees in their daily activities.
The new version of the sustainability strategy was adopted by the
Executive Board in February 2016. In the second half of 2016, Miele
began to implement the strategy at its headquarters and in the plants.

Strategic house
Visual depiction of theMiele sustainability strategy

VisionMiele is the most sustainable
company in the industry – and is also perceived as such!

Management & processes

Sustainable company success

Products & services

Supply chain & production

Employees & society

Career and family
Sustainable products
Environmental andsocial standards

Sustainable brand identity

Health and occupational safety

Training and education
Sustainable innovations
Diversity

Risk management

Stakeholder dialogue

Significant user
benefits

Digitalisation and networking

Environmental and climate
protection, energy andresource efficiency

Awareness of sustainability

Attractive environment

Exceptional qualityand durability

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Trustworthy business
relationships

Independence asa family-owned
company

Expert and motivatedemployees

21

MATERIALITY PROCESS: CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVED[GRI G4-18, G4-26] Miele is pursuing a comprehensive materiality
process to determine its reporting topics and to orientate the sustainability strategy. This process was developed further between 2014 and2016 (see graphic). Based on a comprehensive materiality analysis,
which was carried out in 2014, Miele examined the results within theframework of the aforementioned trend analysis in 2015. In addition,
expert interviews were conducted in 2016 with internal and external
stakeholders in order to study the most important topics in depth.

Materiality process

Materiality analysis (2014)

Trend analysis (2015)

Consolidation (2016)

Internal

39 technicians and managers surveyed

Evaluation by Technical ProductManagement/Environmental OfficeWorkshops with specialist departments

Workshop with environmental
consultancy

30 agreements withthe relevant departments

External

22 experts surveyed (online)

Evaluation by externalsustainability experts

570 customers and 25
dealers surveyed

Competition analysis

Phone interviews on five major
topics with nine experts fromscience, associations, NGOs

Stakeholder expectations

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22

MATERIALITY ANALYSIS 2014: COMPREHENSIVE RANKING OF TOPICS[GRI G4-19, G4-20, G4-21] The Miele sustainability topics areordered in the materiality matrix (see graphic) according to thesignificance that they hold for the stakeholders and the company.
It clearly shows that both internal and external stakeholders largely
agree about the topics that should be considered as particularly
relevant. From a methodological perspective, the materiality matrix
is still based on the comprehensive materiality analysis from 2014.
TREND ANALYSIS 2015: TOPICS OF INCREASING IMPORTANCE
According to the trend analysis, the graphic legend emphasises
those topics whose relevance is likely to “rise sharply”, “rise” or“remain the same” between now and 2025. “Sustainable innovations”
and “renewable energies” were identified as new topics. Smart
Grid was replaced by the more comprehensive “Internet of Things”.
Otherwise, there were only a few changes compared to 2014.

Process 2014[GRI G4-24] Starting with a predefined list of topics, the analysis in 2014 determined their relevance aswell as Miele’s sustainability performance, and the respective need for action. The appraisals of 22 experts
from the fields of business, science, politics, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the media weretaken into account. Feedback from a public survey of more than 570 customers as well as 25 dealers andsales employees also contributed to the evaluation. In order to gain an internal perspective, Miele also interviewed 39 internal experts and managers on materiality topics, and held special workshops with responsible
employees. These covered areas such as production, personnel, purchasing, quality management and environmental management as well as distribution logistics. In addition to stakeholder surveys, the review
also included a hotspot analysis of the stakeholder challenges and requirements in the supply chain.

A MORE IN-DEPTH APPROACH: EXPERT INTERVIEWS ON TREND ISSUES[GRI G4-24, G4-26] In order to critically examine and further enhance
the results of the 2015 strategy development, Miele conducted
qualitative expert interviews which were concluded in October 2016.
The focus was on five topics: “demographic change”, “digitisation”,“climate protection and resource efficiency in production” as well
as “sustainable products” and “sustainability in the supply chain”.
Miele interviewed a total of nine experts from associations, the field

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

23

3

2.5

2

20

35

22

2
5

25

31

10
32

18
6

36

4

30

8

9

12
13

1

23

16

29

7

21

17

34

3

14

28

26

24
19

Medium relevance

3.5

Relevance from stakeholders’ perspective

4

Very high relevanceMateriality matrix

27

33

11

15
Medium relevanceHigh relevance

Very high relevance

Relevance from company perspective
2

Trend1)

Trend1)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

3

2.5

Strategy and management
2)
Sustainability strategy
2)
Sustainability
management
2)
CR risk management
Compliance management
2)
Stakeholder dialogue
Sustainability communication
Compliance with socialand ethical standards

Products
Products with optimised
consumption
9 Durability and reliability
10 Gentle processes
11 User convenience
12 Pollutant-free products
8

13

Product safety (new:including data safety)
14 Hygiene and cleaning
performance
15 Networking/Internetof Things (new: insteadof Smart Grid)
16 Resource-efficient
products
17 Recycling/disposal
n. a. Sustainable innovations
Supply chain
18 Origin of resources,
local procurement
19 Supply security/
resource availability
20 Supplier compliancewith environmental
and social standards

3.5
Trend1)

Environment
21 Energy efficiency
in production andinfrastructure
22 Climate protection5)
23 Resource efficiency
in production
24 Environmental protection
in transport and logistics
25 Water and waste
water management
n. a. Renewable energies
People26 Development of young
talent/recruitmentof employees
27 Demographic change/
skilled labour shortage

4
Trend1)28 Vocational training
and development
2)
29 Employee satisfaction
30 Work-life balance/compatibility of family
and work life
31 Diversity and equal
opportunity
32 Health management
33 Occupational safety
34 Good leadership (leadership
improvement)
35 Awareness ofsustainability7)
36 Social engagement

Trend description of material topics until 2025
The topics sustainability strategy, sustainability management, CR risk management and stakeholder dialogue were not assessed as part of Miele’s sustainability
approach in the trend analysis; neither did it assess employee satisfaction as a result of the success of all employee measures. Further topics were pooled together:3)Compliance with social and ethical standards = good leadership (leadership improvement), environmental and social standards in the supply chain
4)
Origin of resources, local procurement = supplier compliance with environmental and social standards, environmental protection in transport and logistics
5)
Climate protection = energy efficiency in production and renewable energies
6)
Demographic change/skilled labour shortage = development of young talent/recruitment of employees
7)
Awareness of sustainability = good leadership (leadership improvement)
1)

2)

Contents Strategy Back24

of science, non-governmental organisations and supplier companies,
as well as from Miele itself. The objective was to assess the future
development of the topics, to evaluate Miele’s sustainability performance and to outline future development opportunities for Miele.
The results were first presented to the Sustainability Action Team.
The results: the interviews confirmed the importance of the
focal topics for Miele. At the same time, the experts describedfurther possible approaches and provided recommendationsfor Miele. In the case of cross-functional or cross-productrecommendations, the members of the Action Team examinedwhich departments would be responsible for further processing.
Discussions were arranged with the responsible departments;
concrete measures were still pending at the editorial deadline.

Experts in the fields ofenvironmental protection,energy and communications
have an in-depth knowledgeof the legal requirements anduse their expertise to help
evaluate the focus topics.

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Sustainability objectives
Strategic focus for 2025T

he 15 objectivesof the updated sustainability strategy
will define Miele’s thematic and strategic focus between
now and 2025. In addition to overarching management
objectives, comprehensive objectives were formulated
for the areas of “products and services”, “supply chain andproduction”, as well as “employees and society”. The new
objectives build on the previous objectives for 2016, developing
them further and continuing to include the objectives that have
not yet been achieved. Concrete measures and key figures tomeasure progress are still in the elaboration stage in some cases.
MANAGEMENT AND PROCESSESThe long-term financial success of Mieleis ensured through sustainability.

Miele has been present on the market for almost 120 years andwants to remain successful in the future – but not at the expense of
future generations. The further development of particularly efficientor sustainable products and long-term, sustainable investment
decisions contribute significantly to Miele’s sales growth.
Miele is recognised and valued worldwide as themost sustainable company in the industry. Sustainability
is an integral part of its brand identity.
Competitions, ratings and rankings reflect Miele’s sustainability efforts. Miele’s sustainability commitment isContents Strategy Back26

recognised and honoured by customers and experts in all
sales markets. For this reason, sustainability will be integrated
even more strongly in the brand’s communication.
Sustainability communication with stakeholders is
tailored to the target audience and international.
All internationally relevant target groups are specifically addressed via the appropriate topics, messages and channels.
Stakeholder surveys are carried out to ensure progress.
In addition to legal requirements, risk management also
takes into account the expectations of stakeholders.
In addition to the legal requirements of international
markets, the expectations of stakeholders are an
important aspect for shaping risk management. Risk
management is based on well-informed and trained
employees as well as on integrated sustainability risks.
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Miele appliances are the benchmark for sustainable product design and holistic efficiency.
Designing appliances that are durable and repairable is an
essential part of Miele’s product philosophy. The performance andoutput of the appliances, as well as energy efficiency and material
consumption are continually monitored and improved as a result.
Miele is the industry leader in terms of product innovations and business models with a focus on sustainability.
With new or revised business models, Miele opens
up potential for sustainability and creates additional
benefits for customers. System solutions, sharing,leasing and other models are thought through in detailand implemented wherever it makes sense to do so.

Strategic goals areconstantly under review
by committees in orderto promote sustainability
in the company.

Trust in Miele is secured, even in an interconnected world.
Miele is safe and reliable – even in an increasingly digitised
and interconnected world. Customers can access andmanage their own data, and experience significant added
value through interconnected products and digital services.

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SUPPLY CHAIN AND PRODUCTION
Minimising supply risks and full compliancewith environmental and social standards
Good corporate governance means complying with environmental
and social standards at production, sales and administrative locations,as well as at the locations of direct suppliers. Various strategies
are implemented to ensure a secured supply with materials.
Miele is the sector leader for environmental
performance, in particular for CO2 emissions,energy efficiency and resource efficiency.
Miele is continuing its efforts to improve efficiency in production
which are supplemented by central climate indicators. The
company is aiming to close material cycles in production
and for products, wherever this is possible and economicallysensible (cradle to cradle). The measures cover three sub-areas:
energy efficiency, resource efficiency and CO2 emissions.
EMPLOYEES AND SOCIETY
Miele is considered a role model when it
comes to balancing work life and family.
The work-life balance is improved by a variety of measures; thefluctuation rate shows a low level which remains unchanged.
Miele sets an example for occupational health and safety.
The promotion of health and the efforts to design aworkplace that is appropriate for ageing employees are
considered best practice among comparable companies.
Measures and services help to further reduce the frequency of injuries and to promote employee health.
Miele ensures the recruitment of young talent andthe opportunity for qualifications at all locations.
Thanks to the excellent opportunities afforded to new starters and thewide range of training available, many vacancies are filled internally.
Strategic planning with regard to age distribution takes into accountthe effects of demographic change and digitisation/automation.

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Diversity is made possible throughrespect and equal opportunity.
The Miele culture is characterised by mutual respect. Employees
are encouraged and supported, for example, with mentoring andqualification measures. This will be further enhanced in the future.
Employees and managers are aware of and engaged
in sustainable behaviour based on values.
All Miele employees are aware of how their own operational
activities influence Miele’s sustainability performance andtherefore behave accordingly. The Miele workforce is informed
about and made aware of sustainability measures throughe-learning programs, action days and lighthouse projects.
Miele helps to maintain a sound, attractive
environment at all locations.
Miele demonstrates its commitment to social engagement allover the world on the basis of a standardised framework. Miele isperceived as a good neighbour at its locations, and actively fosters
exchange and cooperation with the people living in those areas. Miele
also pursues measures to promote biodiversity at its locations.

Objectives are defined
across all departments inan open and constructive
environment.

Sustainability management
Providing for individuals and the environment

Sustainability management at Miele is based on the precautionary principle. This means that Miele thoroughly studies
the potential negative effects that its business activities might
have on people and the environment at an early stage, andtakes measures to prevent or reduce these effects. This applies equally to the production of Miele appliances and to their use and disposal,
and also includes the company’s supply chain. Miele manages topics
such as the conservation of resources, occupational safety, or climate
protection via an effective organisational structure using certified management systems. Compliance management ensures that applicablelaws and Miele’s own guidelines are always observed. [GRI G4-14]
SUSTAINABILITY: SYSTEMATIC CONTROL[GRI G4-34, G4-36] Sustainability is ultimately the responsibility of
the five-member Executive Board. The Board specifies the strategic
direction, adopts objectives and defines indicators to measureprogress. The Technical Product Management and Environmental
Office, as well as other departments, perform the operational work.
The central department heads, plant managers, heads of the sales
regions and the heads of the sales subsidiaries are responsible
for ensuring adherence to the objectives and requirements. Miele
performs a systematic comparison of the objectives and key figures

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Personal exchanges
play an important rolein defining objectives.

Sustainability organisation
Central sustainability management committees

Executive Board

Sustainability steeringcommittee controls and decides

Sustainability Action Team develops
solutions (and initiates them)Technical Product Managementand Environmental Officeinitiate and organise

Specialist areas in headquarters, plants,
sales subsidiaries implement measures(and initiate them)on sustainability performance on an annual basis. The graphic
shows how sustainability is managed and implemented, from the
Executive Board to the individual locations and sales subsidiaries.
SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE AND ACTION TEAM:CONTROL AND IMPLEMENTATION[GRI G4-36] The central and authoritative body for controlling
sustainability management at Miele is the Sustainability
Committee. It is directly tied to the Executive Board. The Sustainability Committee acts as the decision-making body for
all important operational and product-related sustainability
issues. The review and adaptation of the sustainability strategy was a key priority during the reporting period.
The Sustainability Committee meets at regular intervals – eighttimes during the reporting period. The meetings are chaired by the
Executive Director, Dr Markus Miele, and the Technical Director,
Dr Stefan Breit. The Committee includes representatives from thefollowing departments: Occupational Safety, Operative Environmental
Protection, Works Council, Purchasing, Energy Management, ProductEngineering/Development, Press and Public Relations, Quality
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31

Management and Environmental Office (TPE). The TPE organises
the Sustainability Committee and the head of TPE moderates themeetings. The Committee also serves as a critical information
platform which helps to move communication beyond the limitsof the individual departments. With its technical expertise, it helps
to develop overall positions, strategies and recommendations.
In addition, the Sustainability Action Team was founded in April 2015.
It ensures that the sustainability strategy is implemented and develops
initiatives and measures, or solutions for strategic questions.

Internal and external guidelines and standards[GRI G4-15, G4-56] Sustainability management at Miele is based on a number of principles and international guidelines to which the company is committed:•

Corporate philosophy: stipulated principles, for example from the areas of quality andproduct safety, environmental protection, energy management and customer orientation,or specific sustainability aspects. These principles apply to all employees.

•

Ethical guidelines for purchasing: have been applicable to all employees who work in procurement since2006. Fair, transparent and partnership-based cooperation with suppliers is always paramount.

•

Code of conduct for all employees: 13 mandatory rules for all employees, including issues suchas human rights, anti-corruption, adherence to competition and antitrust law, or compliance•

Ten principles of the United Nations (UN) Global Compact on human rights,
labour standards, environmental protection and anti-corruption•

SA8000 standard for fair working conditions and the recognition of labour rights:
based on the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child•

Code of conduct of the German Central Association of the Electrical and Electronics
Industry (ZVEI) for socially responsible corporate management•

Code of conduct of the European Committee of Domestic Equipment
Manufacturers CECED for corporate social responsibility•

Diversity Charter: corporate initiative to promote diversity in companies

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In addition, the Action Team strengthens the exchange and networking
between the headquarters in Gütersloh and the locations. Comparedto the Sustainability Committee, the Action Team covers additional
specialist areas. For example, its members include employees fromthe areas of Design, Marketing, Personnel, Logistics, or Professional.
INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM:FULFILLING BINDING STANDARDS[GRI G4-SO3] In order to continually improve its sustainability
management, Miele uses an integrated management system for
quality, environmental protection, energy, occupational safety
and social protection. It combines all the tools and standards
that Miele uses to adhere to various sustainability requirements(see table). The integrated management system is regularly
reviewed in internal and external audits. The current certification
was issued in December 2014 and is valid for three years.

127

internal and external
audits were conducted
as part of quality
management in 2015/16.

In addition, the relevant departments at the locations in Gütersloh,
Bielefeld and Bürmoos were also certified according to the ISO
13485 standard for quality management of medical products.
MIELE SUCCESS SYSTEM: INTEGRATING SUSTAINABILITY
INTO THE BUSINESS PROCESSESThe integrated management system for quality, environmental
protection, energy, occupational safety and social protection isinterconnected with the Miele Success System (MES) in many
places. The MES standardises and optimises the processes in
product development, in the production environments as well as inquality management, and ranges across all stages from the Lean
Management methods to the administrative processes at Miele. All
areas of the MES take sustainability aspects into consideration.
The three pillars of the MES are:•

Miele product development system IMNU 2.0: The German
acronym IMNU stands for “Mit Innovation und Mut zu neuen
Ufern” (“breaking new ground with innovation and courage”)
and refers to Miele’s standardised, company-wide productdevelopment system. The system provides the basis for efficient,streamlined structures as well as short development times. It
also comprises the environmental checklist for products, which
ensures that both statutory and Miele-specific environmental
requirements are met during product development.

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33

Tools and standards

Locations

ISO 9001 (Quality)
ISO 14001 (Environment)
OHSAS 18001 (Occupational safety)
SA8000 (Social standard)

ISO 50001 (Energy)

Gütersloh
Washing machines, washer-dryers,electronic components
Bielefeld
Dishwashers for domestic andcommercial purposes, washerdisinfectors, vacuum cleaners
Euskirchen
Electric motors, cable reels
LehrteLaundry machines, rotary ironers
Oelde
Cookers, ovens
Warendorf
Plastic parts
Arnsberg
Cooker hoods
Bünde
Steam ovens, hob unitsBraşov, Rumänien
Electronic components
Bürmoos, ÖsterreichContainer and trolley washers, sterilisers,
stainless steel components
Dongguan, China
Vacuum cleaners

1)

Uničov, Tschechien
Washing machines, tumble
dryers, dishwashers

1)

The plant in Dongguan was certified according to SA8000 at the end of 2016, outside the reporting period.

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34

•

•

Miele Value Creation System (MWS): the Miele Value
Creation System was designed for the purpose of
optimising processes in both production operations andadministrative areas. With this system, the company ensureshigh product quality, efficient processes (for example
in logistics) and the economical use of resources.
Miele quality management system – Q core processes:
the system structures important quality-related processes.
It comprises the areas of product development, batch
production, customer care, procurement and supporting
processes such as internal or external auditing.

External auditsof the integrated management system 2015/16

4

28

EXTERNAL AUDITING: CENTRAL CONTROL, REGULAR INSPECTION
The central quality management at the company headquarters in
Gütersloh plans and manages all external auditing and certification
procedures at all Miele locations. The only exception is the management system for medical products in Bielefeld and Bürmoos – theauditing and certification process for this system is independently
organised by these plants themselves. The certification of theEuropean company locations involves a matrix certification procedure.
The Dongguan plant autonomously plans and organises its certification, but remains closely interlinked with the Miele management
system and the Miele Success System. In both cases, external
auditors check the processes that are relevant to the certification.

no significant nonconformities foundsignificant nonconformities foundWithin the framework of 32 external audits, four audits recorded
a total of nine significant non-conformities in the 2015/16 business year. These instances exclusively concerned non-critical
non-conformities in the area of occupational health and safety.
Critical non-conformities that could jeopardize certification have notoccurred at Miele since the 1990s. Non-critical non-conformities are
typically the result of negligence or carelessness in work processes.
In these cases potential hazards are eliminated immediately, andprecautions are taken to prevent the mistakes from happening
again. For example, employees that were found without suitableeye protection in the workplace were immediately given a briefing
on the use of personal protective equipment. Suitable measures
for identifying risks include inspections and risk assessments, aswell as themed workshops and the reporting of near accidents.

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35

Various changes in standards became effective in 2014 and2015. In particular, these relate to the social standard SA8000
and the ISO standards 9001 and 14001. Miele has started togradually integrate the changed requirements into its processes.
The respective adaptation audits for SA8000 have already beensuccessfully completed at the Braşov, Bürmoos, Dongguan andUničov locations. They are planned for May 2017 at the othercompany locations. SA8000, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 recertifications are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2017.

Internal auditsof the integrated management
system 2015/16

11

INTERNAL REVIEW: ANNUAL PROGRESS REVIEW AND INTERNAL AUDITS
The plant managers and department heads have appointed appropriately trained representatives to handle the various application
areas of the management system. They provide the Executive
Board with regular progress reports. The integrated management
system is subjected to an annual assessment across all plants by
the Executive Board, based on a defined system of key indicators.
In addition to external auditing, Miele operates an internal auditing
process. As a self-monitoring system, it allows Miele to detect
non-conformities at an early stage and take corrective action.
Miele auditors review the Miele management system, including
the areas of quality management (including for medical products),
environmental management, energy management, occupational
health and safety and the social standard SA8000. They workthrough specific questions about the various processes andstandards, and also examine the extent to which the legal andcertification requirements, as well as those of Miele customers, arefulfilled. During the process, they note positive aspects, areas of
improvement, observations and non-conformities. In addition, theinternal auditors arrange for improvement measures and monitor themduring the next audit. In order to ensure that audits are conductedin a competent manner, Miele employs experienced auditors who
possess the necessary qualifications and extensive knowledgeof the processes. The 95 internal audits which were performedin the reporting period did not find any critical non-conformities.
There were eleven audits involving non-critical non-conformities.

84

no significant nonconformities foundsignificant nonconformities found

SUSTAINABILITY RISKS: ACTING WITH FORESIGHT[GRI G4-2, G4-EC2] As a global company, Miele is exposed to a wide
range of different risks in the course of its business operations. In order to identify, assess and eliminate these risks at an early stage, Miele
has established a comprehensive risk management system. Up toContents Strategy Back36

now, the system has focused on market, production and procurement
risks, including the sustainability aspects relevant to each risk area.
Raw materials and substances are being traded on increasingly
globalised markets. This also increases the risk for Miele that individual
suppliers ignore the principles of sustainable corporate management.
Certifications and the commitment to sustainable action therefore
play a significant role in the decision to take on new suppliers.
There are also risks that are caused by climate change – above
all due to the introduction of more demanding regulations onenvironmental and resource conservation, as well as rising raw
material and energy prices. Miele is committed to the objectiveof limiting the rise in global warming to two degrees. As amanufacturing company, Miele is already well prepared with its
focus on longevity, energy efficiency and resource efficiency.
Many customers are now paying greater attention to energy
efficiency when shopping for new domestic appliances. Miele
recognised these developments early on and acted accordingly.
In this context, a detailed assessment of the financial implicationsof climate change is not seen as a key priority at Miele.
RISK MANAGEMENT: CENTRAL COORDINATION,DECENTRALISED IMPLEMENTATION[GRI G4-2] Miele’s risk organisation is composed of central representatives for risk management and decentralised managers at
the company locations. Central risk management forms part of thecontrolling division: it identifies and assesses risks to the company,and monitors the risk management measures. Risk management is
actually implemented at a local level. Risk management applies equallyto all locations worldwide. All German locations, the highest-grossing
international sales subsidiaries and the plants in Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania are directly connected by a computerised system.
The risks are assessed annually according to the “potential loss”
and “probability of occurrence” criteria. Based on this evaluation,
specific countermeasures are developed for the risks identified.

With regard to sustainability risks, the company’s current focus ismainly on resource scarcity and issues related to procurement. Miele
addresses market and production risks by providing innovative,
high-quality products geared towards customer requirements. In
addition, Miele is continuously improving productivity and cost-efficiency. The procurement risks are limited through close observationof the international markets, regular supplier audits, careful checkingof the quality of the delivered products and the agreement oflegally sound supply contracts. Adequate insurance cover is inplace for risks arising from possible interruptions to production.
COMPLIANCE MANAGEMENT: A HIGH LEVEL OF FAIR PLAY[GRI G4-57, G4-58, G4-SO3, G4-SO7, G4-PR9] The corporate culture
at Miele involves fair and cooperative conduct vis-à-vis customers,
colleagues and business partners. All employees worldwide are
obliged to abide by the law at all times, and to comply with internal
guidelines as well as self-imposed social and ethical standards.
The Miele Code of Conduct was introduced in 2008; it was revisedand supplemented in 2012. The Code, which is available on the
Miele intranet, contains provisions on bribery and corruption, as
well as policies on proper conduct in relation to conflicts of interest,
donations and sponsoring. It also calls for strict compliance withcompetition and antitrust law – with successful results: no antitrust
proceedings took place against Miele during the reporting period.
These requirements are specified in an additional instruction, which
is obligatory for all employees. The Code of Conduct is based on thecorporate philosophy, the ethical guidelines for procurement (whichwere introduced in 2006), the principles of the UN Global Compact,
the social standard SA8000 and the CECED Code of Conduct.
Compliance with individual aspects of the Code of Conduct, suchas the acceptance and giving of gifts, or conflicts of interest, arereviewed in internal audits. In the case of violations, the company willagree on corrective measures. As a rule, however, it is the responsibility of the functional managers to ensure that their employees’tasks are always carried out in compliance with applicable laws,
internal rules and any self-imposed ethical and social standards.
EMPLOYEE AWARENESS: ONLINE TRAINING AND EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE[GRI G4-57, G4-58, G4-HR2, G4-SO4] An online compliance training
program on the Miele Code of Conduct was introduced worldwide
in the 2014/15 business year. It is mandatory for relevant groups of
employees to participate in the program. However, it is also open

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2,792

employees participatedin the online compliancetraining program.
38

to all other interested employees. New employees are automaticallyinformed that they have to complete the program. A total of 2,792
employees worldwide have completed the learning program, 2,038of these belonged to the target audience initially addressed.
In June 2016, self-learning software on the subject of competition
and anti-trust legislation was introduced in Germany. All employees
involved in issues relating to competition and anti-trust law are obliged
to use this self-learning software. The program ends with a test.
Records are kept on whether tests were passed. By October 2016,
Miele had introduced the software at all its locations, also thoseoutside Germany. During the reporting period, a legal management
system covering environmental protection, energy, occupational
health and safety, and an information management software
addressing product-related regulation worldwide was introduced.

The integrated Miele management system combines thecertifications of all Miele plants– an aspect which is also valued
by Miele’s business partners.

OMBUDSMAN: CONTACT PERSON FOR SUSPECT CASES[GRI G4-57, G4-58, G4-SO5, G4-SO8] Since 2010, an external
ombudsman can be contacted if there is a suspicion of corruption,
fraud, or theft in any Miele location. Employees, suppliers and third
parties all over the world are able to consult the ombudsman. One
report was made to the ombudsman in 2015, and two in 2014,
on account of suspected corruption or personal gain. However,these reports could not be confirmed in the ensuing review. All
employees throughout the world, and all suppliers in Germany, areinformed about the existence of the ombudsman upon starting
work or entering into a relationship with the company. There were
no instances of contracts with business partners being terminatedor failing to be extended due to corruption-related violations.

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Stakeholder engagement
A dialogue based on mutual trustM

iele’s products and production processes have different
impacts on people and the environment. At the sametime, the success and reputation of the company isalso strongly influenced by the expectations, needs
and decisions of its stakeholders. Therefore, Miele participatesin an ongoing dialogue with all relevant stakeholder groups: with
employees, customers, business partners, associations andinterest groups, as well as with scientists and researchers, thegeneral public, policy makers and legislators. [GRI G4-24, G4-25]
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT: OBJECTIVES AND RESPONSIBILITY[GRI G4-25, G4-26] The continuous stakeholder dialogue helps
the company to identify important trends and new developments, as well as risks and opportunities, at an early stage,
and also to achieve common sustainability objectives. It is the
only way of making sure that Miele is responsive to the needsof the different stakeholders, above all the customers.

Contents Strategy BackIn conversation at theEurocucina (left to right):
Dr Axel Kniehl, Executive
Director Marketing andSales, with Andreas Enslin,
chief designer at Miele, anda media representative

Furthermore, Miele uses the stakeholder dialogue to give an
account of how its own actions affect human beings and theenvironment. Usually, the exchange consists of a direct discussion
between a specialist department at Miele and the special interest
group in question. The Executive Board also seeks contact withthe stakeholders on a regular basis to advocate sustainability.

Dialogue at a glance
Overview of dialogues
conducted

The Press and Public Relations and the Technical ProductManagement/Environmental Office departments are responsible
for managing the stakeholder dialogue at Miele. The Press andPublic Relations department receives queries and requests from
Germany and, on occasion, from abroad. These are answered inconsultation with the specialist departments. The Technical ProductManagement and Environmental Office (TPE) maintains numerous
expert contacts, is active at an EU level, and actively shapes thestakeholder dialogue. In the international company locations, thedialogue is steered by the managers of the sales subsidiaries –and always in close consultation with the Executive Board.
In addition to the continuous dialogue, Miele conducts
regular stakeholder surveys as part of its strategy review
and when preparing the Sustainability Report. Miele createda stakeholder database in 2009 for this purpose.
CUSTOMER SURVEYS: CONFIRMING MIELE’SSUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE
As part of the stakeholder survey in 2014, the participants werealso asked to evaluate Miele’s sustainability performance. The
online public survey was completed by 570 customers whose ages
ranged from 18 to over 80. Of these participants, 99 percent (45percent women/55 percent men) reported that they were owners ofa Miele appliance at the time of the survey. Over 90 percent of the
respondents rated Miele’s sustainability performance as either “high”
or “very high”. 88 percent of all respondents ranked Miele as theleading domestic appliance manufacturer in terms of sustainability.
Miele also conducts brand positioning surveys, where
customers are asked, among other things, to rate whether
Miele fulfils its ecological requirements and is committed tosustainability. On average in all the countries surveyed, Miele
achieved a total score of 3.3 with a maximum score of 4 (= fullagreement) for the evaluation of its sustainability performance
between 2012 and 2016. This confirms that Miele’s sustainability
performance is perceived positively on a global scale.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT41

EXPERT EVALUATION: SUGGESTIONS FOR THE FUTURE[GRI G4-27] In 2016, Miele conducted expert interviews to evaluate
its sustainability performance, and to further elaborate on theexperts’ expectations regarding specific topics. Among otherthings, the respondents rated the Miele product brand as verystrong, acknowledged the data security of networked household
appliances, and confirmed the high level of operational environmental protection. At the same time, they made suggestions forMiele’s future development. For example, they recommended a
supra-regional strengthening of the employer brand or the testingof innovative service-oriented business models. To some extent,
Miele is already working intensively on these developments, suchas in the human resources division, or with the development of
new services. In some cases, for example in product development,
there are conflicting objectives which must be solved first.
CRITICAL STAKEHOLDERS: CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE[GRI G4-27] In December 2015, the German Environmental Aid(Deutsche Umwelthilfe – DUH) claimed that refrigerator manufacturers in Germany were contributing to climate change because
the disposal techniques for their appliances did not correspond to
the state of the art. Miele has been in a continuous dialogue with
DUH for several years. For example, the manufacturer diligently
answered a DUH questionnaire from April 2014 concerning the

Example of a dialogue: an informal discussion with Miele
In February 2015, Dr Eduard Sailer, in his former capacity as Technical Director, was guest speaker at an
informal discussion group in Bonn on the subject of “Sustainability & brands – companies on the road to a
new brand consensus”. The participants from companies, NGOs and research were invited by a communication agency to discuss issues such as whether sustainability is financially rewarding for companies.
The audience had a very encouraging outlook: sustainability does have a positive economic effect if
customers are sufficiently informed about the company’s approach. In his presentation, Dr Sailer highlighted the importance of sustainability for Miele’s founders. They made sure that their products wereconstructed in a durable and solid manner from the outset. It was, therefore, a logical consequence that
ecological considerations were integrated into the selection of materials and technical innovations.

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disposal of CFC-containing refrigerators, and provided detailed
information on the corresponding control processes.
In May 2015, DUH asked Miele to provide audit reports from plant
operators. However, due to mandatory contractual confidentiality
agreements with regard to plant-related data, Miele could not comply
with this request for inspection. This would have been a violationof contract. However, the company pointed out that adherence
to the applicable standard forms the subject of their agreementswith the disposal partners, and that this explicitly includes theparticipating subcontractors. The audit process as such is describedin the Products chapter. In July 2015, Miele also wrote to invite
the DUH representatives to a personal discussion in Gütersloh.
COMMITTEES AND ASSOCIATIONS: BRINGING IN
EXPERTISE, REPRESENTING COMPANY INTERESTS[GRI G4-16] As a domestic appliance manufacturer, Miele is also
influenced by political decisions and legal requirements. Corresponding directives, for example on energy labels, Ecodesign,
hazardous substances, or the circular economy, are designed
to a large extent at the European level. Since the end of 2015,
Miele has been registered in the public transparency register forinterest groups in Brussels. This is intended to provide an insight
into which representatives of the EU commissions, EU Parliament
and the European Council are in direct contact with Miele.
Corporate representatives bring their expertise to national andinternational committees, commissions and associations. They also
advocate central corporate values such as quality, longevity, as well as
resource and energy efficiency. One of the two executive directors, Dr
Markus Miele or Dr Reinhard Zinkann, is also represented on each of
the boards of the European Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers CECED, the German Central Association of the Electricaland Electronics Industry ZVEI, the German Brands Association, theStifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors’ association forthe promotion of humanities and sciences) and – at a regional level –the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the trade association.
KEY POINTS IN THE REPORTING PERIOD: FROMDISPOSAL TO CLIMATE PROTECTION[GRI G4-16, G4-27] In the 2014/15 and 2015/16 business years, Miele participated in various committee andassociation activities on numerous topics, including:2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTMemberships
Overview of Miele
memberships
43

•

Disposal of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE):
Miele has actively participated in the development of the EN
50625 (as yet incomplete) series of standards for the collection,
logistics and treatment of WEEE. Miele representatives attended
a number of conferences: for example, on the topic of “Restricting
illegal trade in waste equipment” in June 2015, or the Round
Tables at the European Commission in February 2016, withrepresentatives of waste management companies/associations
and operators of reprocessing facilities. As a member of theEuropean Committee of Domestic Equipment Manufacturers(CECED), Miele is involved in specific working groups at theEuropean level. Focus areas also include the implementationof the WEEE Directive in the individual Member States, as wellas the appropriate treatment standards for the various productgroups. Further national and international association work
focuses on regulations or amendments; for example, withregard to the Waste Framework Directive or product-related
issues such as plastic recyclates, batteries and labelling.

•High energy efficiency standards: in the political debate, Miele
continues to advocate an environmentally friendly design for
products that consume energy. In the reporting period, thismainly concerned the discussion on the revision of the EU
Energy Labelling Framework Directive, the Ecodesign Framework
Directive and the discussion on preparing possible new labels
and requirements for placing products on the market.

•

Climate protection: in the reporting period, Miele also
participated in the development of the North RhineWestphalian climate protection plan that was adopted on 17
December 2015. Miele experts participated in two working
groups (industry/manufacturing and private households).

Miele has been a member of the European Association for
Sustainable Laboratory Technologies (EGNATON) since 2014. As
a supplier of medical devices, the company (represented by its
Professional division) has been involved for quite some time in the
Association’s work to establish criteria for a sustainability label for
medical laboratories. The aim of the initiative is to contribute to
the promotion of Germany and Europe as highly efficient scientificsites with excellent and sustainable laboratory facilities.

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44

POLITICS: COMPANY VISITS PROVIDE INSIGHTS
Miele maintains a continuous exchange of information with politicalrepresentatives and regularly welcomes regional, national, orEuropean politicians. Dr Barbara Hendricks, the Federal Ministerfor the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety,
and Klaus Müller, Executive Director of The Federation of German
Consumer Organisations (vzbv), visited Miele in August 2015.
The topics of service life and wear (obsolescence), as well as theEcodesign guideline were the focus of their visit. Günther Oettinger,
European Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society
portfolio, visited the company at the Trade Show for Consumer
Electronics & Home Appliances (IFA) in Berlin in September 2015,
and at the end of 2015 at the company’s location in Gütersloh. The
opportunities and challenges of digital transformation made up alarge part of this discussion. In March 2016, Dr Thomas Gambke,
member of the German Parliament for Alliance90/The Greens, metwith Miele representatives to discuss corporate sustainability.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTIn August 2015, Miele
hosted Minister for theEnvironment Barbara
Hendricks in Gütersloh.
Here they are riding historic
Miele bicycles acrossthe Gütersloh location.

45

Outlook
With the comprehensive review process and the update of thesustainability strategy, Miele created the basis for further sustainablecorporate development by 2025. Miele began implementing the new
structure in the autumn of 2016. This new structure has redefined
the process of setting and elaborating objectives. It will be rolled
out to the whole company by the end of 2018: first in the German
and international plants, then in all the headquarter departments
which are directly affected, and finally in the international sales
subsidiaries. Specific sustainability programmes are being elaborated and adopted at all levels, which take into account Miele’s
sustainability strategy as well as the local framework conditions.
In order to ensure the success of the agreed measures,
there will be more of a focus on managing Miele’s sustainability performance at a company-wide level. Central
sustainability KPIs (key performance indicators) will therefore
be included in the annual plant reviews and reports.

Miele wants to continue
growing from strength
to strength and operate
in a sustainable way.

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2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT47

2 | Products
2.1 Remit
2.2 Product portfolio and quality
2.3 Development and innovation
2.4 Sales
2.5 Recycling and disposal
2.6 Outlook

Methodical development
In the washing laboratory of the Product engineering and development department in Gütersloh, Hildtrud Rohde (left) andChristiane Langenbach test new washing methods and components. There are similar research facilities in all product areas.

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The remit:
increasingly sustainable productsM

iele adopts aholistic approachin developing its
products. All products, whether for domestic orcommercial use, are durable
and consume as little energy,
water and chemicals as possible – while offering high performance and the best possible results. In accordance withthe guiding principle “Forever
Better”, Miele is developing
innovative concepts to enable
the consumption of resources
to be reduced even further.
Above all in the laundry-careand dishwashing sectors, Miele increasingly offers systemsolutions in which appliances,programmes, detergents andaccessories are perfectly
matched. Even the connectivity of domestic appliances
contributes towards a more
efficient use of resources. On
the path towards achieving
a circular economy, Miele isalready experimenting with theuse of high-quality materials
from old appliances.

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What Miele has already achieved
Savings on specific electricity consumption of up to

Tested appliances forthe equivalent of up toachieved with Miele
tumble dryers since 2000use

70 % 20 years’A+++-20%: best energy label values forPremium class dishwashers

400

network-enabled domestic
appliances in the range

High recyclability as
metal content is up to

90 %for commercial appliances

50

Strategic objectives by 2025

Networking

Trust in Miele is secured, even in an interconnected world.

HolismMiele appliances are the benchmark for sustainableproduct design and holistic efficiency.

Innovation

Miele is the industry leader in terms of product innovations
and business models with a focus on sustainability.

“The aim of Miele productdevelopment is to constantly
improve our products –ensuring they are long-lasting,without compromise andof the highest quality. We
are working passionately
to achieve this.”
Sabine Bivolarevic,
Director Floor Care, Bielefeld

Product portfolio and quality
Efficient and long-lastingF

rom day one, the core of the Miele product philosophy has
been to manufacture products of exceptionally high quality
and with a particularly long service life. Great attention is also
paid to energy efficiency, as approximately three quartersof the energy that domestic and commercial appliances need fromdevelopment to disposal is consumed during the usage phase.

Reduction in energy
consumptionof domestic appliances since 2000
(status: business year 2015/16)
Washing machines-53 %EFFICIENCY: SAVING RESOURCES AND ENERGY
Miele develops and produces resource-conserving and energysaving products. In doing so, the manufacturer follows a holistic
approach: in addition to energy demand, water consumption andthe use of chemicals such as detergents also play a major role.

Tumble dryers-71 %Cookers and ovens-49 %This means that all programmes and functions in Miele appliances are designed with maximum efficiency in mind – andnot just the level required to achieve the energy label. What’smore, Miele appliances have a range of consumption-reducing
functions. Additional potential for saving resources is opened
up by networking and incorporation into a smart home concept,
for example through the use of renewable energy sources.
In order to promote acceptance of high-efficiency domestic
appliances, Miele makes sure that low consumption does notcome at the expense of practical benefit – for example withrespect to programme duration, noise levels, and the results
achieved when cooking, cleaning, washing and vacuuming.
DOMESTIC APPLIANCES: INNOVATIONS AND RESULTS[GRI G4-EN7, G4-EN27] In the reporting period, Miele has beenable to make improvements regarding results and efficiency
in the relevant product groups. New and further developed

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Dishwashers-43 %Refrigerators with freezer compartment1)-51 %Refrigerators without freezer compartment2)-55 %Freezers2)-43 %Comparison of the most energy-efficient Miele appliances available on
the market in the 2015/16 businessyear with the most energy-efficient
Miele appliances from 2000.
1)

151 l - 300 l of usable capacity

2)

up to 150 l of usable capacity52technologies are supporting Miele on the path towards becoming the most sustainable company in the industry.

Quick and convenient: the newgeneration of washer-dryers canwash and dry up to five kilograms oflaundry in three-and-a-half hours.

WASHING MACHINES: POWERWASH 2.0
Miele developed PowerWash – an exceptionally water-saving andefficient washing procedure – back in 2013. An additional circulation
pump and a special rotating rhythm enhance cleaning performance byat least 10 percent. Two years later, the company presented the next
development: PowerWash 2.0 requires even less water and energy –and operates with short cycle times and even with small loads, as arecommonplace in the home. The renowned Oeko-Institut in the Germancity of Freiburg carried out a comparative test with appliances fromother manufacturers and confirmed that Miele washing machines with
PowerWash 2.0 technology “wash up to 40 percent faster while alsosaving up to 25 percent on electricity, depending on the programme”.
They therefore demonstrated the “best washing performance andlowest water consumption”. What’s more, in the test conducted by the2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

53

German consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest, the Miele WMF 111
WPS front-loading washing machine with PowerWash 2.0 came out on
top with an overall score of 1.6. In the test (edition 11/2016), the testers
highlighted the environmental protection and electricity savings.
During the 2015/16 business year, 93 percent of all washing machines
subject to energy labelling fell into the top A+++ category, undercutting the borderline value by up to 40 percent (depending on model). In
the 2013/14 business year, 63 percent of all Miele washing machines
sold in EU member states had the highest A+++ energy efficiency
rating. In the case of other appliances, a similar significant rise in theshare of products in the highest efficiency category was also achieved:
the increase with respect to tumble dryers was from 1 percent (BY
2013/14) to 8 percent, while dishwashers rose from 30 percent to39 percent. As a result, Miele has been able to achieve its objectiveof further increasing its sales of consumption-optimised products.
TUMBLE DRYERS: TECHNICAL OPTIMISATIONIn the reporting period, great efforts were made to reduce the energy
consumption of tumble dryers. All new-generation T1 tumble dryers
have been declared as A++ since September 2014. This was madepossible by the use of larger heat exchangers and new compressors.
The top models achieve efficiency category A+++.

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The inner cabinets ofthe dishwashers are
manufactured in the
Bielefeld factory using aunique, patented method.

What’s more, the price of entry-level appliances in efficiency
categories A++ and A+++ has been reduced, meaning that theseenergy-saving appliances now appeal to a broader target group.

Energy efficiency ratings

DISHWASHERS: ECOTECH HEAT RESERVOIR

Washing machines

The new dishwashers in the G 6000 EcoFlex series surpassthe required value for a top A+++ energy efficiency rating by
10 percent, and for some appliances, even by 20 percent. The
series has been on the market since April 2016. The high level of
efficiency is achieved by using the new EcoTech heat reservoir.
The EcoTech heat reservoir consists of two separate water
circuits. One of these circuits transports fresh tap water; theother constitutes a series of loops. The latter contains hot
water from the last programme stage which circulates to
pre-heat the fresh water in the reservoir. This means that lesselectricity is required to heat the incoming water to the required
temperature, improving the energy efficiency rating from A+++
to A+++-20 %. The dishwashers from the G6000 EcoFlex seriesalso clean dishes very quickly: less than one hour is neededto achieve A-rated cleaning performance in the QuickPowerWash programme – and this is supported by new, particularly
fast-dissolving dishwasher tabs (UltraTabs Multi), which Miele has
tailored to the series and the QuickPowerWash programme.

for each product group in percent

7%

93 %
Dishwashers
39 %

33 %

28 %

Refrigerators and freezers
70 %

13 %
Tumble dryers
8%

17 %
16 %

65 %

7%

4%

Cookers and ovens
89 %
A+++
A++

A+
A

11 %
B
C

Certain G 6000 EcoFlex dishwasher models can also be directly
linked to the Internet via a home’s WLAN router, without the needfor additional modules. Using the free Miele@mobile app, machines
can be monitored and controlled from a smartphone or tablet.
Models from the G 6000 series were the exclusive test winnersof the Stiftung Warentest test (edition 06/2016). The combinationof design, convenience, energy consumption and cleaning
performance provided the basis of the assessment.
REFRIGERATORS AND FREEZERS: BETTER THAN A+++
With respect to refrigerators and freezers, new products are indevelopment, which will demonstrate up to 20 percent lower
consumption than appliances with the A+++ energy efficiency rating.
Following the introduction of the new freestanding appliances of theK 20.000 series, numerous new A+++ appliances were launchedin 2015/16. A number of entry-level appliances from the seriescontinue to meet the standard of the A++ efficiency category.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

93 %of all Miele washingmachines sold achieve
the highest efficiency
category available
on the market.
55Current EU energy consumption labellingon the product
Energy label

Appliance

Introduction ofenergy label

Current Miele measures

Updated in 2015

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

Cooker hoods

2015

Miele is taking advantage of the opportunity of
having all cooker hoods compliant with the more
stringent specifications from January 2015, eventhough these only became binding at the startof 2016. This concerns ratings from A+ to D.
In the reporting period, more than 50 percentof the hoods had the energy label A or A+.

A+++ to D

Dishwashers

Updated in 2011

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

A+++ to D

Refrigerators and freezers

Updated in 2011

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

Vacuum cleaners

2014

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

A+++ to D

Tumble dryers

Updated in 2013

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

A+++ to D

Washing machines

Updated in 2011

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

A+++ to G

Wine conditioning units

2011

In the reporting period, the optimisation
processes relating to this were a priority.

A+++ to D

Ovens

A to G,
from 01.01.2016 A+ to F
from 01.01.2018 A++ to E
from 01.01.2020 A+++ to D

A to G,
from 01.09.2017 A+++ to D

COOKER HOODS: TEST WINNERS
Over recent years, Miele has been able to significantly improvethe energy efficiency of its cooker hoods. Gradually, thefans have been converted from alternating current to direct
current. Associated with this has also been the switch from
halogen lighting to LEDs. In 2016, Miele cooker hoods werethe exclusive winners of the Stiftung Warentest test in all
three of the tested appliance categories (edition 03/2016).

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THE EU LABEL: PROVEN EFFICIENCY[GRI G4-PR3] The currently valid EU energy consumption labelling can be found on many Miele appliances (see table). Legal
requirements also have an influence on product development.

Many oven models include afunction that allows residual
heat to be used, ensuringthat energy is handled as
efficiently as possible.

ECO FUNCTIONS: TAPPING INTO FURTHER POTENTIAL FOR SAVINGS
Across all products, Miele appliances are equipped with arange of eco functions, which enable the user to tap into
further potential for savings. These were primarily introduced in
the past reporting period and have been extended to include
further appliances and appliance categories in recent years.

Correctly declared[GRI G4-PR3, G4-PR4] In order to check whether the energy label and other labels are applied correctly,
Miele has carried out a self-test during the reporting period. Various Miele appliances (washing machines,
tumble dryers, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, cooker hoods, ovens, refrigerators/freezers) were purchased
covertly on the market – similar to the procedure followed by a market surveillance authority. The appliances were then tested by independent test laboratories to check their compliance with the specified data,
which included energy and water consumption, spin efficiency, noise and programme duration. All the results received up to now show that the measured values are within the permitted tolerances for the declared
information. Miele provides correct declarations and does not use tolerances to the detriment of customers.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

57

Eco functions(in excerpts)
Development in thereporting period

Eco function

How it works

EcoFeedback (dishwashers)

With the EcoFeedback function, users have the current
consumption values of their dishwasher under control. Even
before the cycle starts, they receive a forecast on the water andelectricity consumption for the selected programme. They cantherefore find out at a glance, for example, that a programme
operating at a longer cycle time or lower temperature will
require less energy. At the end of the programme, the appliancedisplays the actual consumption in kilowatt-hours and litres.

Proportion of dishwashers soldwith EcoFeedback function asa percentage of total sales:

Start selection for times at which theelectricity tariff is the lowest

Proportion of dishwashers sold with
FlexiTimer as a percentage of total sales:

FlexiTimer with EcoStart/
SmartStart (dishwashers)

BY 2014/15: 35 %BY 2015/16: 30 %BY 2014/15: 35 %BY 2015/16: 30 %Wash programme where warm water already available in
the household (solar thermal system, heat reservoir, or gas/oil heating) is used. The programme uses only the heatprovided by the incoming water supply. The electricity
consumption is reduced to 0.05 kWh per cycle.

Proportion of dishwashers sold with
SolarSave as a percentage of total sales:

EcoTech heat reservoir(dishwashers)

See Dishwashers: EcoTech heat reservoir

Worldwide launch April 2016

Residual heat utilisation(ovens and steam ovens)

Five minutes before the end of the cooking
time, only existing heat is used.

Expansion in product range

Induction(hobs and CombiSets)

30 % less energy used to heat up compared with conventional systems

Proportion of products
continually increasing

SolarSave (dishwashers)

LED spotlights(cooker hoods)

BY 2014/15: 35 %BY 2015/16: 30 %Expansion of the product range

Eco motor (direct current)(cooker hoods)

70 % saving compared with conventional motors

Expansion of the product range

Conn@ctivity (cooker hoods)

The automatic function Con@ctivity 2.0 allows
the values selected at the hob to be captured andcommunicated to the control of the cooker hood.

Expansion of the product range

Heat-up only directly before the first drink is dispensed

All models have the feature.

Eco mode (coffee machines)

Contents Products BackFor example, 60 % of all hobs andhoods are now networked wirelessly.

58

Eco function
EcoFeedback (washingmachines)

How it works
See Dishwashers

Development in thereporting period
Proportion of washing machines
sold with EcoFeedback:
BY 2014/15: 25 %2015: 31 %BY 2015/16: 34 %TwinDos (washing machines)

Integrated, automatic detergent dosing system: the two
Miele detergents UltraPhase 1 (acting against fats andproteins) and UltraPhase 2 (acting against stubborn
stains) are dosed via TwinDos in consecutive programme
stages. TwinDos saves up to 30 % on detergent; confirmed in 2013 by the independent Oeko-Institut.

The portfolio has been enhanced
further. In BY 2014/15, 15 % of
the washing machines sold had
TwinDos; in BY 2015/16 18 %.

AllWater (washing machines)

Miele AllWater washing machines can be used with service
water or hot water. The appliances are equipped with twowater connections for this purpose. The use of an existing hot
water supply can result in energy savings of up to 43 %.

Integration in one model

EcoFeedback (tumble dryers)

See Dishwashers

Proportion of tumble dryers
sold with EcoFeedback
2015: 20 %BY 2015/16: 20 %Heat pump (tumble dryers)

See Tumble dryers: optimisation with heat pumps

ProfiEco motor(tumble dryers)

Wear-free, economical and quiet thanks to electronic controls

Proportion of tumble dryers
sold with ProfiEco motor:
BY 2014/15: 50 %BY 2015/16: 60 %EcoTeQ floorhead(vacuum cleaners)

Efficient floorheads which achieve perfect cleaning
results even with the lowest power setting2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTIn Europe, 50 % of all vacuum cleaners
below 1,000 watts sold in the reporting
period are equipped with this feature.
Latest model launched in 2015 inorder to meet new label values.

59

COMMERCIAL MACHINES: VARIOUS MEASURES TO INCREASE EFFICIENCYThe Professional division manufactures commercial machines
for areas including the hotel/catering industry and for medical
facilities. At the Lehrte plant, a new tumble dryer was developed
and brought to market during the reporting period. This is heatedexclusively via a heat pump. In addition, the washing machine
product range has been revised. In the new appliances withthe “Benchmark” designation (Performance and Performance
Plus models), energy consumption has been reduced thanks
to measures including improved process technology. The
appliances were presented for the first time in March 2017.

Enamelling makes
washing machine front
panels highly resistant toscratches and impacts. This
testing investigates theresilience of the surface.

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60

LONGEVITY: ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL PRODUCT SERVICE LIFE[GRI G4-EN27] The exceptional durability of Miele products is theresult of sturdy construction, the use of high-quality materials anddemanding load and endurance tests. Miele is the only manufacturer
in the industry who tests its products to last up to 20 years. This isalso worthwhile from an ecological perspective: recently, a study
conducted by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and theOeko-Institut in February 2016 regarding the influence of the service
life of products on their environmental impact confirmed that durable
appliances perform better from an ecological point of view.

Only Miele tests its domestic
appliances to a service
life of up to 20 years.

The study entitled “Considerations regarding Product Service Life andAlternative Strategies for Miele Domestic Appliances”, which was conducted by the Oeko-Institut on behalf of Miele in 2014 and publishedin 2015 also came to a similar conclusion, as it stated that it certainly
makes sense to use domestic appliances for as long as possible. The
study confirmed that this is particularly true for washing machines anddishwashers and generally for tumble dryers as well as refrigeratorsand freezers too. Only in the case of very old tumble dryers andrefrigerators/freezers may it be worthwhile to replace the appliances,as huge increases in efficiency have been achieved in these productgroups as a result of technological advances in recent years. If we lookto the future from today’s standpoint, according to one conclusionof the study, long-term use is something that can be aspired to morethan ever before, as further increases in efficiency within the applianceare expected to be on a smaller scale than those seen recently.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT61

SERVICE LIFE: MIELE APPLIANCES REMAIN APART OF THE HOME FOR LONGER
In order to benefit from the ecological advantages of durability,
however, the appliances must be used by consumers for longenough. In actual fact, Miele domestic appliances are used in
the home for longer than appliances from other manufacturers
before they are either sold on or replaced due to a defect.
This has been revealed in several studies in the past.
Customer satisfaction is a factor that is not to be underestimated whenit comes to ensuring that domestic appliances are used for as long as
possible. If a domestic appliance does its job reliably and delivers theresults, user convenience, energy efficiency and design that customers ask for, a functioning appliance will very rarely be replaced early.
Key focal points for product development at Miele are therefore timeless design, ease of repair and the option to update control software.

15,000A Miele dishwasher
must deliver 15,000
operating hours.

FUTURE VIABILITY: SOFTWARE UPDATESINCLUDING FOR OLDER APPLIANCES
The increasing importance of software in domestic appliances offers
the opportunity to improve functions over the long utilisation phaseof Miele appliances or to adapt them to new customer requirements.
Standardised Miele diagnostic support offers approximately 2,200
updates for more than 1,300 different electronics components.
It is used by almost 3,000 technicians worldwide and therefore
contributes to the continual improvement of Miele appliances.
Developed back in 2004, the programme can be used for the latest
and most innovative products as well as for older appliances.

Durability tests: clear requirements
The requirements that Miele appliances must satisfy in the service life tests are defined in a separate plant standard. For a washing machine, Miele assumes five programme cycles are performed each week. Over 20 years, thisresults in 5,000 washing cycles, i.e. 10,000 operating hours in testing. 5,000 cycles are also applied for tumble
dryers, which, due to shorter programme durations, results in a test period of 7,500 operating hours. For dishwashers, Miele assumes daily use; this equates to 7,500 programmes over 20 years or 15,000 operating hours.

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62

Awards: international recognition
Various awards regularly confirm the reliability of Miele’s appliancesand customer service. These include the following:•

KVA Service Award 2015 (from the Austrian Association for Customer Service)– in the B2C and B2B categories for the first time•

The British NGO Which? assessed Miele as a manufacturer in various appliance categories in January 2015.
Over 10,000 Which? members were surveyed on ten appliance categories. Miele was rated the “best brand”
in five of the categories. Particular focal points here were reliability, customer loyalty and value for money.

•

In June 2015, Which? investigated the extent to which washing machines can be repaired and how easy
this process is. The latest washing machines from seven manufacturers were compared against each otherand against old models. Miele achieved the highest reliability rating and best customer satisfaction scores.

•

The New Zealand customer magazine consumer announced the winners of its
Top Brand award in summer 2016. Miele came out on top in the vacuum cleaner,tumble dryer, washing machine, dishwasher and oven product categories.

EASE OF REPAIR: DESIGN ENABLES SIMPLE REPAIR
Miele domestic appliances are renowned for their reliability.
Nevertheless, over the course of a long appliance life, faults may
occur that require the assistance of the service team. In order tokeep costs low in such cases, the appliances are designed to be“repair-friendly”. This means that as little effort as possible should
be required to repair or replace a component. As Miele assumes aservice life of up to 20 years for its products, its supply of spare parts
is organised with this in mind. Around 63,000 different original Miele
spare parts are therefore permanently held in stock in the central
warehouse in Gütersloh. From there, these are then dispatched as
required to locations all over the world and are available for many
years after production of the particular appliance has ceased.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: HIGH SERVICE QUALITY ENDORSED
Miele Service technicians undergo rigorous training in internal instructional courses, and they complete their service calls with the help ofextensively equipped service vans. The “first-call completion rate”(percentage of service requests complete after the first service call) for
Miele Service is above the industry average. In Germany, a rate of 90
percent has already been achieved. This high level has been verified

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

63,000spare parts are heldin stock 15 years
after production of theparticular appliance series.
63

by several sources, including the “Kundenmonitor Deutschland 2015”,
a comparative market research study conducted in Germany. The
study named Miele Service the best in the industry for the 19th time.
In the telephone survey which took place between August 2014 andAugust 2015 as part of the study, 76 percent of the customers surveyed stated that they were “completely satisfied” with Miele’s service,with 20 percent saying that they were “satisfied”. As a result, Miele wasable to improve its scores further compared with the previous study.
GENTLE PROCESSES: INCREASED SERVICE
LIFE OF TEXTILES AND CROCKERY

Cookers and ovens are developed
and tested at the Oelde plant.

Durability in the broader sense of the word also includes the gentle
treatment of textiles and the care of valuable cutlery and crockeryin the dishwasher. In the case of washing machines, shorter
programme durations, for example, protect the laundry and extend
the life of the garments. In Miele washing machines, the durationof the energy label programme is limited to three hours, whereas
it can last for up to five-and-a-half hours for other manufacturers.
For its dishwashers, Miele has developed a wash programme thattreats even high-quality glasses very gently and provides them withlasting protection against glass corrosion. In the reporting period,
Miele has worked on new materials for the basket and on a silicone
protector to prevent glass from breaking in the dishwasher.
PRODUCT SAFETY: EXTENSIVE TESTING[GRI G4-PR1] As a general rule, all Miele products are extensively
tested with respect to health and safety risks to the consumer. Compliance with product safety aspects is tested by independent bodies
such as VDE, DEKRA, or TÜV, and the products certified accordingly.
In addition to laws and standards, in-house Miele standards apply in allareas, and in some cases have even higher requirements with respect
to product safety. Extensive tests and service life inspections also contribute to product safety as do findings from customer service callouts.
In an industry comparison, Miele has a very high level of vertical
integration – up to 50 percent depending on the product. This makes
an important contribution when it comes to differentiating the corecomponents from the competition, strongly influencing the qualityof these components, and therefore also enhancing product safety.
Ensuring product safety is also a process that involves several
areas, as the Technical Product Management and Environmental
Office, design/development departments and Quality Management
all work in close cooperation with each other. Certain sources ofContents Products Back

Vertical integrationof up to50 %64

faults are carefully identified and assessed using targeted, global
market monitoring, customer service feedback, product recalls, orspare parts sales (field monitoring). Influences from modified user
behaviour can also be identified in this way. An additional factor ispreventive quality work, which accompanies new products as earlyas the product development phase with the aid of series of tests,
and which can therefore have an influence at an early stage.
RECALL CAMPAIGNS: DETAILED CONTINGENCY PLANS[GRI G4-PR2] If field monitoring establishes that a product recall is required, detailed contingency plans are available with the names of thepersons responsible for taking prompt action. Experience from such
recalls is intensively analysed and considered for future developments.
In the reporting period, three minor product recalls occurred, whichhave now largely been concluded. Miele contacted the customers
affected directly and the problems were resolved by providing a sparepart, replacing the affected appliance, or by taking other measures.
HYGIENE: HIGH STANDARDS ENSURED
Miele Professional appliances offer special programmes to suit theparticular hygiene requirements of establishments such as retirement
homes, hospitals, or hotels. Similar considerations are also made forcommercial dishwashers. These appliances meet significantly higher
hygiene standards than models with a tank system, as fresh water
is used for each rinse cycle. They also offer special programmeswith high final rinse temperatures (over 83 °C) and long temperatureholding times. This combination of high temperatures and long holding
times produces particularly hygienic cleaning results. The hygiene
requirements in the medical technology sector are even higher. Asa certified medical product manufacturer, Miele meets all statutory
hygiene standards. For example, this also includes the full and reproducible documentation of each individual batch of sterile products.

Professional applications
entail special requirements for
programmes, speed and hygiene.

Miele also ensures high hygiene standards with respect to laundrycare in the home, for instance with the special “Hygiene 60 °C” wash
programme, which is available in a range of models. A defined wash
temperature combined with a long temperature holding time prevents
the spread of germs throughout the laundry in this programme.
For several years, a tendency to wash laundry at low temperatures
can be observed. This is generally to be welcomed, as less energy
is needed to heat up the suds. However, frequent washing at low
temperatures can also lead to the buildup of germs and odours in
the washing machine. In order to prevent this, Miele has developed“Hygiene Info”: if a washing programme with a temperature of 60
degrees Celsius or higher has not been started for an extended periodof time, the “Hygiene Info” warning appears on the appliance display.
The user is then prompted to start a one-off programme with a higher
temperature and universal powder detergent or Miele machine cleaner.

40 dB(A)quieter than a whisper

POLLUTANT-FREE PRODUCTS: STRICT STANDARDS[GRI G4-14, G4-EN27] As a matter of principle, Miele avoids the useof critical substances, wherever possible. Many substances of thisnature were therefore never used or were substituted years aheadof being banned. Before any substances are used, Miele establishes
whether they are considered critical by experts, and whether avoiding
their use could benefit the environment and/or human health. With thisin mind, critical substances are defined in specifications that apply
across the entire company, such as internal Miele plant standards.
The Miele plant standard for limiting the use of substances wasrecently adapted during the reporting period to comply with the levelof expert knowledge. Exceptions are only permitted after intensive
discussions and approval by the head of Product Engineering or the
Plant Manager concerned. Compliance with relevant legal standards issecond nature to Miele. This includes, for example, the EU chemicals
regulation (REACH) and the EU directive on the restriction of the useof certain hazardous substances (RoHS). Compliance is monitored
through continuous analysis of products and components.
EMISSIONS: CONSISTENTLY OPTIMISED APPLIANCES[GRI G4-EN27] Miele appliances are optimised in every conceivable
way so that emissions like noise, odours and moisture are also kept
to a minimum. Accordingly, Miele dishwashers and cooker hoods
are among the quietest products on the market. Even in open-plan
kitchens, the operating noises are rarely regarded as a nuisance. The
advantage of this is that the dishwashers can be operated outsideof electricity peaks and at off-peak tariffs, where applicable.

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With the launch of the new K 20,000 freestanding refrigeratorsand fridge-freezers in 2015/16, all new fridge-freezers achieved
noise levels of below 40 decibels (dB(A)). This is an improvementof between two and five decibels. Among its vacuum cleaners, atthe start of 2016, Miele was once again able to reduce the noiselevel of its quietest appliance – the Complete C3 Silence – from
69 dB(A) to 68 dB(A). Cooker hoods and ovens are equipped withfilters or catalysts (depending on the model for ovens) to minimiseodours and prevent greasy vapours from entering the ambient air.
Miele tumble dryers operate highly efficiently and with the lowest
condensate losses in the industry, meaning that they release little
moisture into the ambient air. This is advantageous both in terms ofenergy efficiency and for health reasons because high air humidity
often causes mildew to grow in rooms without sufficient ventilation.

A wide range of vacuum
cleaners are manufactured
in the Bielefeld plant.

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67

Development and innovation
The Miele product philosophy

Miele develops durable and consumption-efficient products.
They aim to provide great benefit to customers andhave as little impact as possible on the environment –whether during production, use, or disposal. Regulatory
developments such as EU energy consumption labelling and internalsustainability criteria such as recyclability, energy efficiency andresource efficiency provide the framework and are taken into
consideration from an early development stage. [GRI G4-EN27]
The aim of technical innovations is, for example, to wash laundry
even faster, more economically and more gently, to rinse anddry dishes even more carefully, or to prepare meals in an even
healthier and more varied manner. System solutions go beyond theappliance and also incorporate cleaning agents and services.

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Miele develops andproduces the electronic
controllers of the domestic
appliances itself.

Measures to reduce environmental impact
in each phase of the product life cycle

Production

Environmental andenergy management
Use of the best technologies
available1)
Transport and logistics

Product development
Avoidance of critical substances
Achievement of the bestenergy efficiency classes

Short distances

Consideration of stakeholder
requirements

Transport bundling

Efficient utilisation of freight space

Material selection targets the useof secondary raw materials andhigh recyclability and therefore
high resource efficiency

Use of low-emission
means of transport

Disposal

Usage phase

Compliance with legislation(WEEE, RoHS)

Low consumption

Excellent durability
Commitment to optimising
recycling processes/
increasing recycling rates

1)

Qualified maintenanceand repair service

Taking into account all circumstances and giving due consideration to quality and commercial aspects.

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69

Miele is constantly striving to achieve the right balance between
quality of results, operating convenience and environmental
compatibility. The aim is to offer the best appliance on themarket taking this holistic approach. Miele appliances standout from the crowd thanks to their timeless design and aim to
be intuitive and as accessible as possible (universal design).
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS: TAPPING INTO NEW BUSINESS POTENTIAL[GRI G4-EC8, G4-EN27] Miele has set itself the goal of developing
innovative business models geared towards sustainability. A large
number of approaches have already been applied to a whole
host of appliances. Miele offers its customers more than simply
domestic and commercial appliances – it also offers them awide variety of system solutions. These system solutions consistof the appliance itself, matching accessories, cleaning agents,
and a growing portfolio of services. The accessories range fromoven dishes, cookware and basket systems in the domestic
sector to water treatment systems in the commercial sector. Allelements are coordinated with one another, thereby enabling thebest results with the most efficient use of resources possible. A
current example of this are the detergents for Miele Professional
dishwashers, launched in January 2016. The formulations areContents Products Back

Miele dishwashers combine
the very best in cleaning anddrying results with low power
and water consumption.

70

phosphate-free and easy to use. With economical dosing andtested machine compatibility, they ensure optimum cleaning results.
In the dental sector, systems consisting of the appliance, baskets/
inserts and process chemicals have been proving their worth
since 2011. What’s more, Miele Professional has been offeringcorresponding solutions for the laboratory sector since 2016,
and is set to make an offering for the medical sector from 2018.

Find the best washingprogramme with interactive
guidance or order the
Miele detergent online:
examples of useful domestic
appliance networking.

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE NETWORKING: CONVENIENT,RELIABLE AND EFFICIENT
When it comes to networking domestic appliances with otherbuilding technology components and the Internet, Miele is anindustry pioneer. As a result of networking, more and more new
applications are emerging, which also bring about benefits in termsof sustainability: interactive assistants, for example, can calculate themost suitable programme with the lowest consumption. Thanks tofunctions such as SmartStart, appliances start when the electricity
from the photovoltaic system on the roof is able to deliver enoughpower. A further example are technical assistance systems, whichenable older people to live independently in their own homes forlonger. At the same time, however, networking also poses newchallenges, such as how to protect sensitive customer data.
Under the umbrella term, Miele@home, the company currently
already has around 400 network-enabled domestic appliancesin its programme worldwide. They aim to offer customers clear
added value and be reliable to use. In the reporting period, remote2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

400

Miele domestic
appliances were
network-enabled
in 2015/16.
71

monitoring and the mobile control of appliances as well as new
assistance systems were central topics for product development.
RESEARCH: DIGITAL APPLICATION SCENARIOS
Since 2014, Miele has participated in the KogniHome research cluster.
The overarching question is as follows: How can technical assistancesystems contribute to allow people to live independently andautonomously in their familiar environment for as long as possible?
As part of their research cooperation, Miele is developing KogniChef,
an intelligent assistance system for cooking. This assistancesystem considers the cooking process as a whole. It detects who
is active in the kitchen and, if necessary, can prevent a child fromusing the hob, or provide active support by offering assistance with
the individual stages involved in preparing a meal. For example,
the fact that people exhibiting the first signs of dementia willneed more support than an experienced cook is also taken into
account. Any knowledge that may be required can be conveyed
by projecting videos on the worktop, for example. If something isthreatening to boil over, KogniChef intervenes and switches thehob off. In addition, the assistance system provides inspiration bysuggesting recipes, putting together a menu from the ingredientsavailable, or creating a meal plan for a balanced diet. The KogniChef
communicates with the user via voice and gesture control.

The advantages for thecustomer are in focus
during development.

KogniHome is a collaborative project of 14 partners from Germany’s
Ostwestfalen-Lippe region. It is led by CITEC, the cluster of excellence
at Bielefeld University. The German Federal Ministry of Education andResearch (BMBF) has made available EUR 11.3 million in funds for
KogniHome. The project is set to run from August 2014 to July 2017.
DATA SECURITY: PROTECTIVE SYSTEMS FOR THE
SENSITIVE HANDLING OF CUSTOMER DATA[GRI G4-PR8] For Miele, protection of the Miele@home infrastructure and the secure handling of customer data are of theutmost importance. With this in mind, the company takes awhole host of precautions and works tirelessly in conjunction
with external experts to make further improvements to thesecurity architecture. This is based on the same technologythat is also applied in online banking. There have been no
substantiated complaints regarding data protection or privacy
infringements among customers in the reporting period. There
were also no cases of data theft or loss of customer data.

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DESIGN AND STYLE: DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE
DEMANDS NEW CONCEPTS[GRI G4-EC8] In addition to timelessness and aesthetic appeal, thecompany’s understanding of design comprises intuitive, self-explanatory and accessible handling geared towards customers’ needs.
Accordingly, demographic change in industrialised nations has alreadybeen a key focus for Miele product development for some time. As
a result, right from the development of the appliances, attention ispaid to ensuring that they are easy to use – regardless of the age
or the physical capabilities of the user. The aim is to reduce thecomplexity which people face in everyday life and to ensure that noone is excluded by applying a consistent design to all appliancesin one product group and using a universal operating logic. The
technical term for this is “universal design” or “design for all”.

Symbols and plain text areelements of the standardised
operating concept.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN: EXAMPLES OF USE
The rules of universal design ensure that the following performance characteristics are incorporated: broad usability,
flexibility, simple and intuitive handling, sensory perception of
information, fault tolerance, minimum physical effort, convenience and accessibility. For Miele domestic appliances,
this means the following, to name but a few examples:••

Functions and programmes are displayedin large font on the control panel.
Easy-to-identify descriptions (symbol withplain text) are used on the displays.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Design awards
International Design awards
attest to the success of
Miele’s design strategy.
73•

TFT appliance displays (thin-film transistor displays)
offer high resolution and contrast (for example
in dishwashers from the G 6000 series).

•

If requested, the height can be increasedby means of a built-in base.

•

For dishwashers, Miele offers fully integrated models where the door
can be opened by briefly knocking twice on the front (Knock2open).

•

Operation is also possible for visually impaired users: for example,
with self-adhesive Braille films for appliance panels or special
controls such as metal rotary knobs on selected induction hobs.

ERGONOMICS AND HAPTICS: GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPMENT
The Miele Ergonomic Index and the Haptics Guideline provide
assistance when it comes to ensuring a product design thathas been optimised in terms of ergonomics and haptics. The
Ergonomic Index is a measurement method that Miele has developed itself. It allows for the objective assessment of operating
concepts with respect to fulfilling basic ergonomic requirements.
The aspects assessed include the size of controls, their position,and the type of response generated when a user makes an entry.
The Ergonomic Index enables various design concepts, as wellas competing products, to be compared with respect to theirergonomic quality. At the same time, this systematic approachis used to train developers. For the assessment of complex
operations, Miele has been using simulation tools since the startof 2014, which imitate customer behaviour and make it mucheasier to develop appliance operations. The Haptics Guideline
contains specifications relating to the haptic, acoustic and visualrequirements placed on the controls of Miele appliances. Measuring
robots designed in-house can, for example, record the operating
forces that are required to open and close washing machine doors.
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: INSTRUMENTS FOR MORE SUSTAINABLE DESIGNIn order to keep all the key aspects in mind from pre-development to series maturity, Miele works with its IMNU 2.0 productdevelopment system. Part of this system is the environmental
checklist. Using the checklist, the company controls compliancewith all the relevant statutory regulations regarding substancesand materials – as well as complying with the Miele-specificrequirements that go even further. In addition, Miele incorporates

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Simple and intuitive: operationof Miele domestic appliances.

74

scenario planning into the individual product groups. With this,trends and likely developments – including a sustainability context – are systematically devised and regularly checked.
In order to integrate sustainability aspects in the product development
process right from the start, Miele also produces corresponding life
cycle assessments for relevant technological modifications. In thereporting period, an externally commissioned institute prepared anassessment entitled “Reflections on product lifetime and replacement
strategies for Miele domestic appliances”. Furthermore, Miele
has produced internal assessment in accordance with standards
ISO 14040 and 14044 relating to topics including “heat pumps in
the washing machine” or “transport packaging for electronics”.

You can view all domestic
appliances even while on thego with a smartphone or tablet
using the Miele@mobile app.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENT: DIALOGUE AS A DRIVER OF INNOVATION
Many Miele departments work hand in hand on productdevelopment: the Design Centre and the marketing andmarket research departments study customer needs, analyse
potential for improvement for existing appliances and assess
opportunities for new products. Designers and developers
devote themselves to ideas and concepts. Close cooperation
flourishes with suppliers and the toolshop, prefabrication andassembly areas right from the early phases of development.
Employees also play their part when it comes to proposing improvements: for example, at the Gütersloh production plant, productideas can be submitted via the “GO IDEA” ideas platform as well as
through the company suggestion scheme. Colleagues from otherdepartments, particularly development, marketing and the Design
Centre, can give their comments on and assess the suggestions,providing a way to progress an idea further. The platform waslaunched in 2015 for the domestic laundry care area and has graduallyalso been incorporated in other plants. Each of the different productgroups has its own “ideas scout” who manages the ideas and decision-making via a committee. In addition, the ideas scouts regularly
keep employees up to date regarding new ideas and campaigns.
Thanks to regular dialogue with interest groups and expert partners, such as the Oeko-Institut Freiburg, external requirements
are incorporated into the product creation process from a very
early stage. This means that more sustainable solutions are often
available to customers much earlier than required either by law orother specifications. Supplier expertise is also highly sought afterin the development process, especially when new materials or the2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

75

challenging field of electro mechanics is involved. Regular productinnovation workshops held jointly with suppliers help to identify
potential issues that are essential to product quality early on.
CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS: SURVEYS AND TESTS HIGHLIGHT NEEDS[GRI G4-PR5] Miele market research has been conducting customer
surveys in Germany and many other countries for over 30 years. As
a result, it receives more than 25,000 consumer opinions every year
from across the globe. In addition to quantitative surveys, these also
include numerous qualitative studies such as in-home interviews andwork with focus groups. Consequently, Miele acquires informative findings on market perception, purchasing decisions and user behaviour.

25,000consumer opinions
are collected andevaluated annually.

An integral part of the work that Miele’s designers do is the directcontact they have with consumers as well as with organisations suchas the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted. With theaid of trend analyses, user models, the latest UX (user experience)
methods, as well as observations and surveys, they develop futurescenarios to enable them to identify the needs of tomorrow’s households today.
At the Gütersloh site, Miele has its own test studio which is used toperform usability tests. Here, a representative selection of consumers
is given the opportunity to extensively test new domestic appliances.
Miele also works in cooperation with national and international market
research institutes such as GfK. The dealers who are in daily contact
with customers receive direct and reliable feedback and pass thison to the company. Miele then carefully evaluates this information.
COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: VARIED REQUIREMENTS
Appliances for commercial applications (Miele Professional) are used in
an extremely wide range of areas: from the classic launderette, hotel/
catering industry, care facilities, medical facilities and laboratories, rightthe way up to fire stations, riding stables and even offshore oil rigs.
In the reporting period, surveys were once again conducted withcommercial customers: among the target groups were hotels,
restaurants and catering establishments in Germany, which wereinterviewed in July 2015. In March 2016, a market analysis was
conducted among retirement/care homes, nurseries and hospitals inGermany. Market analyses were also carried out in Italy and Poland.
Miele therefore acquired a detailed picture of the expectations
that customers have with regard to Miele products and services.

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Among other aspects, the company was able to establish whattypes of contamination its appliances have to be able to cope with,what is currently causing problems for commercial customers, andwhat expectations they have in terms of cycle time, performance,
operation and durability. A total of 384 interviews were carried out.
Standard products are unable to fully satisfy the varied requirements of the commercial sector. The appliances of more recent
generations are therefore tailored to individual customers’ needs.
This mainly concerns the electronics used in the appliances, but
can also relate to the equipment, such as the use of special inserts
to enable appliances to be loaded as the customer requires. In
addition, where particularly cost-intensive appliances are involvedin the medical technology sector, it is important that the customer’s
existing accessories can continue to be used alongside a new
appliance. This saves costs – and dramatically reduces the
proportion of materials that need to be disposed of or recycled.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTThe Miele plant in
Bielefeld is the company’s
second-largest andsecond-oldest plant,
and is a centre ofexpertise for dishwashers,
vacuum cleaners andwasher-disinfectors.

77

SalesDealers ensure quality

In order to also ensure high quality with respect to marketing,Miele distributes its appliances in Germany and many other
European countries exclusively via authorised dealers. In
the 2015/16 business year, Miele supplied around 13,000
dealers in the domestic appliances sector, which are looked after
by a comprehensive field sales team. The dealers are committed
to upholding the standards of the Miele brand, particularly withrespect to the range, product availability, advice and service
they offer (“selective sales system”). This also applies to online
business. In return, Miele supports its sales partners in various
ways, for example, in structuring their businesses, training sales
personnel and providing ideas and materials for advertising.

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The personalised advice
offered here at the Gütersloh
location is an excellent
resource for helping manycustomers reach decisions.

Miele places great value on establishing long-term partnerships
wherever possible in order to guarantee that customers receive expert
advice and the best possible service both when they make theirpurchase and afterwards too. Internationally, and depending on the
structure in each country, Miele relies on dealers, but also uses othersales channels such as agency systems or web shops. The distribution partners are key multipliers when it comes to conveying theadvantages of reliable, durable and consumption-efficient products forpeople and the environment. This is why Miele is striving to make people aware of sustainability as a topic, for example in training sessions.

Almost 3,000 customer
service technicians are on
call worldwide for Miele.

NEW BUSINESS MODELS: POTENTIAL FOR DEALERS
Despite the fact that the Internet is increasing its market share asa sales channel, the value of dealers continues to shine through.
The three main factors driving Internet sales are price, convenienceand availability. The more consumers demand advice and additional
services, the greater the opportunity for brick-and-mortar specialist
dealers have to play to their traditional strengths. This makes it
easier for Miele partners to calculate stable and sufficient margins
and, therefore, to keep track of their business. One example isthe concept of the smart home. Here in particular, dealers havethe opportunity to use their expertise in advice and installation
to establish themselves as innovative service providers that are
geared towards adding value. The dealers, too, have shown their2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

13,000dealers specialising indomestic appliancesfor Miele

79

Virtual-reality solutions
are no longer the preserveof product development:
instead, they are now
also put to use whenproviding guidance on
Professional appliances.
appreciation for this sales relationship, for example, by repeatedly
voting Miele the “no. 1 specialist retail partner” in the performancerankings compiled by the prestigious dealer information serviceof the German industry publisher “markt intern”. These rankings
are based on criteria such as product quality, communication withdealers, support from field sales representatives, sales support
and conduct in the event of complaints. According to GfK, Mieleis also a market leader in terms of value for both electronics
and kitchen retailers (as of January to September 2016).
SUSTAINABILITY: INFORMING CUSTOMERS[GRI G4-PR3] In many countries, Miele is registering a growinginterest in sustainability among customers, especially with respect
to consumption. Efficiency values for electricity, water and gas

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have become a key argument when it comes to making thedecision to purchase. Miele informs its customers about suchmatters via various channels, including information provided on the
product (EU energy consumption labelling), operating instructions,product brochures, consultations with dealers, company websites,
trade fairs and showrooms. Aspects relating to sustainability
are also particularly highlighted in public relations work.
COMMERCIAL CUSTOMERS: NEW SALESCHANNELS THROUGH VIRTUAL REALITY[GRI G4-EN27] When it comes to selling Miele solutions in the
medical sector, it is not just a case of conveying information andadvice, but also of providing training to users. In the past, presenting
the system solutions for instrument reprocessing in hospitals andtraining personnel accordingly required a lot of resources and time.
Customers previously learnt which cleaning, disinfection and sterilisation techniques were required at Miele production sites or reference
customers – at locations where large-scale products have been
installed. However, it is much simpler to learn about the products andtheir features with the aid of virtual reality. Miele has already trialled
this form of demonstration at trade fairs: at the WFHSS Congress(World Federation for Hospital Sterilisation Sciences) in Brisbane
and the Medica trade fair in Düsseldorf, interested visitors from theindustry were able to experience the innovative Miele system solutions
by taking a virtual trip through a central sterile supply department.

Parts from the new spareparts warehouse in Gütersloh
reach the majority of theirrecipients within 24 hours.

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Recycling and disposal
Improving systems, creating closed material cycles

A

fter using the appliances for a long period of time, as
is typical for Miele, the products are introduced into
return systems and primarily sent for recycling andother disposal methods at the end of their lives. Here, thechallenges predominantly relate to logistics, working conditions
and environmental protection. Miele is actively involved in ensuring
the continuous improvement of return systems. [GRI G4-EN27]
Recyclability is an important topic in the development of products rightfrom the outset. Wherever it may be possible and practical without
affecting quality, Miele investigates whether recyclates or alternative
materials can be used. When new products are launched, Miele
consults with waste management companies to examine in advance
what effects the products may have in terms of disposal or recycling. In
addition, consideration is paid to whether the products may pose challenges to the operators of treatment facilities at the end of their lifecycle.

Establishing cradle to cradle when recycling domestic appliancesin an environmentally friendly manner is an ongoing process. In thereporting period, pilot projects were initiated and positions assumed.
RECYCLABILITY: ENSURED BY USING THE
PROPER SELECTION OF MATERIALSBoth domestic and commercial appliances from Miele are characterised by a very high level of recyclability when compared against therest of the industry. The most prominent feature in this regard is thehigh proportion of metal, accounts for up to 85 percent in domestic
appliances and 90 percent in commercial ones. The metals used
are virtually 100 percent recyclable. The other materials and bonding
techniques used also influence the recyclability of the products.
With this in mind, Miele takes care to use plastics of the same type,wherever possible, in order make recycling easier or to even makeContents Products Back82

Washing machine drums andsuds containers are madefrom stainless steel and are
therefore fully recyclable.

it possible at all. Composite materials, i.e. non-separable materials
that cannot be recycled together, are avoided as far as possible.
For this reason, the proportion of recyclable materials used in theappliances is still over the proportion of metal in the appliances.
To facilitate disassembly and separation, Miele keeps the numberof materials and screw varieties to a minimum. Plastic parts
are labelled according to the international standard ISO 11469.
These measures are especially relevant with respect to manualdisassembly and sorting, however. According to current practice,old appliances are primarily crushed and sorted by machine.
The recyclability of packaging materials is taken into consideration,
as it is for all materials, right from the outset. Miele primarily uses
cardboard, wood and EPS as well as polyethylene films.

Second life: recyclable cast iron
[GRI G4-EN27] Mainly in washing machines, Miele uses counterweights made from cast iron. The high proportion of metal is a starting point for a pilot project, which Miele intends to use to achieve a circular economy(cradle to cradle) – a former and new objective: Together with the recycling company Coolrec, Miele has beenworking to recover valuable metals from old appliances since the end of 2014. Miele washing machines are
dismantled on a specially equipped processing line at the Coolrec plant in the Dutch city of Dordrecht, and thematerial is sent to the Miele foundry at the Gütersloh site. There, it is used to manufacture new parts suchas brackets and counterweights. The major advantage of this is that the origin and composition of the metal are known. The quality of the sample supply was so good that further cooperation has been agreed.

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CIRCULAR ECONOMY: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES AT A GLANCE
Miele has a strong interest in the reuse of components from old
Miele appliances. However, as Miele appliances have long service
lives, the technology used in the components or electronics is often
obsolete when they reach the end of their useful life. More stringent
regulations regarding new appliances also make it difficult to finda use for them that would be economically viable. In the reporting
period, the Technical Product Management and Environmental Officehas joined forces with an external service provider to investigate
the advanced options for returning old appliances. Following an
economic and ecological assessment, however, accepting returns
across the board is not a favourable option at the present time.
In the Netherlands, Miele is getting involved in events andnetworks with the primary intention of learning from otherindustries. Miele Netherlands has contributed its expertise withthe presentation “Recycling starts before production” in June
and the report “Money makes the world go round (and will it help
to make the economy circular as well?)” from March 2016.
RETURNS AND DISPOSAL: ENGAGEMENT FOR AMBITIOUS STANDARDS[GRI G4-EN28] In the EU, the return and recycling of waste electricaland electronic equipment is regulated by the WEEE Directive. In
Germany, the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG)
transposes the WEEE Directive into German law. The German national
register for waste electric equipment (known as the stiftung ear) isthe body in charge of its implementation. Among other things, it is
responsible for registering manufacturers, coordinating the provisionof collection containers and arranging to pick up old appliances.
Miele partners with waste management companies to pick up andproperly dispose of the quantities of waste equipment that stiftungear has assigned to the company. A particular focus is placed on
the environmentally friendly disposal of refrigeration equipment. In
other EU countries, Miele uses similar – and in some cases staterun – return and recycling systems, such as Recupel in Belgium,
Eco-systèmes in France and UFH in Austria. Outside the EU, Miele
makes use of the established disposal systems already in place.
Throughout the world, Miele strives to ensure that its materials arerecycled in an environmentally friendly manner along the entire waste
management chain. As a result, the company actively advocates
ambitious quality standards with respect to recycling and supports
the fight against illegal trade involving waste electrical appliances.
All in all, Miele calls for the same requirements for all parties.

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WEEE
Waste Electrical andElectronic Equipment;
the directive was last
revised in 2012.
84

GERMANY: RETURN TO MANUFACTURER
The revised ElektroG came into force in October 2015. The amendments it includes were a focal point in the reporting period andinclude the obligation of dealers to take back appliances, adaptations
regarding recycling by local authorities, the increase in the recycling
rates and the further restriction of illegal “electrical waste” exports.
With respect to recycling carried out by local authorities, thecurrent ElektroG has led to amendments: local authorities now
have to notify stiftung ear of the quantities they recycle andparticipate in the fee structure. In Germany too, brick-and-mortar
dealers and online distributors with a sales area or storage/
dispatch area of 400 square metres or more are now obligatedto accept the return of old appliances. In the reporting period,

Flow diagram
for the return and disposal of old appliances in private households
Framework: ElektroG (2015) in Germany
Old appliances in private households

Distributor/dealer
Mandatory return from sales areaof 400 m2 or voluntary return

Manufacturer

Local/public waste disposal
authority collection point

Voluntary individual orcollective return systems

Manufacturer

Individual marketing by public
waste disposal authority(opt-in)

Mandatory return as per
assignment by stiftung ear*

Certified initial treatment facilities

Preparation for reuse

Recycling

Disposal* The German national register for waste electric equipment (stiftung ear) is the “clearing house for manufacturers”,
which also performs the sovereign duties entrusted to it by the German Environment Agency.

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85

Miele’s Gütersloh and Munich sites were therefore registered as
return points by stiftung ear. Miele sent a newsletter out to dealersin November 2015 to inform them of their new legal obligations.
[GRI G4-EN28] The remaining quantities that have to be taken backand disposed of by manufacturers remain low in Germany: while thenumber of pick-ups at registered collection points was around 90,500
in 2009 and 2010, this figure stagnated after returns at approximately
48,300 in 2014 and 2015. The total return requirement in the appliancecategories/collection groups is calculated based on the quantities
brought into circulation. In the 2015 calendar year, the quantity of Miele
waste equipment returned via stiftung ear in the appliance categories
concerned amounted to around 6,400 tonnes across Germany.

Registered pick-ups
by stiftung ear

GERMANY: RECLAIMED PACKAGING[GRI G4-EN28] In order to ensure proper disposal and together
with other manufacturers of domestic appliances, kitchen fittings
and accessories across Germany, Miele complies with the legal
obligation to also take back transport packaging materials via a
service provider. The sales packaging is collected via the dual
system for packaging recycling. The annual disposal of sales andtransport packaging causes waste management companies to
accrue greenhouse gas emissions. In order to offset these emissions
by contributing to climate protection projects, Miele chose to offset
transport packaging amounting to 433 tonnes of CO2-equivalentand sales packaging amounting to 148 tonnes of CO2-equivalent
in 2015 in a forest and species conservation project in Brazil.
REFRIGERANTS: ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SUBSTITUTES[GRI G4-EN27] The use of environmentally friendly substitutes forrefrigerants is a high priority for Miele. As part of the EU regulation
to reduce fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas Regulation),
the use of hydrofluorocarbons is gradually being restricted by
2030. Alternatives and applications are being discussed at
Miele jointly between the development, quality management
and procurement departments. Until this point, activities relating
to environmentally friendly substitutes have been carried out
in a decentralised manner within the respective projects.

Miele’s “Blackboard edition”
of fridge-freezer combinations creates a communication hub in the kitchenwith its write-on surfaces.

NEW MATERIALS: CHALLENGES DURING DISPOSAL[GRI G4-EN27, G4-PR3] New products, too, are tested with a viewto their future disposal. Particular consideration is given here toContents Products Back86

Focussing on CFCs
Older refrigerators often still contain refrigerants and insulants such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that areharmful to the environment and which must be recovered to the greatest extent possible at the disposal stage. In
Germany, the methods for doing this, operators and treatment facilities are subject to strict controls and approvals by state regulatory authorities. As a manufacturer, Miele assumes responsibility for ensuring proper disposal.
PROCEDURE IN GERMANY
In Germany, Miele participates in external audits with other manufacturers. This consortium places an obligation on its waste management service providers to also have their refrigeration treatment facilities auditedby an accredited institution. The “dual audit” applied by the consortium the only one of its kind in the industry. Compliance with standard DIN EN 50574 (in future EN 50625) is explicitly covered by the contract withthe waste management company and also includes participating subcontractors. Owing to the dual audit
system, the treatment facilities were audited four to five times on average per facility in the 2015 calendar
year. If non-compliance is identified, the process comprises escalation levels. Immediate measures can often remedy any problems. Critical instances of non-compliance result in the deliveries being stopped at thefacility until a follow-up audit has been performed and the necessary measures have been accepted by theauditor. Regular tightness tests (100 appliance test as per the German Technical Instructions on Air Quality
Control (TA Luft)), 1,000 appliance performance tests and self-checks carried out by the operators of the
facilities complement the quality endeavours to ensure environmentally friendly treatment and disposal.

innovative insulating materials like vacuum insulation panels (VIP),
which are required in order to achieve energy efficiency ratings A++
and particularly A+++ in domestic refrigerators. There are various
types of VIP available on the market. If incorrectly disposed of, some
types can result in emissions of dust that is harmful to health. That
is why the internal Miele plant standard prohibits the use of thesetypes of VIP in its appliances. In order to generate further awarenessof the particular nature of VIP, in 2016, Miele worked in conjunction
with another company active in the industry to draft a recycling
information sheet and distribute this to operators of treatment facilities.
This information sheet also explained the labelling on the appliancedata plate. With this, Miele is also satisfying the requests of waste
management companies who demand that information is provided tothem at an early stage. This topic was discussed, for example, at thefirst European round table between manufacturers, waste managementcompanies and recycling organisations, which was organised by
the European Engineering Industries Association (ORGALIME).

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OutlookMiele develops its domestic and commercial appliancesby giving methodical consideration to the entire productlife cycle. This creates the basis that will enable thecompany to continue to offer the best possible products
in terms of use, environmental-friendliness and costs. As thescope for achieving further improvements in efficiency is getting
smaller and smaller, Miele is making every effort to get the mostout of these. In this respect, for example, it is important to offer
more high-efficiency technologies in the lower price categories. In
addition, existing technologies are continually developed further
and research is carried out into fundamentally new processes.
2017 FOCUS: OPTIMISATIONS AND INNOVATIONS
The optimisation of labelling which has been brought about by
the update to the EU framework direction will require lots ofresource in product development and production over the coming
years. The directive intends to adjust the scale used in energy
consumption labelling from A to G, which will also affect many
Miele appliances: the EU energy consumption labelling is to bealtered in stages over the coming years, starting with the productgroups washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators/freezers
and tumble dryers. In the transitional phases, this will result in
additional workload due to the need for new test standards andwhen completing the declaration, to name but a few examples.
Appliance, technology, thermodynamic and programme design will

Contents Products Back

Customer advantages,
quality of results, but also
recyclability are importantfactors even in the productdevelopment stage.

have to be retested and revised. Miele has set itself this task, as
the new specifications promise to generate positive effects in termsof resource conservation and climate protection. Miele is actively
promoting specifications which are based on real-life operations.
The EU Commission has initiated the introduction of eco-design
specifications for commercial dishwashers, washing machines andtumble dryers too. Preliminary studies on this subject have been
completed and reveal potential for saving energy. The standardisation organisations CEN and CENELEC were tasked by the EU
Commission to establish suitable test methods. Representatives from
Miele Professional are members of the standardisation committees
and are therefore involved in developing relevant test methods anddrafting the corresponding European and international standards.

The Blizzard CX1: Miele’s firstbagless vacuum cleaner

A number of product innovations were brought to market at the endof the 2015/16 business year:
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND LABELLING
With respect to refrigerators and freezers, new products were launchedin spring 2017, which demonstrate up to 20 percent lower consumption
than appliances with the A+++ energy efficiency rating. This involved thedevelopment of freezers that are 70 centimetres wide. In these applianceswith very large volumes, the high efficiency class has a huge impact.
PERFORMANCE AND HYGIENE
The Blizzard CX1 is the perfect addition to Miele’s range of vacuum
cleaners. The company’s first bagless vacuum cleaner, it was unveiledat the IFA 2016 trade fair in Berlin. Using a mono-cyclone design andinnovative details, the developers have achieved outstanding cleaning
performance combined with low noise levels – and the vacuum
cleaner’s hygienic emptying method makes it easy to operate.
UNIVERSAL DESIGNThe Miele W1 Classic washing machine was adapted to the needsof visually impaired people and presented at the IFA 2016 trade
show: an adhesive film is attached to the front, which enables users
to operate the appliance using their sense of hearing and touchalone. The temperature keys have sounds assigned to them – thelower the tone, the cooler the washing cycle, and the higher thetone, the hotter it is. The same applies to spin revolutions. This
special model was launched on the market in March 2017.

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NETWORKINGIn the second half of 2016, the company extended the Miele@
mobile app to include washing assistants. Subject to theload, these provide tips on selecting the optimum washingprogramme. A washing lexicon is also incorporated.
SYSTEM SOLUTIONS
Since September 2016, Miele has also been committed todeveloping integrated system solutions in the coffee preparation
product group. For the first time, Miele now also offers its own
coffee. The Black Edition N°1 blend of coffee is organically grownand ethically sourced. The way the Miele coffee is used with thecoffee machine provides customers with additional convenience.
DISPOSAL AND RECYCLING: CLOSING THE LOOPThe European Commission’s Circular Economy Package will
also require Miele to make a large number of modifications
over the coming years. The package of measures involveschanges to several directives and plans relating specificallyto waste in order to regulate material efficiency as part of theEcodesign Directive. It aims to enable further steps towards
achieving a fully circular economy. This is set to place further
requirements on Miele and its products in the future.
Miele is continuing to commit to the further development andharmonisation of disposal standards – with the aim of upholding
high quality requirements and creating uniform competitive
conditions for all parties involved. An essential element of this is
to have a compulsory framework for everyone involved, which,in the long term, could also mean that audits do not haveto be carried out as frequently in treatment facilities.

Building a completely
circular economy poses
enormous challenges for
manufacturers like Miele.

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2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT91

3 | Supply chain
3.1 Remit
3.2 Resources and materials
3.3 Supplier management
3.4 Outlook

Systematic evaluation
When selecting suppliers and holding annual reviewsof them, purchasers such as Ursula Schubert (right)
and Souhail El Matri assess the quality, supply
capability and pricing, while also evaluating the adherence to environmental and social standards.

Contents Back

The remit:
reducing risks, ensuring supplyC

onsistently highproduct quality anda stable flow ofmaterials are essential prerequisites for Miele inorder to ensure the company’s long-term success. To
ensure supply security withhigh-quality materials andcomponents in the long term,
the company relies on efficient use of materials. Miele
attaches great importanceto establishing cooperativeand long-term relationships
with its suppliers. A great
deal of care is taken whenselecting suppliers. As wellas meeting key purchasing
criteria such as quality, supply
availability and price, Miele
also requires its suppliers tocomply with environmental
and social standards. Potential and existing suppliers
are regularly assessed toensure compliance. This
process is managed using
a comprehensive suppliermanagement system.

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What Miele has already achieved (2015/16)

85 % 131of Miele suppliers
come from Europe.

trained Miele employees
carry out supplier audits.

5,245

suppliers have been providing products to Miele
continuously for at least four business years.

525

suppliers provide
products to at least
four Miele plants.

94

Strategic objective by 2025
High environmental andsocial standards“We cultivate trusting,long-term partnerships
with our suppliers.
We face the challenges in the supply
chain together.”Hans Krug, Corporate Director
Procurement, Gütersloh

Minimising supply risks and full compliance withenvironmental and social standards

Resources and materials
Transparent procurement, efficient use

It takes many thousands of different natural resources, materials
and components to produce Miele appliances: for example,
raw steel for washing machines, plastic granulate for vacuum
cleaners or glass plates for hobs. By the time these items arriveat the Miele locations, they have already undergone a multitudeof process steps. Different sustainability considerations apply tothese upstream value creation stages depending on the material.
The extraction of raw materials uses up natural resources andenergy is required for the further processing of components.
The consumption of resources is a particular priority for Miele:
as global demand is growing and resources are becoming
scarcer, long-term availability and supply security are becoming
increasingly important. [GRI G4-EN32, G4-EN33, G4-LA15]First Tier
is a supplier who provides
raw materials or components
directly to Miele.

Miele carries out regular checks to ensure that its direct suppliers(First Tier) are complying with environmental and social standards
and determines the origin of individual raw materials such as
stainless steel and plastic when necessary. Despite the effort
afforded by Miele in this regard, it is currently not possible toensure complete traceability of all materials, given the globalised
procurement markets and complex supply chains. The company
does, however, ask its own suppliers to confirm that their upstream
suppliers are obliged to comply with the specifications.
USE OF RESOURCES AND MATERIALS: OVERVIEW[GRI G4-EN1] Miele obtains both raw materials such as
stainless steel or plastic granulate and components such as
hoses and ball bearings from its suppliers in order to produce
its products. Entire products such as refrigerators, automaticcoffee machines or microwaves ovens are also supplied byexternal manufacturing partners in accordance with Miele’s
specifications. In the 2015/16 business year, Miele obtainedContents Supply Chain Back96

Stainless steel is an
important material for Miele
appliances. This is suppliedin rolls known as coils.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT97

In terms of packaging, Miele relies on
stable materials such as solid woodand cardboard, but also film packaging.
Reusable solutions are put to use
in the spare-parts warehouse.
materials, components and domestic appliances with a valueof around EUR 1.6 billion from other companies, including
manufacturing materials with a value of around EUR 1 billion.
In the 2015/16 business year, Miele used a total of 98,778 tonnesof raw materials. The majority of these were metals (88 percent) in
the form of iron and non-ferrous metals, steel and its alloys. Apartfrom metals, Miele’s other main raw material is plastic granulate (12percent). The company also uses auxiliary and operating materials
such as paints and oils as well as electronic components.
The packaging of Miele domestic appliances must be sufficiently
stable in order to withstand the high weight of the products
during transportation. The packaging is primarily made of solid
wood and cardboard, but plastic moulded parts, polyethylene(PE) films and foams are also used. In the 2015/16 business year,
the proportion of packaging weight in relation to all appliances
produced by Miele was 8.5 percent (2014/15: 8.2 percent).

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Production materials used
in tonnes, in the 2015/16
business year
Raw materials:
98,77812,00086,778

MetalsPlastic granulate

98

SUPPLY SECURITY: CONTINUOUS MARKET OBSERVATION
Miele is dependent on the provision of the necessary resources, materials and components to all manufacturing sites at the right time, in theright quantity and in compliance with Miele’s high quality requirements.
To ensure that this is the case, Miele has integrated early warning
indicators for supply security into its supplier management system.
These indicators make it possible to identify potential risks whichmight jeopardise supply security at an early stage. A software
solution is used to record various hazards such as forces of nature(for example earthquakes, floods) or political risks and these hazards
are then weighted on the basis of indicators. This process takes
into account both country-specific and geographical risks as wellas supplier-related risks such as credit-worthiness. In the 2014/15
business year, Miele integrated the early warning indicators into the
supplier management system for 100 suppliers initially as part of apilot project. From the end of 2016, this was extended to around 2,000
suppliers – covering around 95 percent of the purchasing volume.
As soon as a possible gap in supplies becomes apparent, appropriate
measures are taken – for example, raw materials are put into storage
at the supplier’s premises. The increasing use of recycled materials is
also helping to ensure the supply of necessary raw materials in thelong term.
ORIGIN OF RESOURCES: ANALYSING THE SUPPLY CHAINS
In the 2013/14 business year, Miele and its suppliers analysed the supply chains of two important components as examples. The aim of thisanalysis was to find out key information about the producing countries
and the associated sustainability issues. The focus was on stainlesssteel, its alloying agents and plastic. These materials are typical examples of the two main product groups in Miele material purchasing.

Metal can be recycled to
outstanding quality. Miele
therefore uses valuablesecondary raw materials
in its own foundry at
the Gütersloh site.

The main countries of origin for these materials were assessed on thebasis of defined criteria in the fields of environment, economics andsociety, including aspects such as biodiversity, land utilisation, humanrights, labour standards, corruption and supply security. Potential
sustainability risks were then identified. The analysis was completed in
December 2014 and showed, among other things, that the respective
value chains are extremely complex, making it very difficult to trace
the materials back to their origin. The results are being incorporated
into the development and evaluation of the procurement processes.
USE OF MATERIALS: ENSURING EFFICIENCY WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON QUALITY[GRI G4-EN2, G4-EN27] Improving resource efficiency is an
important strategic objective for Miele. It not only protects theenvironment, but also saves money and helps to secure the longterm availability of valuable raw materials. Miele therefore strives
to ensure efficient use of materials in production and uses a highproportion of recyclable materials and secondary raw materials – i.e.
raw materials which have already undergone a recycling process.

Metal content
of a Miele
washing machine(domestic): up to85 %When it comes to resource efficiency, however, Miele is often facedwith the challenge of reconciling conflicting objectives: using composite materials, for example, can save material but can also resultin disadvantages for the recycling process. Furthermore, not every
material that can be easily recycled satisfies Miele’s requirements
in relation to quality, durability and performance. Miele constantly
has to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages in order tomaximise resource efficiency without compromising on quality.
METAL: HIGH PROPORTION OF SECONDARY RAW MATERIALS[GRI G4-EN27] The use of recycled materials minimises theconsumption of primary raw materials and the associated environmental
impact – in processes such as the extraction of raw materials. The
majority of stainless steel, for example, can be recycled. Miele therefore
explicitly welcomes efforts from its suppliers to process the highest
possible proportion of recycled steel – whilst always complying withquality requirements. The proportion of secondary raw materials
used in (commercial) washing machines can be up to 50 percent.
PLASTIC: USE OF RECYCLED MATERIAL IS CAREFULLY EXAMINED[GRI G4-EN27] The use of plastic and composite materials isincreasing in the domestic appliance industry. This allows money

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Proportion of recycledmaterials (secondary
raw materials) in a
Miele washing machine(commercial): up to

50 %

100

to be saved in manufacturing, but these materials present more
problems than metals when it comes to recycling management. In
order to reduce consumption of primary plastics, Miele is looking
for solutions which will enable the use of recycled materials. Up
to now, however, the proportion of plastic recyclates in Miele
appliances has been relatively low. And with good reason: there
is currently a lack of standardised recycled plastic suitable fordemanding technical applications which can be used over a long
period and maintain the same high level of quality. Miele will bemonitoring future developments closely. The aim is to roll out the useof recycled materials wherever it is possible without compromisingon quality. For example, plastic recyclates made from the remnantsof industrial production processes are already used in the cablerewind in Miele vacuum cleaners. High levels of precision in plastic
manufacturing and a stable production process result in a low rejectrate at Miele, which also helps to minimise resource consumption.
A variety of different plastics
are used in Miele vacuum
cleaners such as the newbagless Blizzard CX1.

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Supplier management
Fair partnership with high standards

Miele sets high requirements for its suppliers in termsof quality and performance and expects them tocomply with social and ecological standards. In return,
Miele understands that these requirements mustbe economically viable for the suppliers. The aim is to establish
long-term business relationships characterised by fair, trusting
cooperation and collaborative partnerships. This collaboration
often starts in the product development phase. Miele is constantly
developing its supplier management system and adapting it tochanges in peripheral conditions. This guarantees consistently
high product quality and long-term supply security. Furthermore,
it ensures compliance with current sustainability requirements.

85 %of deliveries to Miele
plants – based on thepurchasing volume –come from Europe.

PROCUREMENT: GOOD SUPPLY CONCEPT[GRI G4-EC9] Miele products are mainly produced in Germany andEurope, and 85 percent of deliveries to Miele plants – based on thepurchasing volume – come from Europe. In conjunction with optimisedtransport logistics and the bundling of goods flows, this saves ontransport costs and reduces transport-related CO2 emissions.
Due to their distance from the other manufacturing locations,
local procurement is particularly important for the plants in
China and the Czech Republic. To this end, Miele established the“local to local” principle for selected groups of goods in thesecountries in the 2014/15 business year: in the interest of keeping
transport routes as short as possible, packaging materials for
the Czech plant in Uničov, for example, are obtained from thelocal region. Similarly, at the Dongguan plant, as many materials
as possible are obtained from China or elsewhere in Asia:
based on the external purchasing volume, Chinese suppliers
made up over 50 percent of deliveries in the 2015/16 business
year, while Asian suppliers as a whole made up 70 percent.

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SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT: CHECKING SUSTAINABILITY CRITERIA
Miele manages the selection of new suppliers and monitors
existing suppliers with the aid of a comprehensive suppliermanagement system. The focus is not just on aspects such as
supply availability, quality and price but also on compliance with
Miele’s sustainability criteria. In this process, Miele differentiates
between suppliers for manufacturing materials (all materials
required for production) and suppliers for non-manufacturing
materials (including services or operating materials, for example).
Compliance with environmental, social and economic sustainability
criteria is monitored and verified several times over the courseof a business relationship. At the beginning of the selection
process, prospective suppliers must fill in a self-declaration.
Manufacturing suppliers are asked to update their information
every year. Furthermore, audits are carried out on a regular basis.

Sustainable supplier management
Multi-stage process

Short audit

Supplier selection

Check of potential suppliers
by Quality Management andPurchasing with regard to theirperformance and compliancewith aspects of sustainability

Selection process for identifying
the ideal source of supply basedon cost, quality, supply andsustainability requirementsfrom Purchasing and, whereapplicable, Quality Management,
Design/Development, etc.

Supplier registration
Supplier self-assessment with query
regarding sustainability criteria
Update requested once a year

Criteria:
Quality and costs
Delivery capacity and security
SA8000 and social aspects
Environmental management and climate protection
Compliance and competition law
Prevention of corruption
Process audit/subject audit in linewith SA8000

Standard report
Standard request by
Purchasing during discussions with series-production suppliers

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTSupplier evaluation
Ongoing evaluation of production material suppliers

Detailed assessment of supplier
before start of series production andduring series production if applicable,with regard to performance, supply
availability and sustainability aspects

103For purchasing staff, the results ofthe supplier audits are importantfactors when making a decision.

Miele helps its purchasers and plants to assess new suppliers by providing local support through its International
Purchasing Offices (IPO): in addition to the existing IPO in
Asia, a second opened in Eastern Europe in July 2015.
SELECTING NEW SUPPLIERS: SELF-DECLARATIONS AND BRIEF AUDITS[GRI G4-EN32, G4-EN33, G4-LA14, G4-LA15, G4-HR10, G4-HR11,
G4-SO9, G4-SO10] A supplier’s performance capability and supply
availability are crucial factors when it comes to awarding a contract.
Alongside criteria such as technical equipment and standardised,stable processes, Miele’s Purchasing department checks whether
potential suppliers meet the social standards and environmental
requirements defined by Miele. All suppliers, regardless of where
they are, are subject to the same sustainability standards. In order
to contribute to inclusion and integration, Miele also works withsocial workshops in Germany. 16 of these facilities are currently
performing tasks such as sorting, picking and assembly for Miele.

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Suppliers who wish to enter into a business relationship with Miele
must first submit a self-declaration online via a supplier management
portal. This enables Miele to carry out an initial assessment of thepotential supplier. The criteria include business/company data, products, technology, certifications, SA8000 and other employee issues,compliance, corruption prevention, environmental management
and climate protection. The material group managers in Purchasing
check whether the self-declarations are complete and plausible.
In the event of non-compliance, the potential supplier is given theopportunity to implement the necessary corrective measures withina reasonable amount of time in order to meet the requirements. If
this does not happen, Miele will not consider entering into a business
relationship. Of a total of 491 new suppliers who expressed interestin establishing a business relationship with Miele in the 2015/16
business year, 484 participated in the selection process; 100 of
the potential suppliers were identified by Miele as unsuitable fromthe outset, a further nine (1.9 percent) failed to provide information
about at least one aspect of compliance with the social standards.
Before taking on a new manufacturing material supplier, a brief
audit is carried out on site in order to assess compliance withprocess quality and sustainability standards. If Miele identifies
non-conformities but feels that the supplier would otherwise be auseful partner, it works together with the supplier to find solutions.
If there is no improvement, the applicant is blocked for Miele.
ACTIVE SUPPLIERS: REGULAR MONITORING AND PROCESS AUDITS
Once a supplier has been taken on, Miele carries out regularmonitoring over the course of the business relationship to ensurethat the supplier still meets the required sustainability standards.
A key tool in this process is a supplier portal which prompts theregistered suppliers to update their self-declaration online every year.
Process audits are carried out for all suppliers who provide
materials for a product series to ensure their performancecapability and supply availability. These audits take place before
production starts and while it is ongoing. Sustainability criteria
are also monitored as part of these process audits. At the endof 2016, Miele had 131 trained and active process auditors.
SOCIAL STANDARDS: COMPLIANCE WITH SA8000 CRITERIA[G4-LA15, G4-HR4, G4-HR5, G4-HR6, G4-HR11, G4-SO10] Miele
also places particular emphasis on social requirements. All suppliers

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Number oftrained and active
process auditors:

131

105

around the world must agree to comply with social criteria in their own
companies and to ensure that their upstream suppliers do the same.
Miele demands compliance with the following criteria in accordancewith SA8000, the internationally recognised social standard:•

No child labour or forced labour•

Safe and healthy work environment•

Freedom of association•

No discrimination•

No disciplinary measures such as corporal punishment,
psychological or physical sanctions or verbal abuse•

Adherence to legislation and industry
standards on working hours•

Adherence to payment legislation

Purchasers and suppliers
maintain a cooperative relationship. The aim is always to finda common solution for requirements or conflicting objectives.

The staff in the Purchasing department carries out a general risk
classification for all suppliers on the basis of the SA8000 criteria.
Depending on the country and industrial sector, the supplier isclassified as low-, medium- or high-risk. Only a small number ofMiele suppliers are classified as high-risk. These suppliers aremonitored continually and assessed once a year by purchasing
staff with measures including audits based on SA8000. If thisassessment produces negative results – for example, with regard
to previous non-conformities which have not been sufficiently
rectified – the business relationship is terminated. This did
not happen to any suppliers during the reporting period.
An updated version of the SA8000 standard was published in 2014.
28 Miele employees were given training on the revised content
in September 2015. They are responsible for implementing the
new version at Miele’s different sites in time for a company-widecertification based on the new standard in autumn 2017.
In addition to the criteria derived from SA8000, Miele requires its
suppliers to provide information about which forms of employee
participation the company has implemented and whether it has
taken measures to ensure occupational health and safety andprovide employees with additional training and support.

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106

ECOLOGICAL STANDARDS: ASSESSMENT OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT[G4-EN33] In order to ensure that ecological standards are maintained,
Miele assesses its suppliers on the basis of whether an environmental
management system has been implemented; for example, in accordance with ISO 14001. The central supplier assessment system
also includes information on whether the supplier uses resourcesin a sustainable manner and complies with local environment andclimate protection laws. Environmental requirements for materials andcomponents are continually adjusted to comply with legislation (suchas the German Hazardous Materials Ordinance) and Miele’s internal
regulations. To this end, Miele has its own company standard, which
limits the use of certain substances in materials and components.
Manufacturing material suppliers will only be awarded contracts
if they can confirm compliance with this company standard.
ECONOMIC CRITERIA: CORRUPTION PREVENTION AND COMPLIANCE
Miele’s economic sustainability criteria include corruption prevention
and compliance. The criteria are based on the principles of the Global
Compact of the United Nations (UN) and other international guidelines.
The suppliers state whether their company participates in international
or industry-related compliance initiatives and whether they take measures
to prevent corruption – for example, by providing an ombudsman for
employees or considering the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of
Transparency International when selecting their upstream suppliers.
RISK MANAGEMENT: ESCALATION PROCESS FOR SUSPECTED VIOLATIONS[G4-EN33, G4-LA14, G4-LA15, G4-HR11, G4-SO10] If it is suspectedor there is evidence that a supplier is violating SA8000 criteria or environmental standards, a multi-stage escalation process is initiated. Thiscan culminate in the supplier being struck off the list and blocked for the
future. Serious violations will generally lead to absolute and immediate
termination of the contract. During the reporting period, 23 suppliers
were inspected according to the escalation plan. The inspections
showed no abnormalities; no suppliers were placed under embargo.
A supplier whose inspection reveals abnormalities may be able
to continue working with Miele, depending on the supplier’s
subsequent development and improvement. The supplier inquestion must draw up a plan of measures in collaboration with
Miele’s Purchasing and Quality Management departments andrectify the non-conformities in full within the specified period.

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107

Outlook
One of Miele’s fundamental strategic challenges is ensuring a longterm supply of high-quality raw materials, particularly as some ofthem are becoming scarcer. The company will therefore intensify its
efforts in future to improve material efficiency and create closed raw
material cycles through the increased use of recycled materials.
Miele is constantly adapting its supplier management system
to changes in peripheral conditions. In order to ensure supply
security at a consistently high level of quality, Miele will continue to focus on collaborative, trusting relationships with its
suppliers. Miele is working on further optimising compliancewith ecological and social standards in the value chain in linewith the company’s guiding principle – “Forever Better”.

Supplier management is
controlled from the company’s
headquarters in Gütersloh. It
poses high requirementsthat are subject to constantchange – these are also
affected by the conditions
faced by society as a whole.

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2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT109

4 | Environment
4.1 Remit
4.2 Environmental management
4.3 Resource efficiency
4.4 Energy use and emissions
4.5 Transport and logistics
4.6 Outlook

Efficient control
Rainer Mammel responsible for energy andenvironment at the Bielefeld plant (right) and shop
mechanic Thomas Czerner regularly monitor andevaluate the consumption values of the ventilation,
air conditioning and heating systems.

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The remit:
industry leader in environmental protectionAfurther key elementof Miele’s sustainability strategy
is protecting theenvironment. Within thescope of its strategy update,the company has set itself
the objective of being a world
leader in environmental protection in its industry. It also
intends to make this objective
quantifiable. In addition tocomplying with environmental
standards, Miele is therefore
continually working to conserve resources, save energy
and reduce emissions. The
company applies the precautionary principle and takes
environmental protection
into account right from the
beginning when designing
plants and processes. Miele
uses a comprehensive
environmental and energy
management system to assess its progress. [GRI G4-14]

What Miele has already achieved (2015/16)

ISO 14001
certification for all
plant locations

ISO 50001
certification for all
European plant locations

reduction in energy-related
CO 2 emissions since 2000

25,000 m

2square metres of nature-oriented green
space designed in Gütersloh
More than

80 %of the transport volume insales is by ship

Contents Environment Back

53 %

2

cogeneration plants inoperation at
the Bünde
location112

Strategic objectives for 2025
Miele is the sector leader for environmental performance.

Energy efficiency and CO2 reduction

Miele is continuing its efforts to improve efficiency inproduction, and these are supplemented by key climate
indicators. Miele has reduced its CO2 emissions.

Resource efficiency

Miele is aiming to close material cycles in production and for products,
wherever this is possible and economically viable (cradle to cradle).

High environmental andsocial standards

Minimising supply risks and full compliance withenvironmental and social standards“Our environmental management system doesn’t
just ensure that regulations
are observed – it also
strives to reduce any
impact on the environmentand save resources.”
Karin Fahrendorf, responsible
for safety and environmental
protection in the Oelde plant

Environmental management
Integrated control

Miele’s environmental management includes its operational
environmental protection and its energy management system. The company is working to reduce the environmental
impact caused by waste water, waste and emissions aswell as energy-intensive processes and logistics at its sites. It produces all of its products in a resource-friendly manner, using as little
energy as possible. Thanks to its exceptionally high level of vertical
integration – depending on the product, the company manufactures
up to 50 percent of all components itself – Miele is also able to influence the environmental impact of these production steps. [GRI G4-14]
CERTIFIED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS: MONITOR
PROGRESS, SET OBJECTIVES
Miele uses an integrated management system to manage operational
environmental protection throughout the company. An importantcomponent of this management system is the environmental
management system, which is certified according to ISO 14001 at
all Miele production locations worldwide. It includes guidelines for
dealing with materials, water and waste as well as emissions. Miele
manages and monitors its environmental performance with thehelp of environmental performance indicators. The management
system is reviewed at the beginning of each business year andprogress is measured based on the results of individual reviews
conducted at the various Miele plants. The responsible officers
set new objectives based on these results. The internal reviews
are supplemented every year by external monitoring audits.
A further component of the integrated management system is anenergy management system, which is certified according to ISO
50001 at all European locations. Recertification is required once
every three years. The energy management system at the Dongguan
location in China is also based on ISO 50001. The system helps

Contents Environment Back114

the locations to identify potential for further energy savings and to
implement appropriate measures. The officers regularly exchange bestpractice information on a cross-plant basis. Miele reviews its energy
management system on a yearly basis by means of internal audits
which are carried out by six specially trained employees. The audits
performed in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 business years did not findany non-conformities. They merely recommended further employee
training and measures to improve individual process descriptions.
The responsible officers have begun to implement appropriate
improvement measures. With the audits, Miele also fulfils the national
implementation of the 2014 Energy Efficiency Directive (EED), which
requires companies to carry out an energy audit every four years.

The energy management
staff from the plants regularly
meet at the block-type
thermal power station in
Bünde to exchange views.

In September 2015, the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards wererevised. A total of 50 people (auditors and experts including officers
from the areas of quality and environmental management) received
training on the standard revisions during the reporting period. This
created the basis for identifying new requirements for the management system. Miele will carry out the necessary improvements at its
locations in time for the upcoming recertification in autumn 2017.

Award for Miele’s energy management system
In 2015, Miele was awarded the Best Practice Label by the German Energy Agency (dena) for its successful energy management system. As part of the nationwide “Initiative EnergieEffizienz” (Energy Efficiency
Initiative) campaign, Miele was recognised as a leading company in the energy management category.
The dena praised the organisational implementation of the standard within the Miele Group.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT115

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ENERGYMANAGEMENT: ORGANISATION AND AUDITING
The organisation of Miele’s environmental responsibilities is divided
into operational environmental protection and energy management – inaccordance with the requirements of the ISO 14001 and ISO 50001
standard systems. Each area has its own responsible officers at
the Miele headquarters and in the individual plants. All of the plant
officers report to the headquarters in Gütersloh. There is a continuous
exchange of information across all plants: the teams for operational
environmental protection and energy management meet two times
a year at one of the German locations. These meetings are used
to discuss individual efficiency projects, to provide information
about changes in the legal framework, and for further training.
Since 2015, the energy management team has also been organised
as an internal network. Since 2011, the energy management andoperational environmental protection representatives from the European
plants have regularly participated in workshops in Germany. They havebeen joined by the representatives from Dongguan in China since 2015.

Raising awareness among the employees in Braşov
Resource and climate protection is also a key priority at Miele locations outside of Germany. Therefore, a comprehensive project was carried out from July 2014 to June 2016 to raise awareness among
employees at the Miele location in Braşov, Romania. This included the following measures:•

Tree planting event: in the municipality of Feldioara, Miele employees and their families planted 1,000
trees and collected 242 plastic bags full of rubbish. The trees not only contribute to climate protection,
but also help to secure the soil and thus prevent landslides. 170 people participated in the project.

•

Paperless office: requests for holidays or IT equipment are now all electronic in order to reduce
paper consumption.

•

Creation of a collection point for small electrical appliances, batteries and light bulbs: employees
can now dispose of these at a collection point. In the course of this project, the employees werealso informed about the advantages of recycling.

[GRI G4-EN29] There were no recorded infringements of environmental regulations in the reporting period. In the 2014/15 business
year, Miele introduced a unified legal management system for
operational environmental protection, energy management andoccupational health and safety across all of its German plants. This
monitors whether the company complies with requirements. The

Contents Environment Back116

system launches were completed during the reporting period, and the
responsibility for implementing operational environmental protection
lies with the individual plants. Miele has also introduced another system: a compliance tool for product-related environmental regulation.
COMPLAINT MANAGEMENT: TRANSPARENTCOMMUNICATION, FAST HANDLING[GRI G4-EN34, G4-SO1, G4-SO2, G4-SO11] Employees, residents, business partners, or other persons can file complaints
about the company’s activities at any time by telephone, e-mail,or letter to Miele. The headquarters or the plants are the maincontacts for this purpose. The responsible department or the plant
management will examine the situation and clarify or eliminate
the causes. In the event of a serious complaint, the company
management will be involved at an early stage. No significant
complaints concerning environmental emissions were received
in the reporting period. Two minor complaints about noise due toactivities at night, as well as noise from construction vehicles, weredealt with immediately, and their causes have been remedied.

Control centre of the ironfoundry at the Gütersloh site

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT117

Resource efficiency
Waste avoidance and water managementThe responsible use of natural resources is a key objective and an established practice at Miele. This not
only protects the environment, but also helps to securea long-term supply of important raw materials and to
reduce costs. To this end, Miele is committed to efficient material
use, avoiding waste and minimising its water consumption.
WASTE AVOIDANCE: MAXIMISING RECYCLING[GRI G4-EN23, G4-EN25] Miele pursues a defined strategy of
avoiding waste as far as possible. The company therefore seeks
to continuously improve its production processes. Materials arereused wherever possible or recycled. In order to close material
cycles, Miele uses not only recyclable materials, but also secondary
raw materials. As a general rule, unavoidable waste is carefully
separated and recycled as much as possible. During the reporting
period, the locations carried out detailed analyses which identified
potential for improving the waste separation process. As a result,the locations improved the separation of packaging material suchas plastic strapping and polystyrene, enabling them to sort out andrecycle up to three times more material than before. Qualified service
companies are appointed to dispose of the waste. Miele reviews
these companies by performing waste disposal audits, sometimes
in co-operation with other manufacturers. Over the past 15 years,
the standard for auditing waste disposal companies in Germany has

Contents Environment Back

Conserving resources in production, like in the productionof ovens in Oelde, is an important factor from an economicand environmental perspective.

Even in the production of small parts,
efforts are made to keep waste toa minimum during manufacturing.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

33,10130,084

31,493in tonnes
30,011

The amount of waste produced by the company in the 2015/16 business year was 33,101 tonnes. This represents a 10 percent increase
compared to the previous year (30,084 tonnes). Miele was therefore
unable to achieve its objective to reduce the amount of mixed waste
produced at the locations in Germany and Austria from 877 tonnes
per year to 745 tonnes per year by the end of the 2015/16 business
year, which would have signified a decrease of 15 percent comparedto the 2012/13 business year. Instead, the amount of mixed wasterose by 13 percent during this period. The increase in total waste andmixed waste is mainly due to the fact that both production volumes
and the workforce have grown significantly at almost all the plants overthe same period, combined with a resulting increase in construction
activity. The transition to new appliance generations in the production
plants also led to more material consumption and waste; for example,
due to the manufacturing of new and old appliance series in parallel.
All of the relevant departments are working strenuously to find solutions in order to minimise this type of transitional effect. Furthermore,
Miele is increasingly promoting the separation of waste on site. In
addition, waste from external services was increasingly disposed ofthrough the Miele disposal systems. Finally, there were technical problems during the reporting period at the waste collection plant at the
Gütersloh location. As a result, a large number of foils were misrouted.

Total waste produced

28,596

continuously developed. All of the Miele plants follow this standard.
Both in Germany and abroad, no waste is exported. When it comes totransporting its hazardous waste within Germany and at the international sites, Miele exclusively uses companies specialised in this field.

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16119

On the other hand, the amount of liquid waste that had to bedisposed of was reduced from 1,342 tonnes in the 2013/14 businessyear to 317 tonnes in the 2015/16 business year. At the Bielefeld
plant, rinsing fluids from the wash cabinet production process fordishwashers have been recycled in a physicochemical processsince 2014/15. By commissioning a water treatment plant for the
production of dryer drums, the Uničov plant was able to avoid
disposing of around 350 tonnes of oil-containing waste water per year.

148 kgProduction waste
per tonne of product(2015/16)

The rate and capacity forcast-iron recycling is unrivalled.
High-quality iron, even in theform of industrial waste, goes
into the production process.

Source areas of total waste
in tonnes and percentages

6%(1,937 t)

10 %(3,292 t)

84 %(27,872 t)

Waste from production,
product parts
Waste from operational
plants, administration anddevelopment areas
Waste from buildings,
grounds

Contents Environment Back120

Water consumption

365,221340,631370,085

347,072

in cubic metres
364,684

More than 96 percent of all waste was recycled; less than 5
percent of the waste had to be disposed of. The productionwaste in kilograms per tonne of product increased slightly in the2015/16 business year compared with the previous year (approx.
1 percent). However, in the 2014/15 business year it decreased
by around 7 percent compared to 2013/14. In the 2015/16
business year, the amount of hazardous waste produced fell to
2,110 tonnes, a decrease of 173 tonnes from the previous year.
PAPER CONSUMPTION: CHANGING TO RECYCLED
PAPER AT ALL GERMAN LOCATIONS
For half of 2015, the Gütersloh headquarters exclusively used recycled
paper in some of its printers as a trial run. Printers with particularlyhigh printing volumes were selected for the trial. Following the successful test phase, all the locations in Germany have switched to using
only recycled paper with the Blue Angel label. This measure saves
around 45 tonnes of fresh fibre paper every year. Since 2012, Miele
has been using a secure printing solution which enables employees
to access their print jobs on any printer in order to reduce energy
consumption and improve resource protection. This led to the replacement of numerous workplace printers and resulted in energy savingsin administration. The company has also saved paper as a side effect:
as employees now need to log in personally for each operation, they
are more aware of their consumption of paper. The internationalsales subsidiaries are also continually working to reduce their paper
consumption by, for example, printing on both sides or re-using paper.

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

WATER CONSUMPTION: SYSTEMATIC WATER MANAGEMENT[GRI G4-EN8, G4-EN9] Miele strives to consistently reduce its
water consumption through systematic water management. All of
the water-saving measures are implemented in such a way thatdrinking water hygiene is ensured at all times. Miele does not have
any locations in regions which experience water shortages.
As an overall trend, the company has reduced its water consumption
per tonne of product over the last years. However, the absolute
water demand rose in the 2015/16 business year from 340,631 cubic
metres to 365,221 cubic metres. This is mainly due to installation
work to improve the water supply at the Gütersloh, Oelde, Euskirchen
and Uničov locations, as well as changing production processes toadapt to new appliance generations. In order to reduce consumption
and achieve savings in the future, the company continued to renew
its supply networks over the reporting period. In many parts of the2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

1.94 m3

Water consumption
per tonne of product(2015/16)

121

Miele has also established a water management system in its
international plants, and has implemented measures such as
new pipelines. The Chinese plant of Dongguan, for example,
installed new water metres and set target values for its water
consumption. The values are now monitored continuously, andmeasures will be taken if they exceed the average value.

Waste water

336,094

316,084

336,474

299,857

in cubic metres
327,077

Gütersloh plant, the drinking water pipelines and fire-extinguishingpipelines were separated from each other. The new drinking water
pipes have a smaller diameter and therefore require less frequentrinsing in order to avoid germ formation. During the reporting period,
approximately 300,000 euros were invested in the pipe renewal,
and the company is planning further investments of 200,000 euros
for the coming years. However, the water savings achieved so far
were not able to compensate for the increase in demand during thereporting period. One of the reasons for this is that pipes broke during
the course of the construction work, which had a negative effecton water consumption. After the construction work is completed
and the production processes have been converted, the company
expects to see a reduction in the water demand in the coming years.

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

WASTE WATER: REGULAR MEASUREMENTS[GRI G4-EN22] The plants in Gütersloh, Oelde, Lehrte and Bürmoos
are able to discharge their waste water into the public sewer system
due to its high quality. These indirect discharges are subject to thewaste water regulations of the respective municipalities. The waste
water is treated prior to discharge: heavy metals are precipitated bymeans of lime milk so that they can be filtered out of the waste water.
Precipitation is a chemical process for isolating a dissolved substancefrom a solution. The heavy metals are reformed as a solid substanceand can therefore be filtered out of the waste water. In addition, thewaste water is also neutralised. This ensures that Miele complies withthe limit values stipulated in the municipal waste water regulations.
Waste water measurements are performed and documented ona regular basis. In the reporting period, there were no notable orsignificant cases where the municipal limit values were exceeded.
At the Braşov plant, the domestic waste water is treated in theplant’s own biological treatment plant and is then discharged into
the Bârsa stream. As at all other Miele plant locations, regularsamples are taken to ensure that the water quality is perfect. In the
future, the waste water from the Braşov plant will also be discharged
into the public sewer system. The approval procedure was stillongoing during the reporting period. Miele asked for approval for theContents Environment Back122

necessary construction work, which would connect the plant to thesewer line. The public waste water pipeline was originally plannedfor 2016 and was postponed to mid-2017 by the authorities.
Due to the introduction of new generations of appliances and theconstruction work at the Gütersloh plant, the total amount of waste
water produced in the 2015/16 business year rose by 6.3 percent to336,094 cubic metres (2014/15 business year: 316,084 cubic metres).
As a result, the volume of waste water per tonne of product increasedslightly compared to the 2013/14 business year. On the other hand,water savings were achieved at locations such as the surface plant in
Gütersloh due to the reuse of rinsing water. As a result, approximately
25 percent of waste water was saved from rinsing processes.

During surface finishing with PerfectClean, the baking trays are subjected to
a complex process that produces waste
water, which can be passed into the public sewer system owing to its high quality.

1.79 m3

Waste water per tonneof product (2015/16)

Energy use and emissions
Measures for climate protectionMiele considers the reduction of CO2 emissions by means ofenergy efficiency improvements as its most ecologically andeconomically effective contribution to climate protection.
In the reporting period, the company began to implement
various efficiency measures which were assessed in a potential andfeasibility analysis between 2012 and 2014. Because these measuresinvolve significant investments with long-term implementation timelines,
they are divided up into sub-steps and individual projects at a locationlevel. In addition to optimising the production processes with regard
to energy usage, the measures are mainly aimed at creating building
and infrastructure designs that are as energy-efficient as possible.
Miele promotes the use of renewable energies at individual locations.

1,228 kWh
Energy consumption
per tonne of product(2015/16)

ENERGY: RELATIVE CONSUMPTION CONTINUALLY DECREASING[GRI G4-EN3, G4-EN5, G4-EN6] The total energy consumption in
the 2015/16 business year was 230,990 MWh. Therefore, absoluteconsumption increased slightly compared to the 2014/15 business year
(223,389 MWh). The main reason for the increase is higher electricity
consumption as a result of an expansion in production. In addition,a plant that is located outside the Gütersloh location was added to
the reporting framework. On the other hand, Miele has been able tocontinuously reduce the relative energy consumption per tonne ofproduct in recent years. The objective of reducing the specific energy
consumption of 1,368 kWh/tonne of product (2011/12) by 4 percent was
surpassed 2.5 times with a reduction of 10 percent. Compared to thebase year 2000, this consumption has declined by around 16 percent.
Energy consumption is made up of direct energy consumption (heating
oil, natural gas) and indirect energy consumption (district heating andelectrical energy) as outlined in the diagram. The natural gas demandat Miele has increased due to the operation of two cogeneration
plants at the Bünde plant, and the construction of new buildings.

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Dust emissions in the
Gütersloh iron foundry fall
well below the prescribed
limit. On the ventilation
stack on the roof, a dust
density measurement isperformed automatically.

124

Total energy consumption

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: MEASURES AT THE LOCATIONS[GRI G4-EN6, G4-EN19] To further improve the energy efficiency
of its production operations, Miele is investing in numerous energy-saving measures. Various efficiency measures were implemented
at all Miele locations during the reporting period. In the 2014/15
and 2015/16 business years, Miele achieved total savings of 3,800
MWh of electricity, 1,000 MWh of heat, 18 MWh of natural gas and1,200,000 cubic metres of compressed air. Thanks to a new andmore efficient data centre, for example, the company saved 727
MWh of electricity a year. The ventilation system was changed at the2000

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

230,990

223,389

223,546

243,148

232,468

During the reporting period, Miele established an internal network
to improve the company-wide exchange of information on the topic
of energy efficiency. Experts are grouped into specialist groups
for specific topics; for example, for compressed air and coolingplants. The network meets up to three times a year, while thespecialist groups meet as required. During the reporting period,
the first network meeting took place with participants from allof the Miele plants. In this meeting, representatives from Bünde,for example, reported on their experiences with their plant’s
new energy concept. The Miele internal network replaces theprevious participation in the cross-company “Learning Energy Efficiency Network” (LEEN), which included Miele and otherEast-Westphalian companies. Good experiences with this type of
exchange and collaboration, combined with the company’s size andstructure, led to the decision to set up a Miele network. Supported by the central material group management, this is intended
to create greater synergy effects at the international level.

in MWh273,891

Networks for increased energy efficiency

Bielefeld and Gütersloh locations, which led to annual energy savingsof around 730 MWh. In addition, Miele switched to LED lighting forthe production and toolmaking areas and for exterior lighting at various locations and in the sales subsidiaries. In the autumn of 2014, forexample, the Chinese plant in Dongguan switched to LED lighting in
the office buildings, sleeping areas and on the streets, thereby saving
more than 50 MWh of energy per year. The canteen at the Bielefeld
plant was renovated in 2015/16: by converting the kitchen anddining room, as well as replacing the ventilation and cooling systems
in the social building, the plant saved 300 MWh of heat per year.
During the reporting period, motion detectors and twilight sensors
were installed in the public areas of the Romanian plant in Braşov
for automatic lighting control. The employees were encouraged toswitch off unused equipment during breaks and over the weekend.
As a result, in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 business years, the plant
saved 4 percent of energy compared to the previous year. The Dongguan plant in China started to replace the plastic injection moulding
machines in May 2015. The project, which will be completed in 2018,
reduces the energy consumption of the machines by 40 percent.
In addition, during the reporting period, various locations renovatedbuildings and implemented measures for thermal insulation, among
other things. The Bürmoos plant also improved a measuring system
which can now assess the energy requirements of individual
systems more precisely. In the Swiss sales subsidiary, an energy
consumption analysis was carried out for the site in Spreitenbach in2015. The resulting list of measures is to be implemented by 2019.

Distribution of energy
consumption
in percentages
0.2 %22.2 %
14.8 %

62.8 %

Direct energy consumption
Natural gas consumption
Heating oil consumption
Indirect energy consumption
District heating
Electrical energy

In the Bünde plant, a block-type thermal
power station with a modular systemof combined heat, power and coolingis operated. The heat generated by thepower plant is used to heat and coolbuildings and production facilities.

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Energy and heat savings
to discipline; in the 2014/15 and 2015/16 business years1)

Total electricity(MWh/a)Total heat
(MWh/a)Lighting

613-

Drives/pumps

122-

Compressed air technology

330-

Production

104-

Refrigeration technology

192-

Laboratory

26-

Ventilation technology

734

400

Heat recovery/heating

55

297

Total

2,176

697

These are project-related details, which were achieved
through measures taken by the production sites.

1)

Total CO2 emissions

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

107,410

102,757

97,457[GRI G4-EN3] The reporting period saw further developments
to the new energy concept at the Bünde plant, which has been
undergoing successive implementation since 2012. The core of thisconcept consists of two cogeneration plants (CHP) with modular
heat, power and refrigeration systems. The generated heat is used
to heat or cool buildings and production plants. The latter is possible
with the help of adsorption chillers, which convert the waste heat of
the CHP into cold. The CHPs were supplemented with adsorption
chillers in the reporting period, leading to better utilisation of theaggregates. In addition, this also avoids the use of environmentally
harmful refrigerants and reduces emissions from electricity generation. The CHP plants in Bünde are the only energy generation
plants operated by Miele to date. The amount of self-generated

98,870

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY CONCEPTS: FROMCOGENERATION PLANTS TO SOLAR ENERGY

95,008in tonnes of CO2

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16127

electricity across the company is 1,560 MWh, which corresponds
to around 1.1 percent of Miele’s total energy consumption.
Since 2014, the Dutch sales subsidiary has been using an aquifer
thermal energy storage system (ATES). Pumps are used to extract
ground water and the energy contained therein is then removed via
a heat pump. The energy obtained can then be used to heat or coolbuildings. As a result, the Dutch sales subsidiary saves around 35,000
cubic metres of gas per year, compared to the base year 2013.
During the reporting period, the South African sales subsidiary
initiated a process which will convert the headquarters in Bryanston,
Johannesburg, into a green building. A potential analysis was carriedout for this purpose. The analysis revealed that the electricity demand
for the entire building can be covered by solar energy. The project
moved into the coordination phase after the reporting period.

Overseas= Asia, North and SouthAmerica, Australia, New
Zealand and South Africa

CARBON FOOTPRINT: RISE IN TRANSPORT-RELATED EMISSIONS[GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN16, G4-EN17, G4-EN18] Despite the reported
measures to improve energy efficiency, it was not possible toprevent the total CO2 emissions increasing by 4.5 percent to 107,410
tonnes (2014/15: 102,757 tonnes) in the 2015/16 business year:
the positive sales development led to an expansion of the logistics
operations and therefore to an increase in transport-related CO2
emissions. In particular, the increase in overseas sales had an
impact due to the longer transport routes. As a result of higher
production volumes, electricity consumption and therefore CO2
emissions rose at the locations. The changeover to the new generation of washing machines also had an impact, as this required
both old and new series to be produced in parallel. However, theCO2 emissions from heating oil, natural gas, electricity and district
heating were more than halved in comparison to the year 2000.
Due to the increase in transport-related CO2 emissions – particularly as a result of the extensive overseas transport routes – therelative CO2 emissions also rose from around 560 kilograms/
tonne of product (2011/12) to approximately 570 kilograms/
tonne of product (2015/16). Therefore, Miele did not achieve its
objective of reducing the relative CO2 emissions by 3 percent.
On the other hand, the relative CO2 emissions in relation toturnover have been decreasing continually in recent years.
Miele’s carbon footprint is determined based on the international
standard of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG). The emissions

Contents Environment Back

0.57 tCO 2emissions per tonneof product (2015/16)
128

consist of direct emissions from oil and gas consumption as
well as Miele’s fleet of vehicles (scope 1), indirect emissions fromelectricity and district heating (scope 2) and indirect emissions
from transport and logistics (scope 3). More detailed informationon this topic can be found in the Transport and logistics section.

Carbon footprint
Scope 1, 2 & 3 in percentages1)
2.6 %

9.5 %

4.4 %

0.1 %
5.7 %

OTHER EMISSIONS: AN OVERVIEW[GRI G4-EN20, G4-EN21] In addition to CO2 emissions,
Miele strives to reduce other greenhouse gases and harmful
emissions. This applies in particular to sulphur dioxide (SO2),
nitrogen oxides (NO x) and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The
commissioning of the cogeneration plants at the Bünde site led
to an increase in SO2 and NO x emissions due to the additionaluse of natural gas as fuel. Motor production at the Euskirchensite does produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), butthese pollutants are eliminated by a post-combustion process
and the amount therefore falls below the legal limit values.

38.5 %
34.4 %

4.9 %Scope 1Natural gas

CFC-containing refrigerants are still occasionally used at the Miele
plants: for example for air-conditioning technology, compressed
air dryers and small-scale systems such as climate-controlled
chests. These refrigerants are gradually being replaced by moreclimate-friendly alternatives. At Gütersloh, for example, Miele isplanning to replace the last major building technology plant thatuses CFC-containing refrigerants in the 2016/17 business year.

Fleet

Heating oil
Scope 2
Electricity
District heating
Scope 3
OutboundIn addition, small amounts of ozone-depleting substances are released at the Chinese plant in Dongguan whenorganic solvents are used. These are used, among otherthings, for printing processes and cleaning work tools.

Distribution in Germany
Business trips
1)

Rounding differences.

ENERGY CONSERVATION: RAISING EMPLOYEE AWARENESS
In order to motivate employees to save energy, Miele provides
annual training, some of which is conducted as part of themandatory occupational safety training. In addition, Miele offers
an e-learning module. Employees can also find comprehensive
information on how to save energy in their day-to-day work on
the company Intranet. The plant employees are also encouraged
to save energy by means of flyers and posters which, in addition
to specific tips, also contain the CO2 reduction objectives. At
the plants in Oelde, Warendorf and Braşov in Romania, newemployees receive training on energy management according
to ISO 50001 as part of their introduction to the company.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

28.9 tCO 2 emissions per
million euros ofturnover (2015/16)

129

Transport and logistics
Optimising processes, reducing emissions

Miele appliances, production materials and replacement
parts are regularly transported around a hundred
different countries worldwide. The task of the logistics
department is to ensure the availability of Miele
products, and to ensure that customers and sales subsidiaries
receive their deliveries on time. Miele has set itself the objectiveof minimising the impact of this traffic volume on the environment
and the climate as much as possible, as well as optimising thenecessary transports. This is done using state-of-the-art logistics
processes from the central Miele logistics centre in Gütersloh.
Eight out of twelve production sites are located in Germany, withthe furthest 215 kilometres away from Gütersloh. Therefore, mostdelivery routes are relatively short. The transport volumes are bundled
together with the help of an IT program to ensure that the means oftransport are used as efficiently as possible. Europe continues to be
the most important market for Miele products, with 75 percent of sales
generated in Germany, its immediate neighbours, the UK and Scandinavia. In addition to efficiently utilising its means of transport, Miele
strives to use transport modes with the lowest possible emissions.

Contents Environment Back

The distribution centre in
Gütersloh has space for
188,000 domestic appliances.
Products are shipped fromhere to locations across theentire globe on a daily basis.

Every day, around 6,000
packages leave the newwarehouse for spare parts
and accessories in Gütersloh.

VOLUMES AND MEANS OF TRANSPORT: MORE THAN 80 PERCENT BY SHIP

Outbound transport volume

In the 2015/16 business year, transport volumes rose by 11.8
percent to 744.2 million tonne-kilometres (compared to the
2013/14 business year). This includes distribution in Germany aswell as delivery to the Miele sales subsidiaries from the central
warehouse in Gütersloh or from the plants (outbound). The
increase is mainly due to the positive sales development in theoverseas sales subsidiaries. Miele was able to maintain a highproportion of environmentally-friendly means of transport.

in percentages (based
on tonne-kilometres)

Miele considers CO2 emissions to be an important criterion whenselecting its transport services. The company avoids the useof air freight as far as possible. As a result, Miele’s objective oftransporting 80 percent of its transport volume by ship and rail was
actually exceeded with a total amount of 85 percent. The objectiveof transporting less than 1.5 percent of goods by air was alsoachieved with a figure of 1.1 percent (2015/16). Since the summerof 2016, Miele has employed a new combined means of transport
to bring its freight to the seaports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg:
the containers are transported by lorry to the nearest freight yard,

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

3%

1%

14 %

82 %

by ship

by railby lorryby air131

CO2 emissions from
distribution logistics

Noise also forms part of transport-related emissions. Noiseemissions are legally regulated in Germany and in many othercountries. To protect the public and the areas around the plantsfrom harmful environmental effects, certain noise thresholds
must not be exceeded, especially at night. This is monitored on
the basis of a noise register containing all noise sources. Miele
adhered to all these requirements during the reporting period.

39,77436,049[GRI G4-EN17, G4-EN30, G4-SO2] Miele determines theenvironmental impact of its transport logistics using a piece ofsoftware which calculates the transport volume and greenhousegas emissions according to the EN 16258 CEN standard. In the2015/16 business year, transport-related CO2 emissions rose by
15.7 percent compared to 2013/14. This is primarily because theincrease in overseas sales has led to a disproportionate increase
in CO2 emissions as the transport routes are significantly longer.

33,636

TRANSPORT: CARBON FOOTPRINT AND OTHER EMISSIONS

42,754in tonnes

46,015and then by rail to the seaports. This increases the proportion oftransport by rail. Lorry transports may only be carried out withvehicles meeting the limits of the Euro 5 pollution class or higher.

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

TRANSPORT VEHICLES: OPTIMUM UTILISATION
THROUGH ACCURATE PLANNING
A key way of reducing the environmental impact of transport
is the optimal utilisation of the means of transport in procurement and distribution logistics. In procurement logistics, Miele
has improved the efficiency of handling incoming goods byfurther expanding the regional forwarding network. The network now includes around 300 suppliers. The mega trailers
used for this purpose (lorries with a higher cargo volume) are
efficiently utilised with a rate of 90 percent on average.
In distribution logistics (outgoing goods), transport utilisation between
the central Gütersloh warehouse and the transhipment points of thefreight forwarders increased by 4.5 percent to 92 percent during thereporting period. In general, the sales subsidiaries are only supplied
using fully loaded containers or vehicles. In the case of customer
deliveries, Miele continuously analyses requirements and capacities
and makes last-minute adaptations if necessary. The European plants
usually deliver their products to the central warehouse in Gütersloh,
where they are bundled for transport to the destination areas. This isdifferent for the Chinese plant in Dongguan: due to the distance fromContents Environment Back132

the central warehouse, the destination areas are generally supplied
directly and, if possible, with fully loaded means of transport.
DISTRIBUTION LOGISTICS: EXPANDING STORAGE CAPACITIES[GRI G4-13] One of the most important innovations in the area of
distribution logistics is the expansion of the goods distribution centrein Gütersloh by 80 percent. In the summer of 2015, Miele added about
80,000 spaces for storing washing machines, dryers, dishwashers,
cookers, and ovens in the central warehouse. This increased thehandling capacity from 12,000 to 20,000 domestic appliances perday. During the reporting period, Miele also built a new central
warehouse for spare parts and accessories in the immediate vicinity

Modern material flow
technology is put to use in thespare parts warehouse in orderto ensure smooth processing.
Goods are supplied directlyfrom here to 1,300 customer
service technicians in Europe.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT133

New building of central warehousefor spare parts and accessories from ecological aspects

LED lighting
LED lighting with demandbased brightness control has
been installed in both indoor
and outdoor areas.

Building insulation
Insulation that is two to three times
better than legally required has been
installed in the building.

Heat suppliedby district heating
Heat is supplied by district
heating from the industrial
power plant of a neighbouring
company.

Close to nature: contributing to the protection of biodiversity
When constructing the new spare parts warehouse at the Gütersloh location, Miele worked with anature gardener to design the outdoor area in a nature-oriented manner. The company was also advisedby the Global Nature Fund. The approximately 25,000 square metres outdoor area is designed to create
a diverse habitat for native flora and fauna. To this end, the company planted free-growing, species-richwild hedges as well as meagre grassland and a fertile meadow full of flowers. As well as creating an
ecologically valuable habitat for a wide range of animal and plant species, the large variety of flowers
also delights employees, visitors and passers-by. In this way, Miele is participating in the nationwide“Greening of Company Premises” project as part of the Business & Biodiversity Initiative.

Contents Environment Back134

CO2 emissions of the Miele fleet
current status and objectives in g/km1)
2015/16

Objectives by
2020/21

Entire fleet

120

110

New vehicles

110

95

Entire fleet

183

165

New vehicles

161

147

Cars

Light commercial vehicles

CO2-emissions are calculated on the basis of the mileage andthe CO2 data provided by the manufacturers.

1)of the Gütersloh plant. Operation began at the end of 2016. Thanks
to these expansions in close proximity to the plant, Miele has no need
to use external storage and shipping locations and can continue
to ensure short transport distances and fully utilised capacity.
MIELE FLEET: NEW EMISSION LIMITS[GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN30] The Miele fleet includes company cars, vansfor customer service, as well as a few lorries. 99 percent of the fleet
consists of diesel vehicles. Alternative fuel concepts have been considered for the demanding distribution and customer service operations,but are not yet viable. Miele is still monitoring and evaluating alternative
solutions. The high costs and the lack of infrastructure for large-scale
use remain problematic in this regard. However, all new cars andThis customer service work ishighly demanding: technicians
all over the world are enroute quickly and reliably
whenever they are needed.

commercial vehicles purchased for the Miele fleet are required to have
low CO2 emissions in line with the EU requirements. Miele has also
defined clear limit values to be met by 2020/21 for the average CO2
emissions of the fleet for all plants and German sales subsidiaries
regarding passenger cars and light commercial vehicles (see table).
EMPLOYEE MOBILITY: CO2-FREE TRAIN TRAVELAND ECO-DRIVING TRAINING[GRI G4-EN17, G4-EN30] Miele employees are encouraged tochoose public transport for business trips whenever possible. They
should use rail connections on longer business trips and avoid
air travel unless it is strictly necessary due to time constraints orfor scheduling reasons. Long-distance journeys with Deutsche
Bahn as part of the “bahn.corporate” corporate customer
programme are CO2-free. For several years now, Miele has also
been offering environmental driving training (eco-driving training)at irregular intervals and alternating with other focus points inthe context of the Open Training Programme. 119 employees
participated in this training programme in the reporting period.

Contents Environment Back

The mobility team isdeveloping solutions tomake the use of public
transport more attractive,
promote cycling, andsupport the formation of
carpooling networks.

136

Participating in the nationwide
model project on mobility
In 2016, Miele took part in the nationwide model project Mobil.
Pro.Fit. – a joint project with B.A.U.M., the German Environmental Management Association. The aim of the project was tocreate a company mobility concept and to implement sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility measures. One of
the first measures was to set up a cross-department mobility
team at Miele. The team, comprising the Technical ProductManagement and Environmental Office, Fleet Management,
Purchasing, Energy Management, Personnel and the Works
Council, is working to make transport and travel at Miele more
efficient and environmentally friendly. The company is alsoplanning to conduct an employee survey on mobility patterns.

CO2 emissions frombusiness trips
with externally purchasedtransport services(2015/16), in percentages
4.7 % 0.6 %94.8 %

Car1)

Flights

Rail
The car percentage refers to journeys
in hire cars. Business trips with company
cars are included in the CO2 emissions of
the Miele fleet; taxi journeys and businesstrips in employees’ own cars are not.
1)

Miele also encourages its employees to travel to work using public
transport. Employees at the Gütersloh and Bielefeld sites are therefore
offered a discounted job ticket. In 2015/16, over 900 employees
used this ticket to get to work. The ticket is set to be introduced in
Bünde in the next reporting year. Subsidised public transport tickets
are also available to employees in Austria, China and at the Danish
sales subsidiary. In Bürmoos, Braşov and Dongguan, Miele provides
a dedicated bus service for its employees. Furthermore, all trainees
in Bürmoos are given a card which entitles them to free public
transport throughout the state of Salzburg – both for commuting andfor personal use. The Bürmoos site has also provided extra covered
bike racks to make commuting by bike a more attractive option. The
USA sales subsidiary, meanwhile, is using measures such as videoconferencing and telecommuting to reduce its CO2 emissions.

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137

Outlook
Climate protection will continue to grow in importance overthe coming years. Miele is currently playing its part by taking
measures to improve its energy efficiency. Miele’s plans for 2017
include developing a climate strategy that will define concrete
future targets for reducing CO2 emissions. This will be directly
related to the objective of the UN Climate Change Conference
held in Paris, which is to limit global warming to less than 2 °C.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT: EXPANDING THE NEW ENERGY CONCEPTThe internal energy efficiency network which was set up during thereporting period will continue to promote the exchange of knowledge
and experiences between the different Miele plants. Following the
successful implementation of the new energy concept at the Bünde
plant, it will now be rolled out to other sites. Measures planned forthe next few years include building refurbishments at the Lehrte
plant and improvements to the energy infrastructure in Bielefeld.
Miele is currently looking into how renewable energy sources
can be incorporated into the energy concepts at its sites infuture. Cogeneration plants like those already in use at the
Bünde plant will be considered as a bridge technology.
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY: CLOSING MATERIAL CYCLES
The central challenge is to keep reducing the use of resources
without compromising on the quality of Miele’s products.
Miele is constantly looking into ways of further closing material
cycles. The company will continue to pursue this strategy incollaboration with its partners; for example, in a pilot project
which is aiming to recycle metals from old machines.
TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS: CONTINUOUSLY OPTIMISING PROCESSESA particular challenge in this area is the above-average level of growth in the overseas markets. Miele isstriving to make all of its transport operations as efficientas possible and to minimise the use of air freight.

Contents Environment Back138

In the future, material cycles will beclosed in production and for products. The major issues in this regard
are energy efficiency, resource
conservation and CO2 emissions.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT139

5 | People
5.1 Remit
5.2 Human resources management
5.3 Vocational training and development
5.4 Occupational health and safety
5.5 Diversity and equal opportunity
5.6 Social engagement
5.7 Outlook

Growing together
Michael Blöte (right) has been at Miele in Bielefeld forover 40 years, and is very happy to share his vast wealthof experience with younger colleagues such as Andreas
Ott. From generation to generation, a willingness tolearn is a key characteristic of Miele employees.

Contents Back

The remit:
to be a reliable partner

S

ocial changes havean effect on theworld of work. In
particular, the effectsof the demographic change
and the increasing shortageof skilled workers are also
felt at Miele. In addition,
the company’s increased
international focus and rapidly
advancing digitalisation arehaving an effect on all areasof life. This results in new
requirements, not only interms of employees’ qualifications but also in terms ofhuman resources management. In this environment
shaped by change, Miele is areliable employer for a lot of
people. Even for the company
founders, it was clear that
this responsibility did not stopat the factory gates. This is
why Miele has always been
actively involved in projects
for people in the region.

Contents People Back

What Miele has already achieved (2015/16)

472
apprentices

555

members of staff celebrating
an anniversary

18,370employees worldwide
Miele invested

17.6
million €into vocational training
and development for its
employees.

181,000 €donated by thecompany and94,000 €by the Miele Foundation

142

Strategic objectives by 2025

Occupational health and safety

Miele sets an example for occupational health and safety.

Awareness for sustainability

Employees and managers are aware of and engaged
in sustainable behaviour based on values.

Diversity and equal opportunity

Diversity is made possible through respect and equal opportunity. Miele isconsidered a role model when it comes to balancing work life and family.

Ensuring recruitment of young talentand opportunity for qualifications

Miele ensures the recruitment of young talent and theopportunity for qualifications at all locations.

Promoting an attractive community

Miele helps to maintain a sound, attractive environment at all locations.

“Miele has lots to offer
to its staff members.
We are committed toensuring a good worklife balance andnurture young talent.”
Sabine Kumlehn, Director HR
Development, Gütersloh

Human resources management
Partnership and appreciationA

round the world, Miele employees are at the heart ofthe company and help to drive it forwards. Miele offers
them a working environment guided by partnership andappreciation. This trusting cooperation has always been
an important part of the company’s culture. Since its earliest days,
Miele has strived to maintain high social and ethical standards for
its employees. This consistent orientation towards its employees
makes Miele an attractive employer for applicants and strengthens
identification with the company. Miele is traditionally characterisedby a high rate of staff retention and low levels of staff turnover.

The demographic change intensifies the competition for well-trained
specialists in industrialised countries. Added to this are the globallyoriented markets and digital networking in all areas of life. This
therefore changes the demands placed on employees. Miele wishes
to fulfil its remit to be a leading innovator within the industry today
and in the future too. In order to achieve this, the company must
continually succeed in attracting qualified, creative and enthusiastic people and ensure their long-term loyalty. Strategic humanresources management therefore aims to meet the short, mid-termand long-term needs of employees in all areas of the company.
ORGANISATION: CLEAR RESPONSIBILITY AND
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES ENSURE SUCCESSDistribution of employees
as a percentage, 2015/16

12

8

32

48

Sales subsidiary
Germany
Production sites
in Germany
Sales subsidiaries
outside of Germany
Production sites
outside of Germany[GRI G4-9, G4-10] As at 30 June 2016, Miele employed 18,370
employees worldwide. This is equal to a growth of 709 employees oraround four percent compared to 30 June 2014. Around 56 percentof the workforce (10,326 employees) are employed in Germany.
The head of the central HR department reports directly to theManaging Director of Finance and Central Administration. Basedin Gütersloh, the department performs the associated tasks onContents People Back144

a Group-wide basis. This includes identifying and employing suitable applicants, training, qualifications and talentmanagement, as well as HR administration. The central HR
department performs these duties in regular coordination
with the heads of the various departments, the plant HR
managers, the heads of the Sales and Service Centres, theheads of the sales subsidiaries and the works council. Whilst
HR managers are also in charge at approximately half of theinternational sales subsidiaries, these duties are bundled withother administrative tasks at the other, smaller subsidiaries.
The central HR department has the authority to set guidelines
for HR departments at locations in Germany and at the plants
and sales subsidiaries outside of Germany. This is carried out
in close collaboration with the local employees in charge ofHR matters. HR planning and the recruitment of employees
are handled by the HR departments at the plants and sales
subsidiaries. However, the heads of the subsidiaries andplants are hired directly by the central HR department.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Miele offers young and welltrained experts a working environment guided by appreciation.

709

new employees
compared with 2014145

Annual objectives are coordinated between the Executive Board andthe head of the central HR department, who then agrees objectives
with the managers who are directly accountable to the central position.
Agreeing upon these objectives helps Miele to track the success ofstrategic human resources planning and to continuously improvetheir work. During meetings dedicated to the annual objectives, theHR manager and the Executive Board assess the achievementof objectives and determine new measures and objectives.
GLOBAL EMPLOYER BRAND: ATTRACTINGHIGHLY QUALIFIED YOUNG TALENT
How can Miele meet the expectations of the potential employeesof tomorrow? The company is currently dealing intensively with thisquestion. The aim is to define a strong employer brand, known as
the Miele Employer Brand, across the globe by the end of 2018. Thisshould contribute to making Miele even more attractive to highly
qualified young talent from the technical sector, for example.
Modern recruiting, such as career campaigns on the Internet,
will also play a bigger role in the future. The first projects havebeen up and running on the social careers networks XING and
LinkedIn since the end of 2016, and the careers homepage isalso being given a makeover. These measures taken by Miele
are largely a reaction to the demographic change which ishaving an effect on the age structure of the workforce.
EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION: STRONG IDENTIFICATION WITH MIELE
Since 2012, Miele has repeatedly carried out employee surveys tomeasure how satisfied employees are in their workplace and how
strongly they identify with the company. Most recently, employees
from 18 sales subsidiaries were surveyed in 2014/15. The result:
89 percent of all respondents are proud to work at Miele. Almost
as many (79 percent) reported to be carrying out challenging
and interesting tasks. The response rate to the survey was 84
percent. The survey was advertised on the Intranet and on notices,among other avenues. Employees of the sales subsidiaries are
surveyed with a standardised questionnaire which they usually
fill out online. In order to further improve cooperation or theprocesses at the location, each manager is required to derive
specific measures from the results of the survey, as necessary.
Surveys within the scope of corporate health management
and the advancement of women currently supplement theContents People Back89 %of all respondents areproud to work at Miele.
146

Miele would like to make even more use of employees’ knowledge
to improve processes. Potential participants are inspired to takepart through various communication channels which report on
results and activities. We are using the potential of employee ideas,
not only nationally but also internationally. The suggestions for
improvement are collated, selected and rewarded in accordancewith country-specific rules. For example, employees at the Czech
plant in Uničov submitted 707 suggestions for improvement in
the reporting period; the ideas at the Chinese plant in Dongguan are collated using a suggestions box in the canteen.

2014/15

2015/16
Number of suggestions submitted

2014/15

32.3

26.0

Number of people who
submitted suggestions

31.9

In the business year 2015/16, almost all the employees at plants inGermany contributed to submitting a total of 2,007 suggestions. The
following numbers demonstrate the potential of the ideas from theworkforce: more than 30 percent of the ideas submitted were implemented in the reporting period – this led to savings of over two million
euros. Most suggestions for improvements and saving money related
to production/manufacturing (33.8 percent), followed by products (16.8
percent) and organisation/administration. 10.7 percent of suggestions
for improvement related to occupational safety, and 4.6 percent concerned the interrelated topics of environment, energy and resources.
Other areas include image, ergonomics, logistics, customer service
and quality. The employees receive a bonus if the suggestion is successfully put into practice. A total of 264,854 euros were paid out asbonuses in the business year 2015/2016 (2014/2015: 226,683 euros).

27.5

Company culture at Miele is underpinned by flat hierarchies andshort communication paths. The corporate suggestion scheme isamong the opportunities offered to employees to actively help shape
the company and to participate in its further development. This has
a long tradition within the company: as early as 1951, employees
were first called upon to submit their ideas for improvements.

2,471

at Miele & Cie. KG(Germany)

2,007

CORPORATE SUGGESTION SCHEME:EMPLOYEE IDEAS PAY OFF

2,629

Corporatesuggestion scheme

2,129

portfolio. From 2018 onwards, employee surveys are to be
conducted globally in accordance with a uniform concept.

2015/16
Participation rate (%)
Rate of implemented
suggestions (%)

STAFF RETENTION: LOW TURNOVER RATES,LOTS OF ANNIVERSARIES[GRI G4-LA1] Miele is traditionally characterised by a high rate ofstaff retention. Most employees stay with Miele for many years.
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147

Numerous anniversaries were celebrated in the reporting period: inthe business year 2015/16, 555 employees celebrated 25, 40 andeven 50 years with the company (2014/15: 484 employees withanniversaries). The special value of anniversary celebrations for theworkforce is demonstrated in many ways, including by the following
tradition in Gütersloh: for many decades, colleagues have creativelytransformed the workstations of those celebrating anniversaries into
scenes relating to particular free time activities, holiday passions,or even professional interests. The festivities are rounded off by ananniversary celebration in the Miele Forum, personal congratulations
from the Executive Directors and lunch together in the town hall.

Profit-sharing

2014/15

26 4,8 5 4

Corporate suggestion
scheme (Germany), in euros

2 26,6 8 3

consistently below 1 percent; in the business year 2015/16, therate rose to around 2 percent. This was caused by the one-time
effect of merging of backoffice operations in the sales and service
departments of the German subsidiary at the company headquartersin Gütersloh (see the following section). In the course of this, allemployees who were previously based at local subsidiaries were
offered the opportunity to continue working for Miele in Gütersloh.

2015/16

STRUCTURAL CHANGE: SALES AND SERVICE CENTRALISED[GRI G4-13] At the end of 2015, Miele merged the German
backoffice operations in sales and service in Gütersloh. This
enables the company to accommodate far-reaching changes
with respect to logistics, communication technology and incommerce, with a decreasing number of dealers and the rapid
rise in the significance of the Internet. All this means that customer
service and delivery from a single source is now essential.
In the course of this centralisation, the regional Sales and Service
Centres in Hamburg, Bochum, Frankfurt and Karlsruhe, as well as
the Service Centre in Berlin were all closed in the fourth quarter of
2015. While this did not have an impact on jobs in the sales force, all
300 employees involved in backoffice operations were offered theopportunity to continue working for Miele in Gütersloh. 89 employeeschose this option, and a further 120 opted for the alternative option
agreed in the redundancy programme to transfer to an an internal unit
for professional reorientation. This guaranteed remuneration beyond
the course of the individual notice period and offered means of gaining
qualifications to make it easier to move on to other employment. 45
people left the company without switching to the transfer company.
The remaining employees continued to work for Miele in the sameway from home. The former Sales and Service Centre in Munich willcontinue to operate as a Service Centre until at least 1 January 2020.

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555

anniversaries werecelebrated in 2015/16.
148

Employee participation: close and trusting collaboration[GRI G4-11, G4-LA4] For decades, Miele has had a close and trusting relationship when working with thecompany’s workers’ representatives. The Executive Board promptly provides the workers’ representatives
with extensive information concerning all relevant decisions, developments and processes. The collaboration
goes beyond the requirements of the German Works Constitution Act. An example of this is the annual conference of all works councils. On their first day with the company, new employees are immediately informedof their co-determination rights as part of the “Welcome@Miele” programme (orientation events and informational documents). New employees also receive information about these rights in their welcome e-mail.
Employees are represented by unions in Germany (IG Metall), Austria (PROGE) and the Czech Republic(KOVO). At the Braşov plant in Romania, a collective labour agreement is in place which governs the fundamental demands, the organisation and the structure of employment relationships. Working conditions for
employees in Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic and Romania are thus all regulated in collective bargaining agreements. This is equal to a 63.6 percent share of all Miele employees (as of 30 June 2016). The
employment relationship between Miele and the temporary agency workers employed at Miele’s German
locations is governed by the collective wage agreements concluded by the agencies themselves.
Works councils do not only look after the interests of employees in Germany, but also of those at the Czech
plant, as well as in some of the sales subsidiaries, such as in France, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. At
the Chinese plant in Dongguan, for example, employees have enjoyed representation since 2009 – something which is not mandatory under local law. These workers’ representatives sit down with the HR
department on a monthly basis to discuss suggestions and deal with potential areas of conflict. As a result, a new working hours regulation was passed, for example, which has applied since September 2016
and which is intended to contribute to a better work-life balance for the workforce. The daily working
hours were redistributed in such a way that employees now start the weekend earlier on a Friday and cantherefore avoid rush hour. The interests of employees at the Uničov plant in the Czech Republic are represented not only by the KOVO union, but also by internal workers’ representatives at regular meetings
with plant management. At smaller sales subsidiaries, such as those in Poland or Ireland, the dialogue
between employees and management is a direct and ongoing process without any formal structure.

SOCIAL AND ETHICAL STANDARDS: SA8000
CERTIFICATION FOR THE CHINESE PLANT[GRI G4-HR1, G4-HR2, G4-HR4, G4-HR5, G4-HR9] Miele
treats its employees with respect and deals with them in a
responsible manner. This pledge has been underlined since 2004
by the obligation to meet the internationally recognised social
accountability standard SA8000. The standard includes therequirement to observe decent working conditions, to guarantee

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149

freedom of association and the prohibition of child labour anddiscrimination. An external service provider checks compliancewith the standard every six months in a surveillance audit. In
addition, recertification is undertaken once every three years.
All European locations are certified according to SA8000. Recertification is due in 2017. At the Chinese plant in Dongguan, thecertification audit for SA8000 took place at the end of 2016.
It goes without saying that Miele respects human rights in all its
business activities. Miele conveys this pledge to employees aspart of the company philosophy right from the beginning of theiremployment. In the reporting period, 168 managers and employees
from HR were trained with an online learning programme on theGerman General Act on Equal Treatment. Since the programme
was introduced, a total of 1,302 employees have completed thequalification. Software-based training is also held on the company’scode of conduct. To date, 2,706 people have been trained worldwide.

A pleasant working environment in which employees feelvalued helps to ensure that
staff turnover at Miele has
always remained very low.

Miele also requires that its suppliers comply with social criteria. In thereporting period, 28 employees were trained on the revision of the
SA8000 as well as on conducting SA8000 issue audits for suppliers.
COMPLAINTS OFFICE: TRANSPARENT PROCESS,CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT[GRI G4-LA16, G4-HR3] Every employee in Germany has the rightto turn to a complaints office, which offers help as the first pointof call in the case of suspected discrimination. In accordancewith the General Act on Equal Treatment, the works council is
involved in handling and evaluating incoming complaints. Miele
has set up dedicated complaints offices, each of which is run by
one man and one woman, at every company location in Germany.
All complaints are confidential. The complaints office works
closely with the aggrieved person to review the circumstances
surrounding the complaint. Wherever possible, the results of
the review are disclosed to the person within one month.
A total of four complaints were submitted to the complaints offices in
the reporting period. In 2014/15, there were two complaints relating
to the General Act on Equal Treatment (age, origin); in 2015/16,
there were two complaints due to sexual harassment. In every case,
remedial measures were taken and the employees were offeredfurther support. Similar systems are in place at the internationalsites. No data is available for these locations at the present time.

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REMUNERATION: A FAIR INCOME – NATURALLY[GRI G4-EC5, G4-LA13] Miele ensures that all employees are paid afair income which is based on collective and corporate agreements.
It also includes a series of voluntary welfare payments, such as the
Miele Family Service, life coaching and addiction counselling, grants,
anniversary bonuses, the Open Training Programme and fitnessclasses. The company is sticking to its pledge to be an attractive
employer, even – and especially – in tough economic times.
It was several years ago that Miele commissioned a study of theminimum wage and the local cost of living at its Dongguan site in
China. As a result, employee pay was raised above the minimum
wage to an appropriate living wage, which, unlike the former, covers
the cost of living. Employee pay in the Czech Republic is also basedon the local cost of living. In Romania, Miele complies with nationalguidelines and also makes additional social security payments.
Miele measures and determines the variable componentsof remuneration for managers of sales subsidiaries using a
globally standardised method based on performance criteria such as sales volume and growth in turnover.

Employees receive appropriate
remuneration and a range
of welfare payments.

WELFARE PAYMENTS: FROM COMPANY PENSIONSCHEMES TO SUBSIDISED INSURANCE[GRI G4-EC3, G4-LA2] Since 1929, Miele has offered its
employees a company pension scheme. This supplements thestatutory pension scheme and private insurance. Miele supports
its employees in Germany with different pension plans:•

The traditional direct-commitment employer contribution
plan (“Betriebsrente”), which grants employees anentitlement to one pension unit for each year of employment
with the company for workers aged 25 and up•

Contributions to private pension schemes(“altersvorsorgewirksame Leistungen”)•

Deferred compensation (via the “MetallRente”1)
private pension scheme only)

1929

was the year in which
company retirement
benefits were introduced.

In Germany, based on the company agreement and collective
wage agreement, employees can place up to four percentof the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance(Western states) in a tax-privileged pension insurance fund.
As of July 2016, the pension scheme was replaced by a newone for employees who started at the company after 30 June
2016. All other employees are not affected by any changes. With
the involvement of the Group works council, the objective isto develop a new pension plan for future employees that willremain both financially attractive and in line with the market.
In addition, individual sales subsidiaries offer local pension
schemes. Among the international production sites, these
options are only available at the plant in Bürmoos (Austria).
Miele grants its employees in Germany financial assistance that goes
above and beyond statutory requirements, for example, in the form ofallowances for health treatments and dental prostheses. Payments arealso made in the event of a birth, marriage, or death, and for milestonebirthdays and work anniversaries. In addition to this, the company offers
voluntary welfare payments and individually negotiated benefits such as
meal subsidies and coverage of travel expenses. The sales subsidiaries
provide their employees with the option of discounted supplemental
insurance policies, such as denture insurance. In some cases, thisalso includes pension, health, invalidity and survivors insurance.

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Both in Germany and internationally, the company contribution
is granted regardless of the employees’ working agreement(full or part time, temporary or permanent contract).
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES: INTEGRATION INTO THE COMPANY
In the business year 2014/15, the proportion of temporary employees
in Germany was 4.4 percent, while in the business year 2015/16,
this figure was at 4.8 percent. In a company-wide agreement
signed in 2007, Miele committed to only work with recruitment
agencies that have concluded a collective wage agreement. This
regulates remuneration and the industry supplement, which is
between 15 and 30 percent for the metal industry. In the company-wide agreement, Miele also determined that remuneration is
being increased by a further 6 to 8 percent (scaled according toduration of the employment period). In the reporting period, Miele
employed a total of 217 new temporary workers in Germany.
AWARDS: RECOGNITION FOR HR POLICIES•Universum Top 100 – Germany’s most popular
employers – Engineering Edition 2015 & 2016•

Karriere.de – University work experience– Fair Company 2015 & 2016•

Trendence Graduate Barometer 2016 – Germany’s top
100 employers – Engineering Edition 2015 & 2016•

Austrian Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs andConsumer Protection – seal of approval for health promotionin the workplace for 2016 to 2018 (Bürmoos plant in Austria)•

Employer’s association – Sodexo regional employer of theyear 2015 and 2016 for up to 5,000 employees for theregion of Olomouc (Uničov plant in the Czech Republic)

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTThe employee retention
level is high. Many employees
spend almost their entire
working lives at Miele.

153

Vocational training and development
Attracting and promoting talentWorking at Miele is a fascinating and diverse experience. All areas of the company require skilled
professionals – from experienced specialists toyoung talent. Miele would like to attract talented
professionals to the company and identify and encourage theirabilities and aptitudes. One of our important objectives is to be
an attractive employer for young talent. This is why the company
offers diverse entry-level and promotional opportunities.

All Miele employees benefit from a broad range of training
and qualification opportunities. Against a backdrop of anaging population, the company is increasingly focused on
measures which help to ensure long-term performance andemployability. In the business year 2015/16, the company
invested approximately 17.6 million euros in vocational
training and further development for its employees.
ORGANISATION OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT: INTERNATIONAL FOCUS
Numerous training programmes make a valuable contribution
to ensuring the future of the company. The responsibility forthis lies with the training division. Miele is involved in various different initiatives focused on getting potential young
talent interested in the company at an early stage. The newinternationally oriented trainee programme is one way inwhich Miele puts its international focus into practice.
This part-time further training is the responsibility of the HR
development division. This has a special strategic significance for Miele: Miele can only fulfil its remit to be a futuretechnology leader in the industry if the development of its
employees is promoted in a targeted manner.

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17.6

million euros were
invested by Miele invocational training
and development
during 2015/16.
154

The tasks of this division cover six fields of activity:•

Succession management = systematic succession
plans and goal-oriented development ofmanagers and high-potential employees using
consistent methods around the world•

Learning management = initiatives for further training•

Attraction management = positioning thecompany as an attractive employer•

Potential management = identificationand promotion of internal talent•

Retention management = measures to ensurethat employees stay with the company•

Organisational management = working with
employees through structural changes

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTApprentices like those here
in Oelde receive training from
Miele which is recognised for
its high quality and diversity.

155Entry opportunities at Miele

School pupils and leavers

School pupil internships
Initial training
Combination course

Students

University student
internships
Course assignments/
thesesGraduates with Bachelor’sand Master’s degree

Direct entry
Junior Sales Representative programme
Master@Miele
Trainee programme

Doctoral students andapplicants with doctorates

Direct entry
Technical assistant ofplant management

Miele is constantly reviewing the HR development methods in the six fields of activity and adapting them asnecessary. HR development methods are agreed upon in
specific meetings between the head of HR development andthe Executive Board. The budget for further training initiatives
and key qualifications is determined in the meetings.
HR development at Miele has an international focus. Succession
management, for example, follows a globally uniform, IT-based
process. This allows an overall view of all management positions andmakes it possible to plan the best successors for certain people orpositions early on. Miele also puts the company’s international focus

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into practice with relevant further training, such as in foreign languages. Key development programmes for talented professionals and toprovide training for managers are also being expanded internationally.
ENTRY-LEVEL OPPORTUNITIES FOR SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITYGRADUATES: DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG TALENT
Miele offers talented young professionals numerous opportunities
for joining the company. The options range from trial internships
for school pupils right up to programmes for PhD students. Using
various methods, Miele would like to reach potential young talent
with information about the company’s attractive professional
fields even before they enter a vocational training programme or
begin their studies. For this reason, Miele continues to collaborate
with schools and universities in the vicinity of the locations.
APPRENTICESHIPS: MORE INTERNATIONALOPPORTUNITIES FOR APPRENTICES

472
apprentices

4.6 %of the workforce
is made up of
apprentices 2015/16.

Miele provides its apprentices with a systematic and well-rounded basic education in 38 vocational trades. The number of apprenticeships
at Miele is determined according to requirements; following completion of the apprenticeship, each new starter is offered an employment
contract for a minimum of one year or even a permanent contract.
Gathering international experience is playing an ever greaterrole in training at Miele. This is why more assignments abroad
are to be made available to apprentices. In the reporting
period, seven technical apprentices had the opportunity togain experience in the sales subsidiaries in Ireland and Italy,
as well as in the Bürmoos plant (Austria) for the first time.

Apprenticeship Open Days
Once a year, Miele organises its “Apprenticeship Open Days” at the Gütersloh, Bielefeld and Oelde plants.
In June 2016, Miele welcomed around 500 visitors in Gütersloh alone – school pupils, parents andteachers. They learned about commercial and technical jobs, as well as dual study options. Moreover,pupils were able to gather their first practical experience and construct an electronic circuit or weld atool out of scrap metal, for example. The information day was rounded off with job application training.

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The high quality of training at Miele is regularly confirmed externally.
In the business years 2014/15 and 2015/16, 37 apprentices were
honoured with the title of “Kammerbeste” (best in the chamber)by the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry. A young
electrical systems installer was even awarded the title of“Landesbester” (best in the country). Miele apprentices regularly
take part successfully in national foreign language competitionsin Germany and therefore prove that they can communicate
successfully in an international world of work. The Miele apprentices were also among the best in 2015 and were invited to
the “Tag der Talente 2015” (a day celebrating young talent) by theGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Berlin.
As part of the “Collective Labour Agreement for the Promotion of
Apprenticeship Proficiency”, Miele offers internships to disadvantaged young people or those with lower academic performance.
The objective is to open up a path for them into vocational training.
Since 2009, nine young people have successfully been prepared
for an apprenticeship at Miele in this way. In the business year
2015/16, two young men successfully completed this internshipand have been training at Miele as an electrical systems installer
and industrial mechanic respectively since September 2015.
DUAL STUDY PROGRAMMES: 50 SUCCESSFUL GRADUATES
The dual study programme consists of periods of practical workand theoretical study at a (technical) university. Since 1995, Miele
has offered the opportunity to complete various commercial andtechnical dual study programmes in fields such as mechanicalengineering, electrical engineering, or business informatics.

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Mechanical engineering andelectrical engineering are
two areas in which demandfor young, well-qualified
talent is particularly high.

In the reporting period, 50 graduates successfully completed
the dual study programme and the initial training in parallel.
UNIVERSITY GRADUATES: A DIVERSEARRAY OF PROGRAMMES
Miele offers attractive entry-level opportunities
to academic experts and managers.
Along with direct entry, there are two further entry-level
programmes for graduates with bachelor’s degrees:•

Master@Miele programme: the objective here is to completea part-time master’s degree programme, which is usuallyin a technical subject. The advantage of this option is thatstudents are financially secure during their course of study
whilst continuing to gain practical experience at Miele. In
the reporting period, twelve bachelor’s-level graduates
began the two-year Master@Miele programme.

•

Junior Sales Representative Programme: the programme
for entry into sales at Miele is also open to recruits who
have not followed a traditional career path. Within a year,
they are trained to become junior sales representatives.
Participants become familiar with areas of the businessincluding field service and office work, as well as the various
central and marketing roles. In 2016, two graduates took
part in the Junior Sales Representative Programme.

125

participants in the
trainee programme

Miele offers a trainee programme for graduates with master’s
degrees. In 2016, an 18-month international programme began
for the first time which aims at developing young, international
managers from an early stage. It takes a “4-3-2-1 approach”: byworking in four different company divisions, the trainees become
familiar with at least three countries and two aspects of thecompany (central/local). The international trainee programme
supplements the one-year option which has been offered until
now. Four trainees began at Miele in the reporting period.
By the business year 2015/16, a total of 125 graduates with
diplomas or master’s degrees had completed a trainee
programme at Miele. Miele usually accepts trainees once
they have successfully completed their studies. Of the
125 former trainees, 74 are still employed by the company
and 39 of these now hold managerial positions.

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159

For applicants with a doctorate and a degree in a technicalsubject, Miele offers direct entry to technical assistance positions
within plant management or the Executive Board. Since theprogramme began in 2007, 18 assistants have used this entry
opportunity to make a start in their individual careers. One ofthem is currently managing one of Miele’s German plants.
Miele offers similar entry programmes at the international sites. To
date, 16 successful applicants have taken part in local programmes,
including programmes at the plant in Braşov as well as at thesales subsidiaries in the Netherlands and Switzerland. The numberof positions advertised annually for the entry-level programmes
and traineeships is determined according to requirements.
UNIVERSITY PROJECTS: INTERNSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS AND COOPERATIONIn the reporting period, around 250 students from various different
faculties completed an internship at Miele or wrote their final thesis
with us. In the business years 2014/15 and 2015/16, Miele also offeredfinancial support to 26 outstanding students from mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, engineering management and businessinformatics who applied for the “Deutschlandstipendium” scholarship.
In addition to monetary support, this scholarship also includes theopportunity to gain practical and international experience at Mieleand other companies during the students’ programme of study.
Miele stays in close contact with selected technical and business-oriented universities around the world with the aim of contacting futureapplicants at an early stage and in a targeted manner. For example,
practical projects are assigned to student groups, application
and assessment-centre training is organised, and excursions areoffered. In the reporting period, Miele was represented once more atnumerous trade fairs for students, graduates and young professionals.
Miele has also increased its university contacts at the production
sites located outside of Germany. Local activities are independently
directed by the international sites themselves. For example,
the plant in Braşov works closely with Romanian universities
and also offers internships. In October 2015, Miele organised
the “Symposium for Design and Technology in Electronic
Packaging” in Braşov in collaboration with two universities. This
involved discussing strategic partnerships between universities
and companies. The Chinese plant in Dongguan awards four
scholarships every year to students from the Dongguan Technology College who stand out as a result of their outstanding

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The outstanding achievementsof Miele apprentices
often lead them to attract
attention in competitions.

160

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LMS: Learning Management System

performance. Priority is given to students from less privileged
backgrounds who perform at the same level. The Uničov plant
has continued its intensive collaboration with three universities.
For example, the Czech plant offers students internships, holiday
jobs and the opportunity to complete their final theses.
FURTHER TRAINING: A BROAD RANGE OFTOPICS, TARGETED OPPORTUNITIES[GRI G4-LA9, G4-LA10] In order to ensure that the company isfit for the future, it is of central importance to us to continuallypromote the development of our employees. HR development
and further training at Miele covers a broad range of topics andis also extremely targeted. This means that Miele does not only
take the specific requirements of tasks into account, but also
considers employees’ individual capabilities and aptitudes.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

161

The key points of the HR development strategy at Miele include:•

Systematic further training and advancement of skilled
personnel and managers from within the company•

Continuous development and expansion of aninternational talent management process•

Goal-oriented HR development measures
for specific target groups•

Guaranteed internal knowledge management
and employee networking•

Standardisation of learning processes across all locations

Internal development isvaried and oriented to thetype of activities carried out.

In the business year 2015/16, each employee in Germany
received on average seven hours of training. The average
number of hours spent on vocational training and development
at the international production sites is higher than the German
figure. However, a direct comparison is not possible dueto the different calculation methods applied.
Further training at Miele is a standardised process and is supported by the “Learning Management System” (LMS) software
solution. Opportunities for further training are planned anddocumented via the LMS. Managers are able to find out the
progress that employees are making with their further training.
In the reporting period, Miele has introduced learning plans into
the LMS. This provides employees with a compact overview
of all the compulsory qualifications that are planned for themwithin a pre-defined time period. This also simplifies the internal
administration related to further training. For the businessyear 2016/17, Miele is planning to carry out a standardised
online evaluation of further training opportunities in the LMS.

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7

hours
were spent on averageby Miele employees
on development
during 2015/16.
162

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FURTHER TRAINING:
SUPPORT DRIVEN BY REQUIREMENTS[GRI G4-LA10] Within the scope of its internal further training
programmes, Miele provides qualification opportunities for various
fields such as management, project management, or IT applications.
Furthermore, employees may attend external training events intheir relevant special fields. In the business year 2015/16, around1.02 million euros were spent on external training. Almost 68
percent of all demand-driven training was completed internally.
Miele fully supports any employees who wish to take part in parttime further training on their own initiative. The company provides
financial support for accredited, part-time further training courses
or degree programmes. In the business years 2014/2015 and2015/2016, 84 employees took advantage of this opportunity.
THE OPEN TRAINING PROGRAMME: A WIDE-RANGINGPROGRAMME WITH VARYING FOCAL POINTS[GRI G4-LA10] The Open Training Programme is another importantpillar of the further training opportunities. Unlike the other training
options provided, these sessions are held during the employees’
free time. Each Open Training Programme has a focal point which
relates to daily life in the company. In the business year 2015/16,

The Competitiveness Symposium celebrates its tenth anniversary
The Competitiveness Symposium has established itself as a successful network for sharing information across plants and borders. Since 2006, around 250 specialists and managers from development/
construction, production, design, purchasing and controlling have met each year in Gütersloh. The
symposium aims to act as a platform for sharing information and to enable specialists from different Miele plants to network. Renowned speakers from business and science give all in attendancea chance to see the “bigger picture”. The symposium celebrated its tenth anniversary in summer
2015. The anniversary event focused on the topic of “Leadership in change” and its significance forMiele. In 2016, the motto of the symposium was “Wachstum gestalten – Shaping growth”.

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163

the motto was “Stay active for your health”. The programme wasclosely related to the activities of corporate health management.
From active sporting activities, nutritional tips, self-management,
or fitness – Miele employees were able to choose from almost 50
different opportunities. In the business year 2014/15, the focus wason “lean office” and “internationality”. Miele covers the cost for all ofthese training sessions. This opportunity was very well received: inthe business year 2015/16, 2,558 employees took part in Gütersloh
alone, and this figure was 2,615 in the business year 2014/15.
MANAGEMENT TRAINING: ESTABLISHING THE
INTERNATIONAL MIELE BUSINESS ACADEMYFilling at least three of the four available managerial positions
from within the company is one of Miele’s stated goals. Particularattention is therefore paid to promoting the development ofmanagers. Employees who take on a managerial position for
the first time are prepared extensively for their new role with thehelp of a binding qualification programme. Further opportunities
for learning and gaining experience are available to experienced
managers and focus on transferring practical experience andfeedback. All qualifications are conceived specific to the target
group and established with the participants and real-life practicein mind. Modern forms of learning, such as e-learning, are usedfrequently. From the business year 2016/17, seminars on “Healthy
management” will be added to the already wide range of topics.
In the reporting period, an important focal point was on improving
the development of international managers within the scope of theMiele Business Academy. Participants come from all corners of
the world of Miele; the seminar language is English. Five different
training sessions were conceived for different management levels
and implemented in the business years 2014/15 and 2015/16
as a pilot project. A total of 83 participants took part in nine
training sessions (this is equivalent to 665 participant days).
From 2012, the level of team and shift managers was introduced into
production. These managers were trained on a further training programme that was specially designed for that purpose. In the reporting
period, 167 participants completed the qualification at 15 events.
As part of the Miele Mentoring Programme, experienced employees are matched with junior managers to provide them withadvice. These mentors establish contacts, assist with project
development and give feedback – thereby helping to provide

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career guidance. A survey carried out in 2015 revealed thatparticipants are extremely satisfied with the programme andalmost 100 percent would recommend it. Since 2014, twelve
international mentees have taken part in the programme.
PROJECT MANAGERS: CERTIFIED FURTHER TRAINING
Miele’s careers in project management offer highly qualified
experts and motivated project leaders an alternative option for
personal development. Project managers complete a multi-stage
qualification which is based on the content and specificationsof the International Project Management Association (IPMA).
Successful completion results in an internationally recognised
certificate. The programme represents an important step
towards a standardised, efficient and promising approach to
managing national and international projects at Miele. The poolof certified project managers comprised 120 people in thebusiness years 2015/16 – 13 percent of which were women.
All employees haveopportunities for continuing development in theirchosen field of expertise.

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Occupational health and safety
A focus on preventionA

healthy workforce is the foundation of long-term success forany company. Miele would like to contribute to promoting
and sustaining the physical and mental performance of
its employees. A well-conceived, prevention-based healthmanagement system and safe workstations play a big part insatisfying this requirement. These jobs are not only intended to be
increasingly age-appropriate and therefore adapted to the different
capabilities of older employees, but they should also respect the
aging process. This means that Miele takes its employees’ entire
working life into account and suitable programmes are developedfor each phase of life. At Miele, the areas of occupational healthand safety are regulated by the company’s management system.
This ensures a continuous improvement process and helps
with the continual analysis of accident data, for example.

Contents People BackIn the “active break” held in
the Oelde plant, you have theopportunity of doing special
exercises for relaxing muscles
and strengthening your back.

MANAGEMENT: RISK ANALYSIS EXTENDED, WORKFLOWS ADAPTED[GRI G4-LA6, G4-LA7] Some of the jobs at Miele carry healthrisks or are particularly hazardous, such as those involved in
the surface treatment of materials and in metalworking. Miele
takes numerous measures in order to rule out these risks or atleast to minimise them: the spectrum ranges from protective
clothing and accident-prevention training sessions right up to
the legally mandated job hazard and strain assessments inGermany. This hazard analysis was extended in the reporting
period to include a psychological strain assessment. With 9.5
workplace accidents per every one million working hours (in thebusiness year 2015/16), this is well below the industry average of
14.5 (2015) as reported by German professional associations.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

2,911
174

2,6 37

2014/15

9.5[GRI G4-LA5] As an employer, Miele is responsible for its
employees’ safety. To ensure that this is a reality, all Miele
plants around the world are certified in accordance with theinternationally recognised OHSAS 18001 occupational health andsafety management system. The German locations were recertified
at the end of 2014. The next recertification for the German andinternational locations is scheduled for the end of 2017; in March
2017, Dongguan was recertified. 22 dedicated specialists are
employed solely for the purpose of ensuring occupational safety
in the plants (in the business year 2015/16). In addition, we also
have 219 safety officers who perform these tasks alongside theirWorkplace accidents

10. 2

ORGANISATION: CERTIFICATION ENSURES HIGH STANDARDS

In some areas, such as
here in the foundry, safety
and protective clothing isa matter of course.

17 7

Age-appropriateness is an increasingly important factor inworkstation design for Miele. Currently, roughly 38 percent of
all employees in Germany are more than 50 years old, with anaverage age of 45. The workflows have been redesigned in someplants. For example, employees at these sites no longer work on
production lines but at U-shaped islands instead. This means that
one employee is responsible for assembling and inspecting theentire appliance. Furthermore, Miele is implementing an ergonomic
workstation design using methods derived from occupational safety.
Regardless of age, employees were predominantly very positive
about the changes in ergonomics and workplace design. In the
Romanian city of Braşov, employees are encouraged to suggest
ideas for improvements. Some suggestions, such as workstation
optimisation, have already been put into practice. Improvements
to the working conditions in the materials warehouse, the fitting oflifting devices and further enhancements are currently in progress.

2015/16

Reportableworkplace accidents
Workplace accidents per
one million working hours
Days lost due toworkplace accidents

167

regular company duties. These include providing advice during theplanning and realisation of plant systems or when workstations
are being designed. The safety officers receive regular training
on various safety topics ranging from hazardous substances tonoise. Furthermore, regular instruction takes place at all locations.
Extensive checklists are available for daily work activities.
Regular safety meetings are held at all plants and all departments
are frequently inspected. This ensures that necessary measures
are taken diligently. Approximately 20 to 25 inspections per year are
conducted in Gütersloh alone. There, all safety officers complete four
training sessions each year. With the aim of increasing the safety
awareness of all employees in the workplace and to regularly updateknowledge, around 900 external training courses and specialised
instruction sessions are held in almost all departments each year.
In addition, the Work Safety Committee at each plant meets fourtimes a year. Approximately four percent of the entire company
workforce at Miele is directly involved with this committee. In
Germany, these bodies include not only the occupational safety
department, but also the plant and functional management, thecompany doctor, the works council and safety officers as requiredby law. These responsibilities are handled in a similar fashion at
the international plants. In Germany, the Works Council Constitution Act governs how the works councils of the plants should
be involved in matters of workplace health and safety. On theinternational front, there are also corresponding regulations thatgovern employee involvement and that of their representatives.
CORPORATE HEALTH MANAGEMENT: EMPLOYEESURVEY DETERMINES FOCAL POINTS
Corporate health management (BGM) has been in development
at the German locations since the business year 2012/13 and iscoordinated by the central HR department in Gütersloh. Since
then, organisational structures for BGM have been createdand projects have begun at all German Miele plants.
In order to find out which are the most important topics for
employees, Miele carried out the first employee survey on BGM
in April 2015 in Gütersloh. 4,511 employees were asked a totalof 110 questions, divided into six categories, on topics including
individual job situations, cooperation within the team and healthand well-being. The response rate was 82.4 percent. On the whole,
employees evaluated their health as relatively good, although aContents People Back4%of the total workforce
is involved in theoccupational safety works
council committee.
168

In some areas, such as
here in the new spare-parts
warehouse, lifting aids are
installed which are used formoving heavy packages easily.
need for action was also identified. Focus groups including theworkforce then worked on specific topics and developed measures.
The first results are already evident: Miele has set up fitness
rooms in Bielefeld, Euskirchen, Gütersloh, Oelde and Warendorf.
Shift workers have received a new information brochure inwhich they can learn about specific health topics. Campaigns
on healthy eating have been run in the canteens. Furthermore,
Miele is subsidising initial membership to a sports club. A BGM
newsletter published every two months informs employeesin Gütersloh of the current health topics and projects.
The BGM employee surveys have also been conductedat the other German locations in the meantime. The
measures that were derived from this are currently being
implemented. The next survey of this kind, albeit in a slightly
modified form, is planned at all German locations in 2018.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT169

The BGM is constantly being developed. From 2016 to 2018,
Miele will focus on certain points, which include the following:•

Further training on “healthy management”, which is aimed at
all managers. The first events have already been planned.

•

Extending the range of fitness opportunities
for employees working in production.

The Company Integration Management system (BEM), which
is closely associated with BGM, has been in place at all German sites (plants, Sales and Service Centres) since 2013. It is
intended to make it easier for employees who have sufferedfrom lengthy periods of illness to return to their jobs.
LIFE COACHING AND ADDICTION COUNSELLING:
EXTENDED SERVICE IN GÜTERSLOH
Since the beginning of 2014, employees at the German Miele
plants and – until their closure at the end of 2015 – the Sales
and Service Centres are able to turn to trained contacts forlife coaching and addiction counselling. In addition, a 24-hourcounselling hotline is also available through a service provider tohandle crisis situations. In 2016, the service in Gütersloh became
more comprehensive: the personal advice service provided by a life
coach and addiction counsellor was extended to four days a week.
Furthermore, additional rooms are now available for this service.
Since the service was started in spring 2014, 279 employees
have had a personal meeting with the counsellor at Gütersloh.
It goes without saying that these were all strictly confidential.
Topics frequently addressed primarily include incidents in theworkplace, as well as psychological or familial problems.
MEDICAL CARE: FIRST AID IN
EMERGENCIES AND ACUTE CASES
A plant medical service has been in place since 1973 in Gütersloh,
Miele’s largest site. Along with the legal duties which result fromthe Occupational Safety Act, the plant medical service also takes
care of first aid in the event of emergencies and acute illnesses.
They work together with the Miele company insurance provider
BKK to provide and actively promote the annual flu vaccine.
At all other sites, insurance-accredited physicians and medical
personnel ensure that employees receive proper care.

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AZUBI FIT: SPECIAL PROGRAMME FOR APPRENTICES
Promoting a healthy lifestyle is also an integral part of training at Miele.
Every apprentice attends five mandatory events as part of the “Azubifit” (“Fit Apprentices”) programme organised by the company insurance provider. These include an introduction to occupational healthand a seminar on maintaining a healthy back. Technical apprentices
also attend training sessions offered by professional associations.
INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS: A DIVERSE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIESThe international plant sites also pursue a health management strategy
that is focused on prevention. The Austrian plant in Bürmoos has been
awarded the “Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung” seal of approval
for excellent promotion of health in the workplace for the period 2016
to 2018. Under the project title “Immer gesünder mit Miele” (“Getting
healthier with Miele”), the plant established an extensive programme
for promoting health in the workplace between 2013 and 2015. 127
activities and initiatives were available and most of these have been
continued. This includes Nordic walking or cycling, courses formaintaining a healthy back and a free selection of fruit. Employees
were happy to take up such initiatives – the participation rate was
75 percent during the introductory period. Consequently, project
management resolved to introduce a corporate health management
programme and implemented this in the reporting period. Corporate
health management at the Austrian plant is now regularly evaluated– this includes conducting employee surveys every three years.
The sales subsidiaries employ a wide range of measures topromote employee health. For example, the Swiss subsidiaryoffers its workforce at the showroom in Crissier a subscription toa fitness studio. Sweden, the Baltic states, the Netherlands andChina also support the sports activities of their employees.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Employees have access toactive rooms in the plants.
What’s more, qualified
trainers also offer classes.

171

Diversity and equal opportunity
Enrichment and the competitive factorAll Miele employees and applicants are valued and supported
in equal measure. Everyone should have equal opportunities,
regardless of their nationality, skin colour, gender, religion,
sexual orientation, or physical disabilities. This is not just a
requirement of law, integrity and fairness. Internationality and diversity
in the workforce are enriching both personally and professionally.
And it is precisely in a global company such as Miele that thisdiversity is also an important competitive factor to say the least.
MANAGEMENT: PROMOTING DIVERSITY, PREVENTING DISCRIMINATION[GRI G4-LA12] Miele would like to raise awareness throughout thecompany for the potential of diverse life and work experiences,perspectives and values. Miele’s corporate philosophy, its Codeof Conduct and the Company-Wide Collective Agreement on theGerman General Act on Equal Treatment represent company-wide
guidelines for promoting diversity and equality of opportunity
as well as ensuring an effective anti-discrimination policy. The
company demonstrated its adherence to this idea by obtaining
SA8000 certification and signing the Diversity Charter in 2012.
Miele takes action against any form of discrimination. If a suspectedcase arises then there is the option to turn to the complaints office.
In the business year 2015/16, 5.3 percent (5.1 percent in 2014/15) ofMiele employees in Germany were citizens of a country other than
Germany. Citizens of Turkey, Greece, Italy and Great Britain accounted
for the largest share. At the Austrian plant, the share of employees of anationality other than Austrian amounted to 21 percent. At all other plantsites, this figure was below the average value for Germany. Employeeswith disabilities made up 6 percent of all Miele workers in Germany (inthe business years 2014/15 and 2015/16). By comparison, fewer people
with disabilities have worked at the international plants up until now.

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Proportion of employees
according to age groupin Germany 2015/16
as a percentage

14
38
48

< 30 years
30 to 50 years> 50 years

172Each year, Miele also takes part in the German Diversity Day.
In addition, all managers at Miele complete qualifications on
the topic of diversity during a one-day comprehensive programme. New managers undergo a two-day training course
known as “Diversity – Vielfalt führen”, in which theylearn how to manage a diverse workforce.

As is the case here at the
Bielefeld plant, teams fromvarious countries aroundthe world work together
successfully regardlessof their background.

ADVANCING WOMEN: THE “DIVERSITY: FOCUS
ON WOMEN” PROJECT CONTINUES
The advancement of women has been anchored as a strategic
objective in Miele’s company strategy since 2016. Therefore,
diversity measures focus particularly on projects aimed atadvancing women. For several years now, the company has
striven to further advance women’s careers in various projects.
In the reporting period, the Germany-wide “Diversity: Focus on
Women” project was among the main activities in the area ofdiversity and equal opportunity. It began in 2013 and ran for2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

173

three years. In 2014 and for the second time since 2012, over 100
female specialists and managers were asked to describe theirattitudes and expectations on the topics of work and career inorder to guide the project. They evaluated the existing options
and measures as very good and confirmed that they have seen
a positive development. At the same time, the respondents
also referred to the remaining potential for the advancement of
women, such as with respect to flexibility in working hours.
Miele has initiated additional measures, due in part to thesurvey. These include a regular array of events on the topic
of diversity as part of the Open Training Programme andthe promotion of Miele-internal women’s networks.

22.2 %of the total Miele
workforce in 2015/16
were women.

Cross-mentoring programme
The targeted professional development of female employees to prepare them for management roles has been
supported by a cross-mentoring programme for the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region in Germany, in which Miele hastaken part since 2007. The mentor – an experienced female manager – and her mentee, each coming fromdifferent companies, form a tandem team. They meet with one another once a month over the course of a year
to share their reflections on current work situations and answer questions about career management. In thebusiness years 2014/15 and 2015/16, two mentees and two mentors from Miele participated in the programme.

Miele’s network for female engineers celebrates its anniversary
Since 2007, Miele has actively supported internal exchange between highly qualified women in technology.
With its 50 th meeting in 2016, the “M.I.T.” (Miele-Ingenieurinnen-Treff) network for female engineers celebrated a special anniversary. As well as looking back over recent years, the discussion with the Executive
Director Dr Markus Miele was the focus of the event. Across Germany, the technical women’s network at
Miele consists of 75 women who have studied STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). They meet every two months to share experiences and to promote women’s careers in technicalfields. Networking events with women’s networks from other companies are currently being planned.

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WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT: A TARGETED ADDRESS TO YOUNG TALENT[GRI G4-LA12] In the business year 2014/2015, women madeup 23.2 percent of the entire Miele workforce in Germany; thiswas 22.2 percent in the following year. In the business year
2015/16, women held 9.4 percent of the management positions1) in Germany. This proportion is 22 percent globally.
Increasing the number of women in management positions is astated goal of Miele’s HR policy. Female candidates displaying highpotential are specifically supported and encouraged to set ambitious
professional goals, as well as to keep pursuing these goals after
having children, if they choose to do so. Miele helps to accommodate
this with its family-friendly working conditions. The company is also aparticipant in the “Frauen-Karriere-Index” (“Women’s Career Index”),
a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs,
Senior Citizens, Women and Youth with the aim of creating transparency on the issue of career advancement opportunities for women.
Miele does not consider it appropriate to define a fixed
quota for increasing the proportion of women in managerial
positions. To officially ensure equality of opportunity, Miele
instead strives to recruit the most qualified candidate foreach position that must be filled, regardless of gender.

9%of the technicalapprenticeshipscheme are women.

50 %of the commercial
apprenticeship scheme
are women (2015/16).

REMUNERATION: NO DIFFERENCES IN THE SALARIESRECEIVED BY WOMEN AND MEN[GRI G4-LA13] Employees at the Miele sites in Germany are paid
based on the valuation of their work tasks in accordance withthe framework agreement on pay and collective wage agreementin the metalworking and electronics industries. Therefore, there
are no differences in the remuneration of women and men at
Miele. Merit pay is categorised and calculated strictly basedon the specific task and actual performance and does not takegender or other irrelevant criteria into account. Measures toensure that employee pay does not differ based on gender are
also in place at the company’s international production sites.

1)
From the business year 2015/16, the term “manager” applies to all
management levels globally. Previously, the term covered the Executive Board,
company officials with power of attorney and authorised agents.

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EMPLOYMENT MODELS WITH FLEXIBLE WORKING HOURS:ENHANCING THE COMPATIBILITY OF WORK AND FAMILY LIFE[GRI G4-LA3] To make it possible for its employees to maintain aharmonious work-life balance while ensuring that its production
requirements are met, Miele offers employment models with flexible
working hours. These models provide various part-time or full-time
employment arrangements, as well as flexible shift systems andthe option of semi-retirement for older employees. Solutions arealigned with the requirements of the company and – wherever
possible – the needs of the individual and are equally available to both

Cutting the first sod for the newMiele daycare centre in Gütersloh
with the architect and daycare centre
staff, representatives of the city of
Gütersloh, and Miele staff in July 2016

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men and women. The plants and sales subsidiaries also promote
employment models with flexible working hours. For example, Miele
Belgium offers the option to work from home, and in the Austrian
Bürmoos plant, over 20 employment models for working hours are
currently in use, which are aligned with the needs of the individual.
In the business year 2014/15, 49.5 percent of employees inGermany had flexible work schedules; this figure rose to 55.1
percent in 2015/16. The share of employees in semi-retirement fell
from 4.7 percent in the business year 2014/15 to 4.0 percent in2015/16. During the entire reporting period, 388 Miele employees
in Germany took parental leave, 215 of which were men (who,however, tended to take off shorter periods of time). On 30 June
2016, 100 employees continued to take parental leave; 87 womenand 179 men continued to work at Miele following their parental
leave; 22 employees left the company (16 women, 6 men).

It is often difficult, particularly
for women, to juggle careerand family priorities.

CHILDCARE: MIELE NURSERY IN GÜTERSLOH UNDER CONSTRUCTION
In cooperation with a daycare centre located close to the Gütersloh
site, Miele offers its employees eleven childcare spots for children under the age of three, as well as emergency care. The company began
constructing a Miele nursery for the Gütersloh site in summer 2016 inorder to continue improving the compatibility of work and family life.
During the school summer holidays in 2014 and 2015, the Miele
Family Service organised care for the employees’ children on
a farm in the neighbouring town of Harsewinkel. In summer
2015, the number of participants was increased and theduration of care was extended from one to two weeks.
MIELE FAMILY SERVICE: PROVIDING SUPPORT IN VARIOUS CIRCUMSTANCESThe Miele Family Service was introduced in 2012 as a comprehensive
programme designed to help employees arrange care for theirchildren and other family members in need of assistance. To provide
this support, Miele has teamed up with the care provider pme Fami­
lienservice. These service offerings make it possible for employees
to achieve a better balance between their work and personal lives.

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Social engagement
Promoting regional appealAs one of the largest employers in the region, Miele istraditionally closely associated with Gütersloh and Ostwestfalen-Lippe – the region which it calls home. Shaped bytheir humanistic Christian world view, the company founders
felt responsible for the well-being of their employees and families. A
wide-ranging social engagement initiative has developed over the
decades as a result of this care. Activities are largely focused on theregions surrounding the company sites. In this way, Miele helps tomaintain a smooth-running, attractive environment. In 2016, as the
Miele sustainability strategy was updated, social engagement was
reinforced as a defined objective. [GRI G4-SO1, G4-SO2, G4-EC7]
APPROACH: ENGAGEMENT BY THE COMPANY AND THE MIELE FOUNDATION[GRI G4-SO6] Miele’s social engagement extends over threemain areas: youth and family, education and culture. This does
not only apply to Miele as a company, but also to the foundationof the same name, which was established in 1974. While theexplicit development goal of the Miele Foundation’s charter isthe promotion of public welfare in the German city of Gütersloh,
the company itself addresses a broader range of needs andalso pursues active social engagement at other plant sites.
The international sales subsidiaries also engage in diverse
initiatives. Miele’s guidelines for the social engagement of theinternational sales subsidiaries specify the basic course ofaction. For example, donations may only be made to charitableorganisations. The responsible parties at the sales subsidiaries
identify suitable projects themselves. In doing so, they take into
account the circumstances of the country and its people.
Miele is in close communication with local people at all its locations
and therefore has a good understanding of their needs. Miele wishes

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Many of the 2,500 employees brought their children
to celebrate the family
day at the Uničov plant.

to be a reliable partner for the local authorities, associations andinitiatives. With this in mind, it aims to support projects on a long-termbasis, wherever possible. In special cases, this engagement, which is
focused on continuity, is supplemented by flexible, short-term support.
DONATIONS IN THE REPORTING PERIOD[GRI G4-EC1] Traditionally, Miele supports a series of regional
charities with an annual donation of money or items. The projects
to be supported are decided upon by the responsible division
depending on the urgency and requirements of the requests.
Large donations need to be approved by the Executive Board.
In the business year 2015/16, Miele & Cie. KG donated a
total of 181,169 euros in Germany (2014/15: 214,804 euros).

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179

Compared to the level of donations in the business year 2013/14(277,379 euros), which was significantly higher, the amountof donations during the reporting period once again reached
the average level seen in previous years. The short-term
increase was the result of a substantial one-off donation.
Outside of Germany, the international plants andsales subsidiaries raised a total of 227,879 euros
in donations in the business year 2015/16.
In 2016, the Miele Foundation took part in social projects
and initiatives amounting to around 94,000 euros.

As part of the Gütersloh “Handin Hand” project supported byMiele, trained family carers provide
advice to parents living in a variety
of different circumstances.

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YOUTH AND FAMILY: PROVIDING RELIEF FOR FAMILIESSupporting and improving the opportunities of young people
from the areas surrounding the Miele sites – this has always
been a key aspect of Miele’s social engagement.
Since 1976, the Miele Foundation has offered significant financial
support to initiatives such as the Gütersloh Holiday Games forchildren between the ages of 5 and 17. Every year, this opportunity
includes many different and various activities that provide careduring school holidays. In the 2016 summer holidays, more than
100 activities were offered – from programming workshops andskating courses, right up to excursions to the animal sanctuary.

The surfaces of the “Blackboard
edition” refrigerators, which
are suitable for writing on, havebecome an art exhibition in the“Werkstattkunst BUNTspecht”
project in Gütersloh.

Support for the project “Jugendintegration durch Sport” (integrating
young people through sport) is also planned in the longer term.
This project has been supported by the department for children
and youth development in the city of Gütersloh since 2009. The
project aims to promote social skills in young people that are
rarely gained from usual sporting activity. Activities include hip-hop
courses for girls or mixed indoor football, for example. The Miele
Foundation supports the project with an annual donation.
Since 2014, the company has supported the Gütersloh Association
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children with its “Hand in Hand”
family mentors project. Within the scope of this project, voluntary
female family mentors visit families for a few hours each week tosupport the children and parents in difficult times. In 2015 alone,
support was able to be provided to 17 families including 33 children.
The Miele plant in the Romanian city of Braşov makes anannual donation to the “Schuhe für die Schule” (Shoes for
School) project, which provides underprivileged children starting
school for the first time with shoes and rucksacks. In addition,an orphanage has been fitted with a modern kitchen. Each
Christmas, Miele Uničov sends gifts to local orphans with the“Baum der erfüllten Wünsche” (Tree of Fulfilled Wishes). The
Austrian plant in Bürmoos donates to causes such as “Kinderkrebshilfe”, which offers support to children with cancer and
SOS Kinderdorf, which provides shelter for children in poverty.
The international sales subsidiaries are also involved in helping
children and young people. In the reporting period, Miele Austria
was involved in the “Young Heroes Day” campaign run by Caritas,
for example. For one day, school pupils had the opportunity to2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

181

swap the classroom for a workstation in a company. In return,
participating companies made donations to children and young
people in need. The sales subsidiary in Russia took part in asponsored run for children with severe kidney diseases. The
sales subsidiaries in Sweden and Turkey made donations forchildren suffering from cancer. And subsidiaries in China, theCzech Republic and Spain supported children’s homes.
EDUCATION: AWAKENING ENTHUSIASM FOR TECHNOLOGY
A significant objective of Miele’s involvement in education is toinspire children and young people to get involved in technology
and to introduce young adults to technical professional fields.
In the reporting period, Miele got involved in local projects suchas BINGO and BINGO for kids. BINGO stands for “Berufsoffensive für IngenieurInnen in Ostwestfalen/Lippe” and is a careers
campaign for engineers in Ostwestfalen/Lippe. Its objective isto awaken interest in technical applications and to introduce
suitable vocational training. With the aim of demonstrating toschoolgirls just how exciting technical professions can be, anumber of Miele sites regularly take part in the national Girls’
Day. 2016 marked the 13th occasion the event was held.
Miele supports students from engineering subjects with theDeutschlandstipendium scholarship, which was initiated by theGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research. A totalof 26 students are currently being supported. To be awarded
for the scholarship, the nine young women and 17 young men
not only had to prove extraordinary capabilities and aptitudes,
but also that they are engaged in social activities.
The plants in Bielefeld, Oelde, Lehrte, Bürmoos, Braşov andUničov are also involved in cooperation with schools withthe aim of bringing the field of technology closer to children
and young people. In the reporting period, for example,
the plant in Uničov made it possible for talented pupils toparticipate in the RobotChallenge competition in Vienna.

The project of Czech pupils
for the RobotChallenge 2016

In 2015, the Miele sales subsidiary in Austria was involved in a
project on health education. It donated a high-quality kitchen to
the “Stadtstall” project in Salzburg. The concept allows children
and young people to grow and cook food together. The sales
subsidiary in South Africa also supported a sponsored cycling
race, the proceeds of which were used to benefit local schools.

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CULTURE: MUSIC AND THEATRE FOR THE REGION
Diverse cultural opportunities contribute significantly to
making a region attractive and increasing the local quality oflife. Therefore, an important element of Miele’s engagement
has traditionally been to promote culture.
This is why Miele has supported the Westfälische Kammerphilharmonie (the Westphalian chamber philharmonic orchestra) since 2001. The
orchestra consists of members from renowned German orchestras,
self-employed musicians and highly qualified students. It has therefore
made a special name for itself in the world of German orchestras.
Since it was founded in 2007, the Miele Foundation has supported
the boys’ choir in Gütersloh. The choir currently consists ofaround 60 boys between the ages of 6 and 13 and of a groupof 20 young male voices. Along with appearances in North
Rhine-Westphalia, the choir also regularly organises concert tours.
The Miele Foundation also supports the annual children’s cultural
festival in Gütersloh, which is known as “Donnerlüttken”. Thisis aimed at four to twelve-year-olds and is designed to takethe children on an exciting discovery tour of art and culture.
The festival is held on the first Sunday following the summer
holidays, both inside and in front of the theatre in Gütersloh,
and therefore acts as a prelude to the new theatre season.

Miele has a long-standing
collaboration with the
Gütersloh philharmonicchamber orchestra.

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Outlook
The increasing lack of highly qualified junior talent
will remain a key challenge for companies driven by
innovation, such as Miele, in the coming years.
Miele counters the effects of demographic change through relevantmeasures taken by corporate health management, for example.
These are aimed at retaining staff members for their entire working
life, if possible. Managers are also being made more aware of thereal impact of demographic change. The heads of the plants anddepartments are required to prepare a strategic HR plan by 2025
which takes this into account. The intention is to ascertain future
gaps in the number and qualifications of employees now so thatthese issues are prevented from ever arising. In order to position
itself as an attractive graduate employer in particular, Miele will workon developing a global employer brand until the end of 2018.
Continuing to improve the compatibility of work and family life isalso on Miele’s strategic agenda for the coming years. In summer
2015, the decision was taken to construct a daycare centre directly
next to the plant in Gütersloh, in order to provide the childrenof employees’ families, in particular, with high-quality care. The
groundbreaking ceremony took place in July 2016 and the openingis planned for 2018. The nursery will offer places for around 65
children – from babies to six-year-olds. The pedagogical concept
will focus on promoting topics such as science and technology.
Miele’s social engagement will be continued in the future, working
on the basis of its current scope and the resources it has in place.

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At all production facilities, Miele
maintains a good relationshipwith the surrounding
residents based on trust.

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6 | Facts & figures
6.1 Key figures

6.2 Objectives

			6.1.1 Company

			 6.2.1 Comparing objectives

			6.1.2 Strategy

			 6.2.2 New objectives

			6.1.3 Products

6.3 Dialogue			 6.1.4 Supply chain

6.4 GRI Index

			6.1.5 Environment
			6.1.6 People

Contents BackAt a glance
In the following section, you will find all the key figures
relevant to the Sustainability Report 2017 as well as
an overview of old and new objectives. The “Dialogue”
section indicates with whom Miele is in dialogue andregarding which topics. The GRI index shows the standard
requirements which have been taken into account.

Key figures
Company
Total Miele turnoverin billion euros [GRI G4-9, G4-EC1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Total

3.04

3.15

3.22

3.49

3.71

Germany1)

0.93

0.98

1.01

1.05

1.12

Abroad

2.11

2.17

2.21

2.44

2.59

Foreign share (%)

69

69

69

70

70

In Germany, Miele achieved sales of 1.1 billion euros, representing an increase of 6.9 percent. Miele has expanded its position as thebrand for large domestic appliances with the highest turnover through electrical goods retailers and is now even no. 1 in the specialist
kitchen trade as well. Outside Germany, sales grew by 6.3 percent, particularly in the USA, Australia, Great Britain and China.
Encompasses other sources of turnover, including revenue generated by the German plants, such as from salesof enclosures, scrap, electronics, licenses, advertising material, plastic parts and seminar fees.

1)

Turnover by region
as a percentage [GRI G4-8, G4-9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Germany1)

31

31

31

30

30

Southern, Eastern and Central Europe

21

21

21

21

20

Northwest Europe

28

28

27

26

25

North and South America, Australia,
New Zealand and South Africa

16

17

16

18

19

Asia

4

4

5

5

6

The turnover in the overseas markets (Asia, North and South America, Australia, New Zealand andSouth Africa) has increased more than others over recent years. In Russia, despite political instability
and currency drops, sales were maintained on a par with the previous year in local currency. In
Southern Europe, the upward trend was consolidated, despite the continuing debt crisis.
1)

Encompasses other sources of turnover (see total Miele turnover).

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Turnover by business areas
as a percentage [GRI G4-9]

1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Laundry care

26

26

26

25

24

Cooking1)

20

20

20

21

21

Dishwashers

13

13

13

13

14

Floor care

8

9

9

9

9

Refrigerators and freezers

8

8

8

8

8

Drinks preparation

2

2

2

2

2

Domestic appliances total

77

77

77

77

77

Professional2)

13

13

13

13

13

Customer service

7

7

7

7

6

Care products and accessories

3

3

3

4

4

Includes cookers/ovens, steam cookers, hobs/cooking zones, cooker hoods.

2)

Commercial machines, service, and spare parts.

Sales
in thousands [GRI G4-9]

1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Dishwashers

587

610

607

652

770

Cookers/ovens

269

287

290

296

311

Refrigerators and freezers

306

310

302

289

303

Vacuum cleaners

2,012

2,085

2,151

2,204

2,319

Washing machines

781

801

782

835

860

Tumble dryers

338

343

338

362

388

Others1)

577

638

633

635

645

Domestic appliances total

4,870

5,074

5,103

5,273

5,596

Commercial machines

87

87

87

96

96

Domestic appliances andcommercial machines

4,957

5,161

5,190

5,364

5,692

Hobs/cooking zones, cooker hoods, microwaves ovens, steam cookers, coffee machines, rotary ironers.

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Investments
in millions of euros [GRI G4-EC1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Germany

124

150

142

110

140

Europe

35

53

35

27

25

Overseas

27

11

10

14

19

Total investments

186

213

188

150

184

During the past business year, Miele invested approximately 34 million euros or 23 percent more than in the previous year.
This significant increase is the result of investments in the development of new model series, extension or conversion workat various production sites, and an expansion of sales and logistics facilities in Gütersloh, including extension to the goods
distribution centre, the new central spare part warehouse and a new office wing. New or completely refurbished showrooms
were inaugurated in metropolises such as Beijing, New York, Miami, Johannesburg, Vilnius, Bucharest, London and Vancouver.

Expenditures for research and development
as a percentage

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

5.6

5.4

5.4

5.4

5.5

Share of total turnover

The expense for research and development is continuously kept at around a 5.5 percent share of the total turnover.

Personnel costsin millions of euros and percentages [GRI G4-EC1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

In millions of euros

886

956

971

1,026

1,079

In relation to the total turnover (%)

29

30

30

29

29

The personnel costs developed in proportion to the total turnover.

Pension provisions
in millions of euros [GRI G4-EC3]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

365

372

376

396

446

Pension provisions rose significantly, largely owing to the considerable drop in the discounting interest rate undercommercial law included in the calculation. This is a consequence of the continuously low market interest rate.

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190

Payments to suppliers for production materials
in millions of euros [GRI G4-EC1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Germany

545

544

507

490

543

Europe

216

226

272

284

308

Overseas

66

101

112

127

150

Total payments to suppliers

827

871

892

902

1,001

The payments to suppliers rose by 109 million euros in the reporting period. This was caused by theincreased production volumes and the associated higher demand for production materials.

Strategy
Audits of the integrated management system
Quantity [GRI G4-HR9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

35

22

39

32

32

No significant
non-conformities found1)

33

22

37

26

28

Significant non-conformities found1)

2

0

2

6

4

92

108

100

77

95

No significant
non-conformities found1)

76

97

90

69

84

Significant non-conformities found1)

16

11

10

8

11

External audits

Internal audits

The methods of the external and internal audit processes function congruently, i.e. using the same scaleof evaluation. As an important part of the matrix certification method, the internal audits as preventative
methods improve the results. Thereby, the number of significant discrepancies found is lower in external
audits performed by a certifier. Miele employs extensively trained auditors to carry out the internal audits.
These auditors identify problems in preparation for external audits and introduce countermeasures.
These instances exclusively concerned non-critical non-conformities. Critical non-conformities that
could jeopardize certification have not occurred at Miele since the 1990s.

1)2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT191

Products
Energy consumption labelling[GRI G4-EN4, G4-EN7, G4-PR3] The values refer to devices sold in EU countries in which
the energy label is mandatory, as well as in Croatia, Norway, and Switzerland. As adeviation from the five-year trend of other key figures, the values from the three previous
sustainability reports are listed here with the latest corresponding business year.

Energy label: washing machines
as a percentage

2011/122013/142015/16

A+++

54

63

93

A++

17

27

7

A+

29

10

0

93 percent of the washing machines sold in the business year 2015/16 are classified as A+++, which is thebest energy efficiency rating of the energy label. 39 percent fall short of the threshold value for the A+++ ratingby 10 percent, 8 percent fell short by 20 percent, 9 percent by 30 percent, and 2 percent even fell short by 40
percent. The washing machines achieved the best values when they used the new PowerWash 2.0 technology.

Energy label: tumble dryers
as a percentage

2011/121) 2)

2013/14 2)

2015/16

A+++

-

1

8

A++

-

3

65

A+

-

70

7

A

58

4

-

B

33

18

16

C

10

5

4

In the reporting period, great efforts were made to reduce the energy consumption of tumble
dryers. All new-generation T1 tumble dryers have been declared as A++ since September
2014. This was made possible by the use of larger heat exchangers in particular.
1)
2)

The energy label for tumble dryers was updated in 2013. The values for 2011/12 and 2013/14 therefore cannot be directly compared with one another.
Deviations as a result of rounding the figures.

Contents Facts & figures Back192

Energy label: dishwashers
as a percentage

2011/122013/142015/16

A+++

22

30

39

A++

30

30

33

A+

42

39

28

A

6

1

-

3 percent of the dishwashers sold fall short of the threshold value for the A+++ rating. The
best values for dishwashers are achieved by using the new EcoTech heat reservoir.

Energy label: cookers and ovens
as a percentage

1)

2011/122013/14 1)

2015/16

A+

-

-

89

A

99

99

11

B

1

1

-

The energy label for ovens and steam cookers was updated in the reporting period. The values therefore cannot be directly compared with one another.

Energy label: refrigerators and freezers
as a percentage

2011/122013/142015/16

A+++

3

8

13

A++

35

59

70

A+

58

33

17

A

4

-

-

Following the introduction of the new freestanding appliances of the K 20.000
series, numerous new A+++ devices were launched in 2016.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT193

Consumption efficiency[GRI G4-EN4, G4-EN7, G4-EN27] The values show the Miele appliance with the highest
energy and water savings that was available in the market for a particular year.

Power consumption energy label
in kWh

1)
2)

2000

2011/122013/142015/16

Washing machines1),
Power consumption in kWh/kg of laundry

0.19

0.11

0.10

0.09

Dishwashers, Power consumption in kWh/place setting

0.09

0.06

0.06

0.05

Refrigerators with up to and including 150 l ofusable capacity and a freezer compartment
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.40

0.21

0.21

0.19

Refrigerators with up to and including 150 l ofusable capacity without a freezer compartment
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.26

0.18

0.12

0.12

Refrigerators with 151 l to 300 l of usable
capacity with a freezer compartment
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.29

0.16

0.14

0.14

Refrigerators with 151 l to 300 l of usable capacity without
a freezer compartment
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.18

0.09

0.09

0.09

Freezers with up to and including 150 l of usable capacity
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.47

0.27

0.27

0.27

Freezers with 151 l to 300 l of usable capacity
Power consumption in kWh/100 l over 24 hours

0.23

0.14

0.14

0.13

Cookers and ovens, Power consumption in kWh

1.20

0.67

0.67

0.61

Tumble dryers2), Power consumption in kWh/kg of laundry

0.59

0.26

0.18

0.17

2000

2011/122013/142015/16

Washing machines1), Water consumption in l/kg of laundry

9.80

6.88

6.11

6.00

Dishwashers, Water consumption in l/place setting

1.08

0.71

0.71

0.69

Cottons 60 °C. full load.
Cottons Normal Dry, full load.

Water consumption energy label
in litres

1)

Cottons 60 °C, full load.

Contents Facts & figures Back

194

Supply chain
Natural resources and materials
Production materials used
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Raw materials

101,337

112,413106,123

99,251

98,778

Metals91,100102,671

95,12388,251

86,778

Plastic granulate

10,237

9,742

11,00011,00012,000

Processing materials

6,913

7,541

6,979

7,233

8,736

Paints, varnishes, enamels

1,211

1,332

1,118

1,254

1,368

Oils, greases, lubricants

188

217

232

206

201

Acids, lye, solvents

151

158

220

215

172

Others1)

5,363

5,834

5,409

5,558

6,995

Electronics

1,594

1,964

2,123

2,026

2,143

The total of all production materials used does not equal the total weight of all appliances produced. This is explainedby the use of purchased parts and materials which are not ultimately part of the products at delivery, such as acids,lyes and solvents. The weight accounted for by waste, e.g. by cutting scraps, also factors into the difference.
1)

The majority of other processing materials are casting materials for the manufacture of mass-balancing weights.

Devices produced
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

169,983

171,891

175,297

177,263

188,133

Packaging per kilogram of productin grams [GRI G4-EN1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

93

92

90

90

93

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT195

Packaging materials used
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

15,776

15,796

15,70815,88017,464

Solid wood

9,118

9,152

9,056

9,075

10,134

Cardboard/corrugated paper

4,676

4,664

4,595

4,707

5,140

Moulded plastic parts (EPS)

1,678

1,674

1,749

1,788

1,851

PE film/strapping (PP/steel)

302

303

306

308

339

Encased PU foam/PE film

3

3

2

2

1

Total

The increase in packaging material is for the most part a result of the increased production volume.

Supplier management
Purchasing volume1)
as a percentage [GRI G4-12, G4-EC9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Germany

65.9

62.5

56.9

54.4

54.2

Europe

26.1

26.0

30.5

31.5

30.8

Overseas

8.0

11.6

12.6

14.1

15.0

Miele production plants that procure a lot overseas recorded more growth than others in the business year 2015/16.
1)

Payments to suppliers.

Suppliers of production materials
Number [GRI G4-12]

1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

2,287

2,324

2,328

2,277

2,4431)

Suppliers from Spares Logistics were included in the calculation for the first time in the business year 2015/16.

Contents Facts & figures Back

196

Self-assessment on compliance with social standards by potential suppliers
Number [GRI G4-LA14, G4-HR10, G4-SO9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Compliance confirmed

935

433

555

968

475

Compliance not confirmed

8

12

15

6

9

Total

943

445

570

974

484

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Total waste produced

28,59630,011

31,49330,084

33,101

Scrap metal

17,063

17,507

18,533

17,566

18,885

Waste for recycling

26,984

27,86429,31028,65531,619Hazardous waste

1,109

1,305

1,167

1,363

1,347

Waste for disposal

1,612

2,147

2,183

1,430

1,482

Hazardous waste

1,235

1,762

1,653

920

762

Environment
Resource management
Waste for recycling and disposal by typein tonnes [GRI G4-EN23, G4-EN25]

The increase in total waste is caused by the increase in production across all plants, by the greater number ofMiele employees and the increased construction activity. A greater number of defective products were created
due to the production of new device generations and the associated changeover of production processes. This
increased the volume of scrap metal in particular. In addition, waste from external services was increasingly
disposed of through the Miele disposal systems. Finally, there were technical problems during the reporting period
at the waste collection plant at the Gütersloh site. As a result, a large number of foils were misrouted.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT197

Waste for recycling and disposal by type (solid/liquid)
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN23]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Solid waste for recycling

26,41827,00028,49027,66130,655Liquid waste for recycling

566

864

819

994

964

Solid waste for disposal

873

833

840

754

1,165

Liquid waste for disposal

739

1,315

1,342

676

317

In total, approx. 96 percent of the waste produced at Miele can be recycled. For causes of the increase in the amount ofwaste, see Waste for recycling and disposal by type. The quantities of liquid waste for disposal have decreased, as rinsing
fluids from the wash cabinet production process for dishwashers have been recycled in a physicochemical process since
the business year 2014/15 at the Bielefeld plant. By commissioning a water treatment plant for the production of dryer
drums, the Uničov plant was able to avoid disposing of around 350 tonnes of oil-containing waste water per year.

Source areas of total waste
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN23]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Waste from production,
product parts1)

24,27326,08227,502

26,03927,872

Waste from operational
plants, administration anddevelopment areas2)

3,228

3,246

3,283

3,306

3,292

Waste from buildings, ground3)

1,095

701

718

739

1,937

For causes of the increase in the amount of waste, see Waste for recycling and disposal by type.
A waste type is allocated to a source area if at least 80 percent of the waste type comes from the area concerned. Production waste includes:
product and production parts such as scrap metal, foundry waste, acids, waste from the treatment of technical waste water and plastic parts.

1)

Examples of waste from operational plants, administration and the development areas: scrap disposal of outdated
production facilities, cable remains, spent oils, cardboard and paper, wood, pallets and general waste.
3)
Waste from buildings and grounds includes, for example, building rubble, excavated soil, stones, neontubes, flooring, waste from green areas and sewer cleaning, rubbish.
2)

Production waste per tonne of product1)
iin kilograms [GRI G4-EN23]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

143

152

157

147

148

Waste that is directly related to production activities, such as scrap metal, foundry waste and acids, is expressed in relation to tonnes of product. The amountsof waste from “Buildings/grounds” and “Operations facilities, administration and development areas” are not included here (see source areas of total waste).

1)

Contents Facts & figures Back

198

Destination of total waste
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN23]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Materials recycling, processing1)

25,102

25,523

26,78926,30529,200

Energy recovery, incineration2)

1,538

1,796

2,115

1,774

1,976

Physicochemical treatment3)

1,241

2,076

2,122

1,615

1,149

Dumping4)

714

638

476

390

775

The share of waste for dumping increased in the business year 2015/16 as a result of theremediation of industrial flooring with asbestos in the course of the new build activities.
Recovery, conditioning methods, processing of sludge into building materials.
Thermal recovery of highly calorific waste with a gross calorific value of > 11,000 kJ and special waste incineration.
3)
Treatment of waste from surface and waste water treatment, sewer-cleaning activities and emulsion drilling.
4)
Rubble and soil from construction work are normally disposed of at dumpsites.

1)

2)

Water consumption
in cubic metres [GRI G4-EN8]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

364,684

347,072

370,085

340,631

365,221

Water from the public system

220,605

183,080

210,963

205,160

224,470

Water from own supply

144,079

163,992

159,122

135,471

140,751

0

0

0

0

0

Total

Surface water1)

Water consumption increased as a result of broken pipes during construction work to improve
the water supply and as a result of the changeover of production processes.
1)

Rainwater which is stored in cisterns or other similar containers and fed into a separate water system.

Water consumption per tonne of productin cubic metres [GRI G4-EN8]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

2.15

2.02

2.11

1.92

1.94

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT199

Waste waterin cubic metres [GRI G4-EN22]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

327,077

299,857

336,474

316,084

336,094

Technical waste water1)

54,71748,802

46,86645,26153,393

Other waste water 2)

272,360

251,055

289,608

270,823

282,701

Total

Waste water quantities are not identical to the quantities of water withdrawn, since water evaporates in some technical processes.
The increased amount of waste water in 2015/16 is due to increased water consumption caused by the increase in production.
1)
2)

Technical waste water is treated mechanically, chemically, or biologically before being discharged into the public sewer system.
Standard household dirty water as an indirect discharge into the local sewer for local waste water treatment (the Braşov plant remains an exception).

Waste water per tonne of productin cubic metres [GRI G4-EN22]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

1.92

1.74

1.92

1.78

1.79

Energy use and emissions
Energy consumption
in megawatt-hours [GRI G4-EN3, G4-EN6]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

52,77857,876

51,39050,72351,647

Heating oil

1,051

834

653

569

382

Natural gas

51,72757,04250,73750,15451,265

179,690

185,272

172,156

172,666

179,343

District heating

38,72942,14933,42934,64334,093

Electricity

140,961

143,123

138,727

138,023

145,250

232,468

243,148

223,546

223,389

230,990

Direct energy consumption

Indirect energy consumption

Total energy consumption

The demand for natural gas has increased, as heating oil has continually been replaced by natural gas. Other
causes include the operation of two cogeneration plants in Bünde and the construction of new buildings. The
increase in the electricity demand is a result of increased production and the extension of the reporting framework(plant located outside the Gütersloh site). An additional cause for the increased electricity consumption is theparallel operation of production plants when changing over the generations of washing machines.

Contents Facts & figures Back200

Energy consumption per tonne of productin kilowatt-hours [GRI G4-EN5]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

1,368

1,415

1,275

1,260

1,228

Energy mix1) of electricity purchased worldwide
as a percentage [GRI G4-EN3]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Renewable energy

22

37

36

28

28

Energy from fossil fuels

30

27

26

28

29

Nuclear energy

48

34

36

41

40

Other

1

2

3

3

3

The energy mix illustrated here represents the mix of all electricity purchased by Miele. The individual energy mixes of local
electricity providers were included in proportion to the providers’ respective shares of the total Miele electricity supply.

1)

Energy-related CO2 emissions
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN16]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Heating oil and natural gas

10,941

11,921

10,625

10,55810,309

Electricity and district heating

40,84842,217

38,10040,81742,189Total

51,78954,13848,72551,37552,498The increase in energy-related emissions is a result of the increased electricity consumption, see energy consumption.
In contrast to this development, specific energy-related emissions decreased per tonne of product (see the following table).

Energy-related CO2 emissions per tonne of productin kilograms [GRI G4-EN18]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Heating oil and natural gas

64

69

61

60

55

Electricity and district heating

240

246

217

230

224

Total

305

315

278

290

279

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

201

The corporate carbon footprint
in tonnes of CO2 [GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN16, G4-EN17, G4-EN19]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

17,725

18,392

16,912

16,635

16,395Natural gas

10,661

11,756

10,457

10,381

10,207

Heating oil

280

165

168

177

102

Fleet

6,784

6,471

6,287

6,254

6,086

40,84842,217

38,10040,81742,189

Electricity

34,36135,24832,86035,43036,926

District heating

6,487

6,969

5,240

5,387

5,263

36,43538,26142,44645,30548,82633,63636,04939,77442,75446,015

Outbound transport1)

28,95331,15235,531

38,456

41,303Distribution in Germany

4,683

4,897

4,243

4,298

4,712

Business trips

2,799

2,212

2,672

2,551

2,811

Total CO2 emissions

95,00898,87097,457102,757

107,410

CO2 emissions/employee

5.68

5.73

5.52

5.79

5.85

CO2 emissions/million
euros of turnover

31.29

31.39

30.26

29.44

28.94

CO2 emissions/tonne of product

0.56

0.58

0.56

0.58

0.57

Scope 1 – Direct CO2 emissions

Scope 2 – Indirect CO2 emissions

Scope 3 – Indirect CO2 emissions
Logistics

The corporate carbon footprint was compiled according to the standards of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol. The
total emissions in the business year 2015/16 were 4.5 percent higher in comparison to the business year 2014/15.
The main reason for this is the positive sales development, which led to an expansion of logistics activities and to
an increase in transport-related CO2 emissions. In particular, the increase in overseas sales led to a disproportionate
increase in CO2 emissions due to the longer transport routes. Electricity consumption at the sites also increasedslightly due to higher production quantities and the parallel production of old and new washing machine series
as part of the generational change – this is reflected in an increase in the energy-related CO2 emissions.
1)

Supply of subsidiaries or direct supply of international customers with finished products and spare parts from the central warehouse or directly ex works.

Contents Facts & figures Back202

SO2 and NOx emissions1)
in tonnes [GRI G4-EN21]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

SO2 emissions

6

7

6

6

6

NOx emissions

8

7

6

6

6

SO2 emissions

72

73

82

79

86

NOx emissions

128

133

149

153

155

Direct emissions at the sites

Indirect emissions frompower generation

1)

The emission factors for calculating the SO2 and NOx emissions are derived from publicly available sources.

Transport and logistics
Transport volume
in million tonne-kilometres and percentages [GRI G4-EN30]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Total

575.6

601.1

665.3

694.4

744.2

Outbound1)

528.3

552.1

618.7

646.8

692.7

By ship (%)

80.2

80.9

81.5

81.3

81.7

By lorry (%)

15.1

14.4

14.1

14.1

14.2

By rail (%)

4.0

3.9

3.4

3.3

3.0

By air (%)

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.3

1.1

47.3

49.1

46.6

47.5

51.5

Distribution Germany

The transport volume has continually increased in recent years. This is due to the positive sales development, especiallyin the overseas markets. The increase in air freight in 2014/15 is largely due to a single large air freight consignment by
the Australian sales subsidiary. By checking all air freight, this proportion could be reduced again in the year 2015/16.
1)

Supply of subsidiaries or direct supply of international customers with finished products and spare parts from the central warehouse or directly ex works.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT203

Transport-related CO2 emissions – TTW1)
in tonnes and percentages [GRI G4-EN17, G4-EN30]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

33,63636,04939,77442,75446,01528,95331,15235,531

38,456

41,303

By ship (%)

66.9

65.9

65.1

62.5

64.3

By lorry (%)

25.7

25.3

24.1

23.4

24.2

By air (%)

7.3

8.4

10.5

13.8

11.2

By rail (%)

0.1

0.3

0.3

0.3

0.4

4,683

4,897

4,243

4,298

4,712

GesamtOutboundDistribution Germany

For causes of the increase in transport-related CO2 emissions, see the corporate carbon footprint.
1)

Tank-to-wheel representation.

CO2 emissions of the Miele fleet – TTW1)
in tonnes and percentages [GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN30]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

6,784

6,471

6,287

6,254

6,086

By car (%)

36.4

35.8

37.6

36.2

36.6

By LCV2) (customer service) (%)

61.5

62.0

60.3

61.9

61.3

By lorry (%)

2.2

2.2

2.1

1.9

2.1

Total

The CO2 emissions in the Miele fleet have been able to be continually reduced in recent years. This resulted
from a consistent changeover to vehicles with low CO2 emissions as new vehicles were purchased.
1)
2)

Tank-to-wheel representation.
Light commercial vehicles.

Relative CO2 emissions
in grams per kilometre [GRI G4-EN15, G4-EN30]

1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Cars

138

132

128

124

120

LCV1) (customer service)

214

203

194

190

183

Light commercial vehicles.

Contents Facts & figures Back204

CO2 emissions from business trips
with externally purchased transport services1), in tonnes [GRI G4-EN17, G4-EN30]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Total

2,799

2,212

2,671

2,551

2,811

Car

13

123

117

124

131

Rail2)

-

-

-

-

16

Flights

2,660

2,089

2,554

2,427

2,664

In 2015/16, 1,744,705 CO2-free passenger kilometres were covered in long-distance rail journeys. The CO2
emissions for rail transport resulted from 251,477 passenger kilometres in short-distance journeys.
CO2emissions resulting from business trips with vehicles from the Miele fleet are recorded separately.
In recent years, long-distance journeys by rail were CO2-free as part of the “bahn.corporate” programme. Emissions arisingfrom short-distance journeys were not recorded separately prior to 2016 and cannot be calculated in retrospect.

1)2)

Using the job ticket for public transport for the Gütersloh and Bielefeld plants
Number

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

1,218

955

957

940

915

Areas
Area covered and not covered by structuresin square metres

2012/132013/142014 1)

2015

2016

Total

1,463,458

1,471,086

1,714,024

1,733,214

1,733,214

Area covered by structures

535,435

530,383

530,918

534,550

547,473

Area not covered by structures

928,023

940,7031,183,106

1,198,664

1,185,741

Green areas

529,916

527,643

769,596773,589

750,108

Surfaced area

398,107413,060

413,510425,075

435,633

New areas are always measured once a construction project is completed. The respective areas therefore onlychange on completion of construction activities. The increase in areas covered by structures in the 2016 calendar
year is mainly a result of the construction of the new spare parts warehouse at the site in Gütersloh.
Area and time period for report changed in 2014. The areas are now reported on the basis of calendar years, as this complies
with the public tax law. In addition, rented areas at the production sites are now also taken into account.

1)

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

205

Investments and ongoing expenditures
Investments in environmental protection at the production plants
in thousands of euros [GRI G4-EN31]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

823

2,722

1,602

2,032

904

Waste management

115

13

13

20

72

Water pollution control

200

684

388

150

113

Climate protection/energy efficiency

333

1,002

740

1,638

605

Noise control

7

1

22

0

23

Air pollution control

168

1,018

392

219

87

Nature conservation andlandscape maintenance

0

4

48

5

5

Total

Investments in environmental protection are subject to significant annual fluctuation as they include
one-off investments in new plants and equipment based on current requirements.

Ongoing environmental expenditures at the production plants
in thousands of euros [GRI G4-EN31]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

6,552

6,777

7,365

6,841

6,711

Waste management

2,125

2,513

2,955

2,621

2,592

Soil remediation

394

282

123

99

132

Water pollution control

2,351

2,371

2,446

2,277

2,272

Noise control

101

92

74

62

61

Air pollution control

1,576

1,511

1,763

1,746

1,621

4

8

4

36

33

Total

Nature conservation andlandscape maintenanceContents Facts & figures Back206

PeopleHuman resources management
The numbers refer exclusively to Germany, unless otherwise specified.

Employees
Number [GRI G4-LA1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

16,716

17,251

17,66017,741

18,370in Germany

10,327

10,37910,411

10,346

10,326

Outside of Germany

6,389

6,872

7,249

7,395

8,044

Total

Distribution of employees
as a percentage [GRI G4-10]

2015/16

1)

Sales subsidiary Germany

8

Production sites in Germany1)

48

Sales subsidiaries outside of Germany

32

Production sites outside of Germany

12This also includes employees of central administration at the Gütersloh site.

Contract employees
Number and percentage

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number

374

400

332

453

498

Proportion of the entire
workforce (%)

3.6

3.9

3.2

4.4

4.81)

The Company-Wide Collective Agreement specifies the conditions under which the rate of 4.5 percent (also determined in the Agreement) canbe deviated from. These deviations are agreed with the works council in special regulations and employer/works council agreements.

1)

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT207

Employee turnover1)[GRI G4-LA1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number of resignations

104

95

93

99

229

Rate of turnover (%)

1.01

0.92

0.89

0.96

2.22

The increase in the fluctuation rate in the business year 2015/16 is related to the merging
of the German back-office operations in sales and service in Gütersloh.
1)

Temporary employment contracts are not included. Terminations issued by the company are included in the calculation.

Ideas submitted as part of the suggestion scheme1)
Number1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

2,174

2,263

2,083

2,129

2,007

These figures refer to all German plants and distribution and service centres, excluding the Bünde and Arnsberg locations of imperial-Werke, a Miele affiliate.

Total savings from implemented employee ideas1)
in thousands of euros

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

2,675

2,880

3,302

2,256

2,159

The three-year value (business year 2013/14 – 2015/16) of the implemented
suggestions totalled 2.2 million euros in the business year 2015/16.
1)

These figures refer to all German plants and distribution and service centres, excluding the Bünde and Arnsberg locations of imperial-Werke, a Miele affiliate.

Contents Facts & figures Back208

Vocational training and development
The numbers refer exclusively to Germany, unless otherwise specified.

Cost of vocational training and development
in millions of euros [GRI G4-LA9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

16.4

16.7

16.5

16.8

17.6

The commercial and technical apprenticeship scheme, along with internal and external advanced training
programmes, accounted for the largest portion of the expenses in the business year 2015/16. Additional expenses
were incurred, for example, for initial training programmes and advanced customer service training.

Advanced training time frames
Number of hours per employee [GRI G4-LA9]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

8.4

5.1

6.2

7.1

7.1

The number of advanced training hours per employee has decreased from eight hours in 2011/12 toseven hours in 2015/16. Part of the reason for this is the increased use of e-learning components
which supplement and/or replace the training phases requiring the learner’s presence. The amountof time needed by employees to work through the e-learning components is not recorded.

Apprentices1)
Number and percentage [GRI G4-10]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number

496

487

483

481

472

Proportion (%)

4.8

4.7

4.6

4.7

4.6

The reference date for each year is 1 September, as this date provides a better representation of actual apprentices figures than does the previous dateof 30 June (business year end). The reason for this is that many apprentices have already completed their exams by the end of the business year and are
therefore not formally considered apprentices, although they are still employed by the company and the new apprentices have not yet begun their programme.

1)2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT209

Women and men in the technical and commercial apprenticeship scheme
as a percentage [GRI G4-10]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Women

12

11

12

12

9

Men

88

89

88

88

91

Women

57

55

55

55

50

Men

43

45

45

45

50

Technical apprenticeshipCommercial apprenticeship

Occupational health and safety
The figures on occupational health and safety refer to all production sites, the sales subsidiaryin Germany and the five German distribution and service centres, four of which closed in
the third quarter of 2015/16 and distribution and service was centralised in Gütersloh.

Reportable1) workplace and commuting accidents
Number [GRI G4-LA6]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Workplace accidents

161

161

236

177

174

Commuting accidents

44

50

48

44

46

Total

205

211

284

221

220

In the business year 2014/15, an employee was involved in a fatal traffic accident on their way towork in the Dongguan plant. As of business year 2013/14, accidents occurring at the German sales
subsidiary and at the five German Sales and Service Centres are also being included.
All accidents resulting in an absence of three or more workdays must be disclosed in detail to the insurer.
Incidents involving an absence of less than three days are covered by accident notifications.

1)Contents Facts & figures Back210

Reportable1) workplace and commuting accidents
Number per 1 million work hours (injury frequency) [GRI G4-LA6]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Workplace accidents

11.1

11.1

13.6

10.2

9.5

Commuting accidents

3.0

3.4

2.8

2.5

2.5

Total

14.1

14.5

16.3

12.7

12.1

All accidents resulting in an absence of three or more workdays must be disclosed in detail to the insurer.
Incidents involving an absence of less than three days are covered by accident notifications.

1)

Reportable1) workplace and commuting accidents
Number per 1000 employees (“thousand-man rate”) [GRI G4-LA6]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Workplace accidents

16.1

15.5

19.2

14.5

13.9

Commuting accidents

4.4

4.8

3.9

3.6

3.7

Total

20.5

20.4

23.1

18.1

17.6

All accidents resulting in an absence of three or more workdays must be disclosed in detail to the insurer.
Incidents involving an absence of less than three days are covered by accident notifications.

1)

Lost days1) due to a workplace or commuting accident
Number [GRI G4-LA6]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Lost days due to aworkplace accident

1,676

2,019

3,811

2,637

2,911

Lost days due to acommuting accident

636

952

1,331

1,125

995

Total

2,312

2,971

5,142

3,762

3,906

As of business year 2013/14, accidents occurring at the German sales subsidiary andat the five German Sales and Service Centres are also being included.
1)“Lost days” denotes the number of scheduled workdays lost, starting from the time of the accident.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

211

Training sessions on occupational safety
Number of participants

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

643

684

896

1,725

1,215

In the business year 2015/16, a total of 1,215 employees underwent training on the topic ofoccupational safety. Participants included both managers and manufacturing employees.

Diversity and equal opportunity
The numbers refer exclusively to Germany, unless otherwise specified.

Employees according to age groupas a percentage [GRI G4-LA12]

2015/16< 30 years

14

30 to 50 years

48> 50 years

38

Women and men in the Miele workforce in Germany
Number [GRI G4-LA12]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Women

2,393

2,404

2,404

2,399

2,289

Men

7,934

7,975

8,008

7,947

8,037

Women and men in the Miele workforce in Germany
as a percentage [GRI G4-LA12]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Women

23.2

23.2

23.1

23.2

22.2

Men

76.8

76.8

76.9

76.8

77.8

Contents Facts & figures Back212

Women and men in management positions
as a percentage [GRI G4-LA12]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16 1)

Women

8

9

10

12

22

Men

92

91

90

88

78

From the business year 2015/16, the term “manager” applies to all management levels (M0–M5) globally. Previously, theterm covered the Executive Board, company officials with power of attorney and authorised agents.

1)

Employees with disabilities1)[GRI G4-LA12]1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number of employeeswith disabilities

469

471

480

582

578

Proportion of employeeswith disabilities (%)

5

5

5

6

6

The definition of “employees with disabilities” follows the legal definition of disability in social legislation – Article 2 of the Social Code (SGB) IX.

Full-time and part-time workers[GRI G4-10]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number of full-time workers

9,689

9,682

9,677

9,559

9,585

Proportion of full-time workers (%)

93.8

93.3

92.3

92.4

92.8

Number of part-time workers

639

697

735

787

741

Proportion of part-time workers (%)

6.2

6.7

7.1

7.6

7.2

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

With flexitime

46.1

47.7

48.4

49.5

55.1

Without flexitime

51.9

52.3

51.7

50.5

44.9

Employees with and without flexitime
as a percentage

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT213

Foreign employees in Germany1)[GRI G4-LA12]1)

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

Number

524

526

526

530

550

Proportion (%)

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.1

5.3

“Foreign employees” denotes all employees who do not have German citizenship.

Social engagement
Amount of financial donations to charitableprojects made by Miele & Cie. KG
in thousands of euros [GRI G4-EC1]

2011/122012/132013/142014/15

2015/16

207

154

277

215

181

Amount of financial donations to charitable projects
made by the Miele Foundation1)
in thousands of euros [GRI G4-EC1]

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

100

97

81

81

94

Due to the unfavourable development of interest and the resultant lower revenue, the expenditure
for public welfare reduced to 81,000 euros in the calendar years 2014 and 2015. The
Foundation only invests its interest profit. The basic amount is 2.5 million euros.
1)

Data for the Miele Foundation refers to calendar years.

Contents Facts & figures Back214

Objectives
Comparing objectives

Objective achieved

Miele reconsiders its objectives each year. Here, the degree of
performance for the objectives drawn from the Sustainability
Report 2015 is displayed. Some objectives have been completely fulfilled in the meantime, but with some delay.

Objective partly achieved
Objective not achieved

Strategy and management
Deadline/
StatusStrategic objective

Measures

Comment

Sustainability strategy
The Miele sustainability
strategy is developed andimplemented cyclically.

Annual strategy reviews including the involved functions

In the business years 2014/15 and 2015/16, theobjectives, measures, and key figures of theMiele sustainability strategy were monitored andchecked by the Technical Product Management andEnvironmental Office, taking into account all the
departments involved. In addition, workshops were
held in the reporting period on the internal evaluationof key sustainability topics, as well as external
stakeholder surveys, see also the Strategy chapter.

30.06.2016

Sustainability
management
The monitoring andreporting of importantsustainability indicators
has been optimised.

Expand the IT system for
key figures for sustain­
ability and use of targetedguidance of activities

The target was not fully reached by 30 June
2015. New key figures from the revised
Miele sustainability strategy were recorded in
the IT system on 30 June 2016 in order tocapture the key figures for sustainability.

30.06.2015

Management system
Relevant management
systems have been
implemented and certified
at all Miele sites.

Certify the Dongguan
plant in accordance with
the SA8000 standard

The target was delayed and achieved in November
2016. Certification started in the reporting
period. The pre-audit and review documentation
on SA8000 took place in September 2016.

31.12.2015

Management system
External auditing and recertification of all European
Miele sites in accordancewith ISO 9001, ISO 14001,
ISO 50001, OHSAS
18001 and SA8000

Auditing by an external
certifier

The Group certificate 9/14/18/50, which
is valid from 15 December 2014 to 14
December 2017 is available to Miele.

14.12.2017

Issue a new certificate
which is valid for 3 years
from 15 December 20142017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

215

Strategic objective

Deadline/
StatusMeasures

Comment

Stakeholder dialogue
Systematic stakeholder
management processes
have been introduced.

Observation of the
stakeholder environmentand regular communication
with key stakeholders

Communication with key stakeholders hastaken place. In addition, nine topic-specifictelephone interviews were held for the Sustainability
Report 2017, see the Strategy chapter.

30.06.2016

Compliance Management
Further improvements
have been made to theexisting compliancemanagement system.

Implementation of
educational software for the
Miele Code of Conduct

The educational software for the Miele
Code of Conduct was implemented.

30.06.2016

Introduction of educational software on thesubject of competition andanti-trust legislation

The educational software on the subject ofcompetition and anti-trust legislation was introduced.

30.06.2016

Introduction of compliancesoftware on the topics ofcorporate environmental
protection, energy, occupational health and safety andproduct-related regulations

The new compliance software on the
topics of corporate environmental protection,energy, occupational health and safety andproduct-related regulations was introduced.

30.06.2016

Significant risks related tosustainability which could
affect Miele will beidentified, evaluated andintegrated in the existingrisk management system

This is continuously monitored. The target
was achieved in the reporting period.

Continually

CR risk management
Miele risk management
has been expanded toinclude relevant sustainability aspects from thesustainability strategy.

Products
Strategic objective
Products with optimised
consumption
The percentage of European
washing machines, tumble
dryers, dishwashers, cookers/
ovens and refrigeratorsand freezers with the bestenergy efficiency rating is being
further increased compared
to business year 2013/14.

Measures
Offer highly efficient technologies
in lower price ranges

Comment
Washing machines
From 63 % (2013/14) to 93 %(2015/16) at A+++

Deadline/
Status30.06.2016

Tumble dryers
From 1 % (2013/14) to 8 %(2015/16) at A+++
Dishwashers
From 30 % (2013/14) auf
39 % (2015/16) at A+++
Refrigerators and freezers
From 8 % (2013/14) to 13 %(2015/16) at A+++

Contents Facts & figures Back216

Products
Strategic objective

Measures

Comment

Deadline/
Status

Products with optimised
consumption
The range of models across all
product categories with the bestenergy efficiency rating and whichhave an energy label (EU) is being
further expanded compared tothe business year 2013/14.

Continued development ofexisting technologies and theuse of new technologies

The range of models with thehighest energy efficiency rating was
further extended in the reporting
period across all product categories.

30.06.2016

Products with optimised
consumptionMore users of Miele washingmachines are able to further
reduce the amount of laundry
detergent they use.

Expansion of the product line ofautomatic washing machines with
automatic detergent dosing systems

The product line of automatic washingmachines with automatic detergent
dosing systems was further expanded. In
the business year 2014/15, 15 %of the washing machines soldhad TwinDos; in the business year
2015/16, this figure was 18 %.

30.06.2016

Products with optimised
consumption
Increased numbers of Miele
appliance users have theopportunity to actively andspontaneously reduce theirconsumption of resourceseven further.

Expansion of the line of appliances offered with the EcoFeedback function
for a transparent display of current
energy and water consumption depending on the programme selected

The proportion of washing machines
sold with the EcoFeedback function
was 34 % in the business year
2015/16; for tumble dryers, this figure
was 20 % in the same time period.

30.06.2016

Durability and reliability
Long service life and reliability
still provide a guaranteed contribution to resource conservationand climate protection, evenin new model lines.

Carry out and publish a study
on the ecological benefitsof a long service life

A study on the ecologicalbenefits of a long service life wascarried out and published.

30.06.2016

Proven appliance requirements, suchas a service life of up to 20 years
owing to appropriate construction andthe use of high-quality materials arestill a part of the process. Durability
tests are continued as confirmationof the required properties.

The appliances continue to bebuilt to last up to 20 years.

Operating comfort
Uncomplicated and intuitive
operability for various groups of
Miele product users remains thestandard in new model lines.

Design and develop simple, intuitive
operation. Provide option for feedback
from the device to the user, e.g. via
acoustic or optical signals, and enable
retrofitting in addition, if necessary.

Uniform device operation across all products is provided in new model lines. This
also includes acoustic and optical signals.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

30.06.2016

217

Deadline/
StatusStrategic objective

Measures

Comment

Networking
Domestic appliance networking
enables convenience, safety
and energy savings.

Expansion of the network capabilityof Miele products: the devices can be
networked with other communication
networks, components and products.
The target here is also to reduce theprimary energy consumption andCO2 emissions for the entire system.

Numerous built-in appliances, washingmachines, and tumble dryers, as wellas many fridges, cooker hoods and hobunits are network-enabled: for example,
in the business year 2015/16, 60 % of
all hob units and hoods were networked.
Repurchasable WLAN modules,
Con@ctivity 2.0 and ShopConn@ect
increase the network capability andoptions for mobile application.

30.06.2016

Pollutant-free productsContinue to manufacture
products free of criticalsubstances in the future

As in the past, the internal guidelines(Miele plant standard) for limiting theuse of substances is adapted in cycles to the level of expert knowledge.

The Miele plant standard was modified.

30.06.2016

Resource-efficient products
Products will continue
to be durable, easy torepair, efficient and largely
recyclable in the future.

The existing requirements
continue to be acknowledged, theproducts are further developed
within the scope of the options,and also improved in terms ofresource efficiency as a result.

Miele continues to deal with conflictsof interest between targets including
consumption efficiency, ease ofrecycling, design and customer
requirements. For example, glass
fronts are analysed in detail in termsof how easy they are to recycle.

30.06.2016

Recycling/disposal
Establish cradle to cradle whenrecycling Miele products in anenvironmentally friendly manner

Check the product-return
solutions in light of theamendment to the ElektroG

The amendment to the ElektroG wascompleted on 20 October 2015. Inline with § 17 of the ElektroG, it is now
obligatory for distributors (dealers) toreturn old devices depending on thearea of sale, stock and logistics. Miele
initiated a study in advance to checkfor a possible return by the dealer. The
externally conducted study came to theconclusion that such solutions cannot be
implemented in line with Miele’s targets.

30.06.2016

Monitor the closing of material
cycles and initiate pilot projects

The use of recyclable cast iron was
successfully tested in the Miele foundryat the Gütersloh site. In particular, parts
from washing machines were used to
manufacture new cast-iron weights. The
waste management service provider
is registered as a Miele supplier forcast iron; further cooperation options
are currently being tested.

Contents Facts & figures Back218

Supply chain
Strategic objective

Measures

Comment

High environmental
and social standards
Recognised environmental
and social standards
are complied with in the
Miele supply chain.

Early warning indicators as part of a pilot
project in the existing supplier management
system, in order to identify risks in procurement and to evaluate them accordingly

The pilot project was completed.
The early warning system iscontinued with approx. 2000 suppliers (manufacturing materials andnon-manufacturing materials).

Deadline/
Status30.06.2016

Processes
Strategic objective

Measures

Comment

Energy efficiency
The specific energy
consumption of 1368
kWh/t of product (2011/12)
has decreased by 4 %.

Implementation of
The specific energy consumption
further site-specificcould be further reduced:
individual measures from the- From 52 kWh/item of product to 44 kWh/item ofanalysis of potential, which
product; this corresponds to a reduction of 15 %.
was carried out in the- From 1368 kWh/t of product to 1228 kWh/t ofbusiness year 2012/13 for the
product; this corresponds to a reduction of 10 %.
infrastructure facilities suchas heating and ventilation
A reduction of the primary energy
requirement by 4 % was also achieved.

CO2 reduction
The average CO2 emissions
for the entire car and lightcommercial vehicle fleet
are to be reduced by thebusiness year 2020/21
to 110 g/km for cars and
165 g/km for LCV (lightcommercial vehicles).

Miele fleet changed to vehicles
with low CO2 emissions as
new vehicles are purchased.
A progress check is carriedout annually on 30 June.

CO2 reduction
At least 80 % of theoutbound shipping
volume is carried using
sea or rail transport, with amaximum of 1.5 % being
carried by air freight.

Select environmentally friendly
transport modes using the CO2
calculation tool in accordancewith the Miele directive forchoosing transport services.
A progress check is carriedout annually on 30 June.

Deadline/
Status30.06.2016

Average CO2 emissions for the Miele car and LCV fleet 30.06.2021
were further reduced in the reporting period. For cars,
the average CO2 emissions were 120 g/km in the business year 2015/16 (business year 2013/14: 128 g/km).
For LCV, the average CO2 emissions were
183 g/km in the business year 2015/16(business year 2013/14: 194 g/km).
In the business year 2015/16, this value was
110 g/km for new cars and 161 g/km for new
LCVs. The target is to reduce this value to
95 g/km for new cars and to 147 g/km for
LCVs by the business year 2020/21.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTWith 1.1 % transport volume via air freight and84.7 % via ship and rail, the target could beachieved in the business year 2015/16.

Continually219

Deadline/
StatusStrategic objective

Measures

Comment

CO2 reduction
Company CO2 emissions,which were at 556 kg/t ofproduct (2011/12), havebeen reduced by 3 %.

Establish and implement all
initiatives aimed at reducing
CO2 emissions, such as
reducing the amount of energy
used at company sites andengineering the low-carbon
distribution of goods

Company CO2 emissions have increased to 571 kg/tof product (2015/16) which is equivalent to 2 %. The
reason for this increase was the positive sales development, which resulted in an expansion of logistics
activities and therefore to an increase in transport-related CO2 emissions. In particular, the increase inoverseas sales led to a disproportionate increase inCO2 emissions due to the longer transport routes.

30.06.2016

Resource efficiency
The mixed waste was
reduced by 15 %compared to the businessyear 2012/13

Increase sorting rates for
cardboard/paper and foils

Mixed waste increased by 13 % in total dueto the increase in the cross-plant production
volume and the number of employees, as well as
an increase in construction activity, the changeover of device generations, and the misroutingof foils (caused by technical problems).

30.06.2016

Optimise processes andcontainer systems

Waste fractions such as plastic strapping
and polystyrene were separated more
successfully than in previous years; employee
awareness is making an impact. Work continues
to improve waste separation on site.

Check for applications
for recycling paper orother environmentally friendly
alternatives; subsequentpreparation of a pilot phase

The printers/copiers at all German sites havebeen changed to recycling paper. Further areas ofapplication for recycling paper are being tested.

Resource efficiency
Resource efficiency in administration has improved.

Contents Facts & figures Back

30.06.2015

220

PeopleStrategic objective

Measures

Comment

Deadline/
StatusEnsuring recruitmentof young talent andproviding them withqualifications
Develop a concept for
strategic personnel
planning.

Carry out an age-structure analysis andresignation analysis for all sites

The analysis is completed. It led to
strategic personnel planning which
was conducted across Germany
in 2016, with the aim of deriving apersonnel portfolio for 2025. This
portfolio will form the basis for theorientation of various HR disciplines.
Planning should be conducted
regularly. The idea behind thisconcept is still being developed.

30.06.2015

Ensuring recruitmentof young talent andproviding them withqualifications
Managers are moreaware of the real impact
of demographic change.

Hold workshops with plant and departmental
management at the sites in order to develop ideas

The activities were not yet fullycompleted on 30 June 2016. The
current activities now extend
beyond the target, as the focus is
not only on awareness, but also
on developing strategic personnel
planning at each plant for 2025 asa result; also see previous target.

30.06.2016

Diversity and equal
opportunity
Requirements for the
future advancement of
women is established.

Questionnaire among female managers, engineers
and candidates in the business year 2014/15

In 2014, over 100 female specialists
and managers were asked to describe
their attitudes and expectations on
the topics of work and career inorder to guide the Germany-wide“Diversity: Focus on Women” project.

30.06.2016

Occupational
health and safety
Health promotion andthe design of age-appropriate workplaces havebeen further improved
and optimised.

Participation in the “Frauen-Karriere-Index”(“Women’s Career Index”), a project funded by
the German Federal Ministry of Family Affairs,
Senior Citizens, Women and Youth with theaim of creating transparency on the issue ofcareer advancement opportunities for womenForm project teams at all production sites on
the topic of corporate health management
Introduce the “Körperliche Fitness” (“Physicalfitness”) concept with an external partner (calculate Work Ability Index, diagnostics and analysis,
develop individual training plans for employees)

Miele participates in the“Frauen-Karriere-Index“ (“Women’s
Career Index”) project.
Since then, organisational structures
for corporate health management
have been created and projects
have begun at all German Miele
plants, see also People chapter.

30.06.2016

Conduct an employee questionnaire on the topic
of health together with an external partner
Offer various options for advice andinformation events/materials

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT221

Strategic objective

Measures

Comment

Deadline/
StatusOccupational
health and safety
The company’s
IF – injury frequency (notincluding commuting
accidents) – has been
reduced by 10 %compared to thebusiness year 2011/12.

Update hazard analyses andanalyse accidents intensively

The injury frequency of 11.1 (businessyear 2011/12) was reduced by 14 %to 9.5 (business year 2015/16).

30.06.2016

Awareness forsustainability
Miele employees
are aware ofsustainability issues.

Optimise internal communication on the sustainability strategy, including exchanging information
on lighthouse projects at the various sites and oncompany sustainability activities across the plants

The Sustainability Action Team wasfounded. Meetings were held between
the Technical Product Managementand Environmental Office (TPE) andspecialist departments in order toestablish a strategy. This contributed
to awareness of this topic. Plant
meetings, notices and news on the intranet covering, for example, mobility
management topics, recycling paper,or the natural design of company
groundsall increased awareness.

30.06.2016

Employee satisfaction
Miele employees
value the company as
an employer that actswith integrity.

Continue employee questionnaires (Employee
Engagement Survey) at the sales subsidiaries

Recently, an employee questionnaire
was conducted in Germany
with a focus on corporate health management in Germany. Global follow-up
questionnaires are being planned.

30.06.2016

Promotion ofcommunity
Company involvementin the areas of learning/education and art/
culture will continue
at its current level.

Further support for projects/facilities for children
and young people in the district of Gütersloh,
support for not-for-profit facilities, support for theStudienfonds OWL scholarships, financing theholiday games through the Miele Foundation

In the reporting period, numerous
projects and facilities wereonce more supported in theareas of learning/education andart/culture, see People chapter.

Continually

Follow-up questionnaires in thebusiness year 2015/16

Contents Facts & figures Back

222

New objectives
with time frame up to 2025

Cluster/issue
Management & processes

Strategic objective
The long-term financial success of Miele is ensured through sustainability.
Miele is recognised and valued worldwide as the most sustainable company
in the industry. Sustainability is an integral part of its brand identity.

Stakeholder dialogue

Sustainability communication with stakeholders is tailoredto the target audience and international.

Risk management

In addition to legal requirements, risk management also takes
into account the expectations of stakeholders.

Products & services

Miele appliances are the benchmark for sustainable product design and holistic efficiency.
Miele is the industry leader in terms of product innovations andbusiness models with a focus on sustainability.
Trust in Miele is secured, even in an interconnected world.

Supply chain & production

Minimising supply risks and full compliance with environmental and social standards
Miele is the sector leader for environmental performance, in particularfor CO2 emissions, energy efficiency and resource efficiency.

Employees & society

Miele is considered a role model when it comes to balancing work life and family.
Miele sets an example for occupational health and safety.
Miele ensures the recruitment of young talent and the opportunity for qualifications at all locations.
Diversity is made possible through respect and equal opportunity.
Employees and managers are aware of and engaged in sustainable behaviour based on values.
Miele helps to maintain a sound, attractive environment at all locations.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT223

Dialogue

Overview of stakeholder engagement[GRI G4-24, G4-26, G4-27]

Form of dialogue

TopicsMeasures

Customers
Continuous dialogue with customers of domestic
appliances and commercial equipment via
Miele Customer Service and sales talks•

Product quality/durability

Products chapter•

Consumption efficiency

People chapter•

Customer hotline•

Dealing with own employees aswell as work practices

Supply chain chapter•

Private and commercial customer surveys by in-housemarket research; on the topic of sustainability
within the framework of the strategy update•

Product origin•

Compliance with human rights•

Enquiries from customers and institutes in
the 2015/16 business year including thefollowing topics: current changes within the
EU RoHS and REACH directives; microfibre
inputs from washing machines; waste
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
returned goods/distributor obligations•

Product quality and durability

Products chapter•

Consumption efficiency

People chapter•

Dealing with own employees, work practices

Supply chain chapter•

Product origin•

Compliance with human rights
in the supply chains••

Usability tests in the test studio

Dealers•

Continuous dialogue with dealers of domestic
appliances and commercial equipment, especiallyconcerning customer requirements

Contents Facts & figures Back224

Form of dialogue

TopicsMeasures

Suppliers and service providers• Joint elaboration of concepts and proposals for•

Implementing environmental and social
standards in the supply chain

solutions in working groups, several times a year•

Regular exchange with employees ofthe purchasing department•

Environmental protection in the entire productlife cycle, in particular for energy efficiency•

Exchange in the context of audits and training••

Supplier and service provider surveys
on the topic of sustainability within theframework of the strategy update

Common solutions for the implementation of different directives•

Product innovation workshops

Products chapter
Supply chain chapter

Employees•

Involvement in important decisions
through worker participation policy•

Regular employee meetings•

Corporate suggestion scheme/idea management•

Employee surveys•

Complaints office• All employee needs

People chapter• The focus is on sector-specific EU regulations

Products chapter• “Apprenticeship Open Days” at the

Gütersloh, Bielefeld and Oelde plants•Girl’s Days

Associations and interest groups••

Membership and active participation in national andinternational associations and interest groups, suchas the German Central Association of the Electricaland Electronics Industry (ZVEI) and CECED

in the fields of energy and performance,
safety, substances and materials, disposal
and general environmental issues.

Conference participation

Science and research•Long-standing collaboration with various scientific institutions such as the universities in Bielefeld, Paderborn
and Munich, as well as the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft on
issues such as product development and optimisation•

Investigating, for example, ways to makewashing machines and tumble dryers
even more energy-efficient, along with thecomponents and sensors they require.

•Commissioning of studies on specialist topics••

General exchange/Oeko-Institut

Further topics include resource management as Products chapter
well as management systems and certifications.

•Life cycle assessments/studies

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Miele adopts
the research
results as solutions for
operational practice.

225

Form of dialogue

TopicsMeasures

Energy and water consumption of the appliances, waste water contamination (for example,
with detergents), disposal of refrigerators

Supply chain chapter

Non-governmental organisations•

Dialogue with non-governmental organisations(NGOs) on relevant topics in the sector••

In addition, NGOs address the extraction
and processing of the raw materials used.
Depending on the country of origin, thefocus is on environmental issues suchas the protection of water reserves andthe management of soils/land, as well ascompliance with labour and human rights.

•

Maintaining local jobs•

Cultural engagement

Environment chapter
Products chapter

Local communities•

Close and direct exchange with the citizens at
the locations and at cooperations/events•

Social engagement at the locations

Miele is a major
taxpayer and employer
at its locations.
People chapter

Policy makers and legislators•

Continuous dialogue with policy makers atnational and European level by participating incommittees, working groups and conferences•

International dialogue with the sales
subsidiaries, which in turn are represented
in working groups and committees•

Dialogue at the regional level, characterised by personal exchange•

Energy efficiency and resource conservation•

Occupational safety and product safety•

Product topics, e.g. environmental
aspects, recycling/disposal•

Employee topics•

Supply chain topics•

Site-specific topics

Strategy chapter

Society/public/media• Answering questions on sustainability topics• Active sustainability communication•

Sustainability reporting

Contents Facts & figures Back

Queries are answered
as soon as possible.
If necessary, thespecialist departments
are consulted forthis purpose.

226

Miele’s membershipof sustainability-related organisations[GRI G4-16]

Organisation

Function/committee

B.A.U.M.

Member of the supporting group

Bundesverband der Deutschen
Industrie (BDI – Federationof German Industries)

Chair of the product testing working group

Main focus(es)Participation in the subcommittee
on environmental product policy
Board member of the Committee forConsumer Goods and Consumer Policy
Participation in working groups

Sustainability management

Bundesverband für Materialwirtschaft,Einkauf und Logistik (Associationfor Supply Chain Management,
Procurement and Logistics)

MemberPurchasing, logistics, climate
protection, resource efficiency

Bundesvereinigung Logistik(German Logistics Association)

Member

Logistics, climate protection

Deutsche Kommission Elektrotechnik
Elektronik Informationstechnik (DKE– German Commission for Electrical,
Electronic & Information Technologies)

MemberProduct safety

Chairing and participating incommittees and working groups

Energy efficiency
Dust emissions
Recycling

Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN
– German Institute for Standardization)

Participation in working groups

Principles of barrier-free design
Hygiene requirements
Care labelling for textiles
Acoustics

Deutscher Verein des Gas- undWasserfaches (DVGW – German Association of Gas and Water Specialists)2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Participation in working groups

Water safety, gas applications

227

Organisation
European Committee of Domestic
Equipment Manufacturers (CECED)

Function/committee

Main focus(es)Presidency

Control of the association work

Member of all management committees

Coordination of the association work

Spokesman of the Technical Committee

Technical regulation

Participation in working groups

Corporate Social Responsibility
Ecodesign/energy label
Energy labelling market surveillance
Smart Grid
Product safety
Materials usage and waste
Operation adapted to the needs ofthe disabled (usability, disability)
Fair Trade

European Committee forStandardization (CEN)

Participation in working groups

Performance of disinfectors, gas applications

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC)

Participation in committees
and working groups

Product safety, energy efficiency,
noise, environment

French Association of Manufacturersof Household Appliances (GIFAM)

Presidency

Customer communication andawareness, for example during thenational “maintenance day”

Industrie- und Handelskammer
Bielefeld (IHK – German Chamberof Commerce and Industry)

Participation in the exchange of experiences
and in the Environmental Committee

Institute for Productivity
and Quality (IPQ)

Head of the technical groupfor quality management

International ElectrotechnicalCommission (IEC)

Chair of committees and working
groups as well as participation

Product safety
Energy efficiency
Smart Grid
Dust emissions
Accessibility and usability
NoiseNorth Rhine-Westphalian (NRW)climate protection dialogue

Contents Facts & figures Back

Participation in working groups

Climate protection strategy

228

Organisation
The German Brands Association

Function/committee

Main focus(es)Vice-Presidency
Participation in working groups

Sustainability

NVMP/Witgoed foundation

Presidency (foundation)

Disposal, recycling economy

Ministry for Environment, Energy andClimate Protection (Lower Saxony)

Participation in working groups

Electrical appliances andproduct responsibility

stiftung elektro-altgeräte register(ear – German National Register
for Waste Electric Equipment)

Deputy chair

Disposal of waste electrical andelectronic equipment (WEEE)

Product Range Association
Participation in working groups
Advisory board member
Umweltinitiative der Wirtschaft
im Kreis Gütersloh (environmental business initiative inthe district of Gütersloh)

Founding member

Zentralverband Elektrotechnik- undElektronikindustrie (ZVEI – German
Central Association of the Electricaland Electronics Industry)

Executive Board member;
Board for environmental,
energy and climate policies

Climate protection, resource
efficiency, energy efficiency

Executive Board (spokesman of the initiative)

Participation in board meetings
Chairmanship and participation in
working groups (chair of the “Task Forcefor Disposal of Household Appliances”)

Disposal of waste electrical andelectronic equipment (WEEE)
Environmentally friendly designof electrical products

Chair of the working group

Disposal and environment, electricalhousehold appliances

Participation in working groups

Corporate Social Responsibility
Product-related environmental protection
Energy efficiency
Environmental protection
Chemicals policy
Technical regulation on product safety

Chair of the trade association2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Large electrical household appliances

229

GRI Index
Miele’s 2017 Sustainability Report meets the core requirements(“Core” option) of the internationally recognised G4 Guidelines
issued by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). [GRI G4-32]
Information that is required for fulfilling the indicators is available on the linked
pages. Where an indicator is not completely covered by this information,
we have included supplementary data directly in the Index.

General standard information
GRI indicator

References

Comments

STRATEGY AND ANALYSIS
G4-1

Statement by the mostsenior decision-makerin the organisation

Foreword

G4-2

Impacts, risks and opportunities

Sustainability strategy
Sustainability objectives
Sustainability risks

Further information on the effects, approachand goals can be found in each chapter.

ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE
G4-3

Organisation’s name

The Miele Group

G4-4

Primary brands, products
and services

Product groups

G4-5

Location of theorganisation’s headquarters

The Miele Group

G4-6

Countries where the company
has significant operations

Locations

G4-7

Nature of ownershipand legal form

The Miele Group

G4-8

The markets served

Sales by regions

Since its founding in 1899, Miele has been
owned by the Miele family (51 percent)and the Zinkann family (49 percent).

Facts & Figures > Company > Sales by regions

Contents Facts & figures Back

230

GRI indicator
G4-9

Scale of the organisation

References
Miele at a glance
Organisation
Facts & Figures > Company

G4-10

Total workforce

The Miele Group
Organisation
Facts & Figures > Apprentices
Facts & Figures >Full & Part-Time Employment

G4-11

Percentage of employees
covered by collective
bargaining agreements

Employee co-determination

G4-12

Description of the supply chain

Value chain

Comments
As a family-owned company with the legal form of a
“Kommanditgesellschaft” (private limited partnership), Miele
does not issue any information regarding total capitalisation.
The breakdown of workforce figures by category andgender required for full compliance with this indicator andfigures from our international offices are not currently
used by HR management for steering purposes. Staff
levels do not fluctuate on a season-by-season basis.

Natural resources & materials
Facts & Figures > Supplier management
G4-13

Significant changes during
the reporting period

About the report
Structural change
Distribution logistics

G4-14

Application of the
precautionary approach

Sustainability management
The remit (Environment)
Products free of harmful substances

G4-15

Commitments toexternal initiatives

Internal and external guidelines and standards

G4-16

Memberships of associations
or advocacy organisations

Committee and association work
Facts & Figures > Miele's memberships

IDENTIFIED MATERIAL ASPECTS AND BOUNDARIES
G4-17

List of all entities includedin the financial statements/
scope of reporting

About the report

G4-18

Definition of the report content

Materiality process

G4-19

List of all material aspects

Materiality analysis 2014

G4-20

Material aspects within
the organisation

Value chain2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Materiality analysis 2014

The entities included in the sustainability report deviate
from those in the consolidated financial statements andannual financial statements, particularly the information
on foreign subsidiaries provided as an example (seeconsolidated annual statements and annual accounts).

In general, material aspects within the organisation are
relevant to all locations, unless specified in the text.

231

GRI indicator
G4-21

Material aspects outside
the organisation

References
Value chain
Materiality analysis 2014

Comments
The presentation of material aspects along the value
chain indicates the phase in which these are relevant.
If an aspect is only relevant for a certain geographicalregion or stakeholder group, it is specified in the text.

G4-22

Restatements – comparison
with previous reports

In cases where the presentation format has
been modified, it is specified in the text.

G4-23

Significant changes fromthe reporting scope andaspect boundaries

If the report boundaries, methods of measurement
or reporting periods have changed,
it is specified in the text.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
G4-24

Stakeholder groups engaged
by the organisation

Process 2014
Stakeholder engagement
Facts & Figures > Overview of stakeholder engagement

G4-25

Identification and selectionof stakeholders

Stakeholder engagement

G4-26

Type and frequency of
stakeholder engagement

Materiality process
Expert interviews
Stakeholder management
Facts & Figures > Overview of stakeholder engagement

G4-27

Key topics raised bystakeholders

Expert appraisal
Major areas of focus in the reporting period
Facts & Figures > Overview of stakeholder engagement

REPORT PROFILE
G4-28

Reporting period

About the report

G4-29

Date of most recent
previous report

About the report

G4-30

Reporting cycle

About the report

G4-31

Contact person

Imprint

G4-32

GRI Index

Facts & Figures > GRI Index
About the report

G4-33

Assurance

Contents Facts & figures Back

External assurance for the report has notbeen sought and is not yet planned.

232

GRI indicator

References

Comments

GOVERNANCE
G4-34

G4-36

The organisation’s
governance structure

Executive Board

Responsibility for economic,
environmental and social issues

Sustainability: systematic control

Sustainability: systematic control

ETHICS AND INTEGRITY
G4-56

The organisation’s values,
principles and standards

Philosophy

G4-57

Mechanisms for seeking advice
on ethical and lawful behaviour

Compliance management

G4-58

Mechanisms for reporting
concerns about unethicalor unlawful behaviour

Compliance management

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTInternal and external guidelines and standards

233

Specific standard disclosures
GRI indicator

References

Comments

ECONOMICManagement approach:

Locations

Economic performance

Vocational training

G4-EC1

Donations during thereporting period

Direct economic value
generated and distributed

Miele has recorded investments in thecommunity as voluntary donations.

Facts & Figures > Company
Facts & Figures >Social engagement
G4-EC2Financial implications andother risks and opportunities
resulting from climate change

Sustainability risks

G4-EC3Coverage of the organisation’s
defined benefit plan obligations

Social benefits

G4-EC4

Facts & Figures > Pension provisions

Financial assistance received
from government

Miele applies for the proportional reimbursement of
power and energy tax for the production industry.
For certain processes and methods (including
generating own power in combined heat and power
units), Miele applies for full tax relief on power andenergy. This is based on the period of purchase/
consumption. It received tax relief of € 994,000 in
2014. Tax relief amount to € 1,055,000 in 2015.

Management approach:

Miele at a glanceMarket presenceSocial engagement

G4-EC5

Ratios of standard entry level
wage by gender compared to
local minimum wage

Remuneration

G4-EC6

Proportion of senior
management hired from thelocal community at significant
locations of operation

Contents Facts & figures BackSee management approach Economic performance

As a party to collective wage agreements, Miele isobliged to pay the agreed wages. In Germany, thisconcerns 90 % of the workforce in all plants and in
the central office. 10 % of the workforce are paid
wages outside the scope of the agreed wage, in otherwords they receive more than the agreed wage.
Miele does not use the proportion of local managers forcentral steering purposes so this figure is not recorded.

234

GRI indicator

References

Management approach:Through a regular dialogue with community stakeholders,
policy-makers and unions, Miele is able to observe
the indirect consequences of the company’s businessactivity. A comprehensive, systematic analysis has notbeen conducted by Miele. See management approach
Economic performance for further information.

Indirect economic impact

G4-EC8Indirect economic impacts

Comments

Locations

See management approach Indirect economic impacts

Sustainable innovation
DesignManagement approach:
Procurement practices

Supply chain
Supplier management
Natural resources & materials

G4-EC9Proportion of spending on
local suppliers at significant
locations of operation

Procurement
Facts & Figures >Purchasing volume

The approach is monitored and enhanced on an
ongoing basis. Systematic evaluation has yet to takeplace in any of the areas required under the GRI.
Miele reports company-wide purchasing
volumes by region.

ENVIRONMENTAL
Management approach:Materials

Integrated management system
Environment management
Natural resources & materials
Facts & Figures > Strategy

G4-EN1

G4-EN2

Materials used byweight or volume

Use of resources and materials

Percentage of materials usedthat are recycled input materials

Use of materials

Facts & Figures > Natural resources & materials

Management approach:Integrated management system

EnergyCertified management systems

The percentage of materials that are recycled input
materials can only be measured for certain materials.
This figure is not available for all materials used.

Energy use & emissions
Networks for increased energy efficiency
Saving energy
EU energy regulations
G4-EN3

Energy consumption within
the organisation

EnergyAlternative energy concepts

Miele records energy consumption in megawatt hours(MWh). One MWh is equivalent to 3.6 gigajoules (GJ).

Facts & Figures > Energy
use & emissions

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

235

GRI indicator

References

G4-EN4

Energy consumption outsideof the organisation

Facts & Figures >Consumption efficiency

G4-EN5

Energy intensity

EnergyComments
A key factor in energy consumption is the products’
usage phase (see G4-EN7). Furthermore, Miele
calculates the CO2 emissions generated by power
consumption (see G4-EN16) and transport (seeG4-EN17). Miele has yet to record any further
energy consumption outside the organisation.

Facts & Figures > Energy consumption per tonne of product
G4-EN6

Reduction of energy
consumption

EnergyEnergy efficiency
Facts & Figures > Energy consumption

G4-EN7

Reductions in energy requirements of products and services

Domestic appliances
Facts & Figures > ProductsManagement approach:Integrated management system

Water

Environment management

G4-EN8

Total water withdrawal by source

Water consumption
Facts & Figures > Water consumption

G4-EN9Water consumption

The water sources used by Miele are not significantly affected by the withdrawal of water.

Management approach:Integrated management system

Emissions

Environment management

Miele primarily contributes to protecting the environment
by improving energy efficiency. GHG emissions are offset
in individual cases, e.g. emissions that are generated during the disposal of Miele sales and transport packaging or
on business trips using Deutsche Bahn railway network.

Water sources significantly
affected by withdrawal of water

Energy use & emissions
Networks for increased
energy efficiency
Germany: return to producer
G4-EN15

Direct greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions (Scope 1)

Carbon footprint
Miele fleet
Facts & Figures > Energyrelated CO2 emissions
Facts & Figures > The
corporate carbon footprint

The carbon footprint only takes CO2 emissions into
account. Further GHG emissions and volatile
CO2 emissions have yet to be recorded.
Biogenic CO2 emissions are not relevant at
Miele as no biogenic fuels are used.

Facts & Figures >CO2 emissions of theMiele fleet – TTW

Contents Facts & figures Back

236

GRI indicator
G4-EN16

Indirect greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions (Scope 2)

References
Carbon footprint
Facts & Figures > Energyrelated CO2 emissions

Comments
For further information see G4-EN15:
Direct GHG emissions

Facts & Figures > The
corporate carbon footprint
G4-EN17

Other indirect greenhouse gas(GHG) emissions (Scope 3)

Carbon footprint
Transport

For further information see G4-EN15:
Direct GHG emissions

Workforce mobility
Facts & Figures > The
corporate carbon footprint
Facts & Figures > Transportrelated CO2 emissions – TTW
Facts & Figures > CO2
emissions from business trips
G4-EN18

Greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions intensity

Carbon footprint

Reduction of greenhousegas (GHG) emissions

Energy efficiency

G4-EN20

Emissions of ozonedepleting substances

Other emissions

Miele does not manufacture, import orexport ozone-depleting substances.

G4-EN21

NOx, SOx and othersignificant air emissions

Other emissions

The foundry and surface treatment plants in Gütersloh
are subject to the reporting requirements of theGerman Pollutant Release and Transfer Register(PRTR). The foundry falls below the dust limits (10mg/cbm air emissions) by around 70 %.

G4-EN19

Facts & Figures > Energyrelated CO2 emissions
per tonne of product

Facts & Figures >The
corporate carbon footprint

Facts & Figures > SO2
and NOx emissions

Management approach:
Effluents and waste

Integrated management system

G4-EN22

Total water discharge by
quality and destination

Waste water

Total weight of waste bytype and disposal method

Waste avoidanceG4-EN232017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORTFor further information see G4-EN15:
Direct GHG emissions

Miele primarily contributes to protecting theenvironment by improving energy efficiency. As
a result, a total of 1,200 tonnes of CO2 could
be saved during the reporting period.

Environment management

Facts & Figures > Waste water

Facts & Figures>
Resource management

By selecting and monitoring its waste disposal
service providers, Miele is able to influence
the disposal methods and their quality.

237

GRI indicator
G4-EN24

Total number and volume
of significant spills

G4-EN25

Weight of transported,
imported, exported, or
treated hazardous waste

References

Comments
No significant spills took place at any of the
production sites during the reporting period.

Waste avoidance
Facts & Figures > Waste for recycling and disposal by typeManagement approach:Integrated management system

Products and services

Environment management
Product portfolio & quality
Development & innovation
Recycling & disposal

G4-EN27

Extent of impact mitigationof environmental impacts
of products and services

Domestic appliances
Longevity

Examples of the most important measuresare explained in the report.

Products free of harmful
substances
Development & innovation
Commercial customers
Recycling & disposal
Natural resources & materials
Facts & Figures >Consumption efficiency

G4-EN28

Reclaimed products andpackaging materials

Management approach:

Returns and disposal
Germany: return to producer

In terms of products, Miele focuses on its main sales
market, Germany. For this sales market, the percentageof packaging reclaimed does not have to be recorded
for the specific manufacturer as reclaiming takes place
on a collective basis with other manufacturers. The
company is unable to make any significant statement on
an international level based on the information available.

Environmental protection and energy management

Compliance
G4-EN29

Significant fines and total number of non-monetary sanctions

Environmental protectionand energy management

Management approach:Transport & Logistics

Transport

Transport

There were no infringements of environmental
regulations by the company in the reporting period.

Transport vehicles

Contents Facts & figures Back238

GRI indicator
G4-EN30

Significant environmental
impacts of transporting products
and other goods and materials

Management approach:

References

Comments

Transport
Miele fleet
Facts & Figures > Transport & Logistics
Environment management

Overall
G4-EN31

Environmental protection
expenditures and investments

Facts & Figures > Investments and ongoing expenditures

Management approach:Integrated management system

Supplier environmental assessment

Natural resources & materials
Supplier management

No potential environmental impacts have beensystematically recorded in the supply chain nor any real
impacts caused by links either side of our direct suppliers.

G4-EN32

Percentage of new suppliers
that were screened using
environmental criteria

Selecting new suppliers

All potential suppliers are required to complete a
self-assessment, which contains criteria on environment
management and climate protection. All production
material suppliers considered for a business relationshipare also subjected to a short on-site audit.

G4-EN33

Significant negative environmental impacts in the supply chain

Natural resources & materials

Miele checks for compliance with environmental criteria
during its supplier assessment. Miele does not publish
the detailed results. An environmental compatibility
inspection does not form part of this check.

Selecting new suppliers
Environmental standards
Risk management

Management approach:Complaints management

The complaints office’s main purpose is to record
complaints related to the company but not activities
concerning its direct suppliers. The approach ismonitored and enhanced on an ongoing basis. Systematic
evaluation involving stakeholders has yet to take place.

Complaints management

No significant complaints concerning environmental
emissions were received in the reporting period. Two
minor complaints about noise due to activities at night,
as well as from construction vehicle, were dealt withimmediately, and their causes have been remedied.

Environmental grievance mechanisms

G4-EN34

Grievances about
environmental impacts

SOCIAL: LABOUR PRACTICES AND DECENT WORKManagement approach:

Supplier management

Employment

Social standards
HR management

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

239

GRI indicator
G4-LA1

References

Total number of new employee
hires and employee turnover

Employee integration

G4-LA2

Benefits provided tofull-time employees

Social benefits

G4-LA3Return to work and retention
rates after parental leave

Flexible working hours

Management approach:

Facts & Figures >HR management

Comments
The evaluation and publication of information on
employee turnover and new employees by age,gender, region is not relevant for governance at
Miele so these figures are not recorded.

The number of employees entitled to parental
leave is not currently recorded.

Employee co-determination

Labour/management relations
G4-LA4

Minimum notice periods
regarding operational changes

Management approach:Occupational health and safety

Employee co-determination

In German company locations, minimum periods of noticefor informing the works council regarding measures
affecting the workforce are regulated in the Works
Constitution Act. Miele Executive Board goes beyond thestatutory requirements, working closely with the works
councils and providing extensive information concerning
all relevant decisions, developments and processes.

Integrated management system
Occupational health & safety
Miele family service
Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system

G4-LA5Percentage of workforce
represented in health andsafety committees

Organisation

G4-LA6

Rates of injury, occupational
diseases, lost days and total
number of work-related fatalities

Steering

Workers with high incidenceor high risk of diseases

Steering

G4-LA7

Contents Facts & figures Back

Facts & Figures >Occupational health & safety

The figures on injuries, occupational diseases, lostdays and absenteeism have never been broken
down by gender or region as they are not used forcentral steering purposes. Accident statistics are
based on the regulations issued by the German
Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), Directive 1.

240

GRI indicator
G4-LA8References

Health and safety topics
covered in formal agreementswith trade unions

Management approach:Agreements signed with the trade unions in Germany,
Austria and the Czech Republic also cover occupationalsafety. Joint occupational health and safety inspections
are also carried out. In addition, there is a works
council committee on occupational health and safety, ageneral works agreement on VDU work and a company
agreement on protective clothing/work clothing.

Training and education

Vocational training
and development

G4-LA9Professional development

G4-LA10G4-LA11

Average hours of training

Programmes for skills management and lifelong learning

Facts & Figures > Vocational
training & development

The breakdown of training hours by employee category
and gender required for full compliance with this indicator
is not currently used centrally for steering purposes.
For this reason, these figures are not recorded.

Structural change

Miele does not have any rules on sabbaticals.

Professional development

Percentage of employees
receiving regular performanceand career development reviews

All employees are entitled to an annual employee
review. The number of employee reviews
actually performed is not recorded.

Management approach:Integrated management system

Diversitiy and equal oppertunity

Diversity & equal opportunities

G4-LA12Governance

Composition of governancebodies and breakdown of employees by indicators of diversity

Comments

Women in management
Facts & Figures > Diversity& equal opportunities

The approach is monitored and enhanced on an
ongoing basis. Systematic evaluation has yet to takeplace in any of the areas required under the GRI.
The breakdown of employees by minority status andother diversity indicators required for full compliance withthis indicator is not currently used centrally for steering
purposes. For this reason, these figures are not recorded.
The same applies to the breakdown of employees by age
groups and gender at locations outside of Germany.
During the reporting period, the Executive Board
was made up of five members, none of whom were
women. Two of the members were between the ageof 30 and 50 and three were over the age of 50.

Management approach:Diversity & equal opportunities

Equal remuneration for women and men

Remuneration

G4-LA13

Diversity & equal opportunities

Ratio of basic salary andremuneration of women to men

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Remuneration

241

GRI indicator

References

Management approach:Integrated management system

Supplier assessment for labour practices

Natural resources & materials

Comments
Status is the same as the management approachfor Supplier environmental assessment

Supplier management
Social standards
G4-LA14

G4-LA15

Percentage of new suppliers
that were screened using
labor practices criteria

Selecting new suppliers

Significant negative
impacts for labour practices
in the supply chain

Selecting new suppliers

Management approach:

Facts & Figures > Selfassessment on compliancewith social standards bypotential suppliers

Social standards

Grievances aboutlabour practices

Same approach as indicator G4-EN33: Significant
negative environmental impacts in the supply chain

Risk management
Complaints office

Labour practices grievance mechanisms

G4-LA16

Approach is the same as indicator G4-EN32:
Percentage of new suppliers that werescreened using environmental criteria

The complaints office’s main purpose is to record complaints about discrimination related to the company but not
activities concerning its direct suppliers. The approach ismonitored and enhanced on an ongoing basis. Systematic
evaluation involving stakeholders has yet to take place.

Complaints office

SOCIAL: HUMAN RIGHTSManagement approach:Integrated management system

Investment

Facts & Figures > Audit of theintegrated management system

G4-HR2

Employee training on
human rights policies

Raising employee awarenessSocial and ethical standards

Management approach:Integrated management system

Non-discrimination

Social and ethical standards

Miele does not have any joint ventures.

Miele reports on the number of employees who
received training during the period under review.
The number of training hours and the percentageof employees who received training are not used
centrally for steering purposes. For this reason,these figures are not recorded or calculated.

Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system
G4-HR3

Total number of incidents
of discrimination andcorrective actions taken

Contents Facts & figures Back

Complaints office242

GRI indicator

References

Management approach:Integrated management system

Freedom of association andcollective bargaining

Social and ethical standards

Comments

Supplier management
Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system

G4-HR4

Violations of the right toexercise freedom of
association andcollective bargaining

Social and ethical standards
Social standards

Management approach:Integrated management system

Child labour

Social standards

To date, no operations or suppliers have been
identified which could significantly affect the freedomof association and the right to collective bargaining.

Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system
G4-HR5

Risk for incidents of childlabour and measures taken

Social and ethical standards
Social standards

Management approach:Integrated management system

Forced or compulsory labour

Social and ethical standards

To date, no operations or suppliers have been identified
that have a significant risk of child labour or the employment of young persons under dangerous conditions.

Social standards
Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system
G4-HR6

Risk for incidents of forced
or compulsory labourand measures taken

Social standards

To date, no operations or suppliers have been identified
that have a significant risk of forced or compulsory labour.

Management approach:Integrated management system

Assessment

Facts & Figures > Audit of the integrated management system

G4-HR9Operations that have been
subject to human rights reviews

Social and ethical standards
Facts & Figures > Audit of theintegrated management system

Management approach:Integrated management system

Supplier human rights assessments

Natural resources & materials

Miele does not conduct any separate reviews on humanrights. Aspects related to human rights are checked aspart of evaluations for the SA8000 social standard.

Status is the same as the management approachfor Supplier environmental Assessment

Supplier management
G4-HR10Percentage of new suppliers
that were screened using
human rights criteria2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Selecting new suppliers
Facts & Figures > Selfassessment on compliancewith social standards bypotential suppliers

Approach is the same as indicator G4-EN32:
Percentage of new suppliers that werescreened using environmental criteria

243

GRI indicator
G4-HR11Significant negative
human rights impacts
in the supply chain

Management approach:

References
Selecting new suppliers
Social standards

Comments
Same approach as indicator G4-EN33: Significant
negative environmental impacts in the supply chain

Risk management
Complaints office

Human rights grievance mechanisms

Status is the same as the management approach
Labour practices grievance mechanisms

G4-HR12

No complaints were received in the reporting period.

Number of grievances abouthuman rights impacts

SOCIAL: SOCIETYManagement approach:Social engagement

So far, no programmes or systematic procedures havebeen introduced to evaluate the impact of the businessactivities on the community. However, beyond existinglaws and regulations, Miele is committed to protecting
the health and safety of its employees and of thelocal communities. The business activity also provides
strong growth stimuli for purchasing power and tax
earnings in the locations. By maintaining an intensive
dialogue with the communities, Miele receives regularfeedback on any impact by the business activities.

Measures for local
community engagement,
impact assessments anddevelopment programmes

Social engagement
Complaints management

Measures for engaging local communities are applied ontime by the company’s locations and are not systematically steered and analysed. The percentage of sites that
implement such measures is not recorded by Miele.

Negative impacts on
local communities

Complaints management

See management approach Local communities

Local communities

G4-SO1

G4-SO2

Transport

Management approach:Compliance management

Anti-corruption

Internal and external
guidelines and standards

With its internal donation policy and code of
conduct, Miele makes sure that donations cannot
be used as a hidden form of corruption.

Social and ethical standards
G4-SO3G4-SO4

Percentage of operations
assessed for risks related tocorruption and the significant
risks identified

Integrated management system

Communication andtraining on anti-corruption
policies and procedures

Raising employee awarenessContents Facts & figures Back

Compliance management

Potential cases of corruption are checked aspart of the global audits. Potential risks arise
from the violation of tendering regulations.

Miele records the total number of employees who
receive training on the code of conduct. Miele
does not record the total number and percentage
of business partners receiving information.

244

GRI indicator
G4-SO5

Confirmed incidents ofcorruption and actions taken

Management approach:Public policy

References

Comments

OmbudsmanCommittee andassociation work
The EU label

The approach is monitored and enhanced on an
ongoing basis. Systematic evaluation has yet to takeplace in any of the areas required under the GRI.

Facts & Figures > Dialogue
G4-SO6

Total value of politicalcontributions

In the business years 2014/15 and 2015/16, Miele &Cie KG donated € 5,000 per financial year to politicalparties in Germany. Miele treats information concerning
the recipients of such donations as confidential.

Management approach:Internal and external guidelines and standards

Anti-competitive behavoir

Compliance management

G4-SO7

Compliance management

Legal actions foranti-competitive behaviour
and anti-trust practices

Management approach:No complaints were raised in the reporting
period about anti-competitive behaviour,
cartels or monopolies by the company.

Sustainability management

Compliance
G4-SO8

Ombudsman

The company was not fined for infringements in the reporting period.

Management approach:Integrated management system

Supplier assessment for impacts on society

Natural resources & materials

Status is the same as the management approachfor Supplier environmental assessment

Monetary value of significant
fines and total number of
non-monetary sanctions
for non-compliance withlaws and regulations

Supplier management

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245

GRI indicator
G4-SO9

G4-SO10

References

Percentage of new suppliers
that were screened using
criteria for impacts on society

Selecting new suppliers

Negative impacts onsociety in the supply chain
and actions taken

Selecting new suppliers

Management approach:

Facts & Figures > Selfassessment on compliancewith social standards bypotential suppliers

Social standards

Number of grievances
about impacts on society

Approach is the same as indicator G4-EN32:
Percentage of new suppliers that werescreened using environmental criteria

Same approach as indicator G4-EN33: Significant
negative environmental impacts in the supply chain

Risk management

Complaints management

Grievance mechanisms for
impacts on society
G4-SO11

Comments

Status is the same as the management approach
Environmental grievance mechanisms

Complaints management

SOCIAL: PRODUCT RESPONSIBILITYManagement approach:

Product safety

Customer health and safety

Development & innovation

G4-PR1

Percentage of significant
product and service categories
for which health and safety
impacts are assessed

Product safety

G4-PR2

Total number of incidents of
non-compliance with regulationsand voluntary codes concerning
the health and safety impacts
of products and services

Recall campaigns

Management approach:

The EU label

Product and service labelling

Sustainability: informing
customers

G4-PR3The EU label

Procedures for product andservice information andlabelling, and percentage ofsignificant products and service
categories subject to suchinformation requirements

Contents Facts & figures Back

In some areas, specific customer satisfaction
surveys are conducted using an online tool
while other areas use a standardised form.

Sustainability: informing customers
New materials
Facts & Figures > Energy consumption labelling

246

GRI indicator

References

Comments

G4-PR4

Incidents of non-compliancewith regulations and voluntary
codes concerning product andservice information and labelling

Correct declarations

There were no relevant incidents of non-compliance with regulations and voluntary codes
concerning product and service informationand labelling during the reporting period.

G4-PR5Results of surveys measuring
customer satisfaction

Customer demands

In some areas, specific customer satisfaction
surveys are conducted using an online tool
while other areas use a standardised form.

Data protection

The protection of personal customer data is amatter of course to Miele. The collection, storage,
processing and use of all personal customer data
are performed according to data protection rules.

Management approach:
Customer privacy

G4-PR8Substantiated complaints
regarding breaches ofcustomer privacy

Management approach:

Data protection

Compliance management

Compliance
G4-PR9

Monetary value of significant
fines for non-compliancewith laws and regulations
concerning the provision anduse of products and services2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

Compliance management

No sanctions or major fines due to breaches ofinternational conventions, contracts or national law
were imposed on Miele in the reporting period.

247About this report[GRI G4-13, G4-17, G4-28, G4-29, G4-30, G4-32]

Miele has been publishing sustainability reports since 2002. This report,
the eighth of its kind, documents the company’s progress in line withthe guiding principle “Forever Better”. The objective of the 2017 reportis to make the performance of the company in sustainability-related
issues transparent to stakeholders such as sustainability experts,
customers, employees and business partners. The content reflects themain sustainability issues affecting the company. These issues wereidentified in the course of a materiality process in collaboration with thestakeholders and were weighted according to their relevance for Miele.
The 2017 Miele Sustainability Report was compiled in accordancewith the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and incompliance with Core Requirements according to G4. Where
possible, further information is provided in addition to the “Core”
requirements in order to best meet shareholders’ needs. A reference
to the relevant GRI G4 indicator is included with the key figures andin the text. This document concludes with the GRI Content Index.
The structure of the report has been largely retained from the 2015
Sustainability Report with three changes: the Products chapter has
been extended significantly – reflecting the focus of Miele’s sustainability activities. This chapter includes comprehensive information
about all product-related subjects, from development to disposal.
The Employees and Society sections have been merged into thePeople chapter, while Transport and Logistics have been integrated
back into the Environment chapter. The reason for the changes tothe structure is that this year’s report is designed as a PDF document, replacing the online version used for the previous report.
The reporting period covers the 2014/15 and 2015/16 business years
ending on June 30 of the respective year. The editorial deadline
was March 2017. Unless otherwise stated, all information provided

Contents About this report Back248

in this Sustainability Report, including figures, refers to Miele &Cie. KG with its imperial-Werke oHG subsidiary. This includes all
German production and administration locations as well as theGerman sales subsidiary. This also includes the production sitesof Bürmoos (Austria), Uničov (Czech Republic), Braşov (Romania)
and Dongguan (China), under the management of Miele Beteili­
gungs-GmbH. International subsidiaries are cited as examples.
In the course of the reporting period, it became necessary to close
the Sales and Service Centres in Bochum, Frankfurt, Hamburg,
Karlsruhe and Berlin due to changes in the business landscape(October to December 2015). The goods distribution centre was
expanded in 2015 and the new Spare Parts Warehouse was built in
2016, both in Gütersloh. Apart from these developments, there wereno major changes with regard to size, structure or supply chain.
The Miele Sustainability Report is available online as a PDF file. The key
figures for the reporting period are included in the appendix of the document and are available separately online. The sustainability section of theMiele website provides an overview of the sustainability philosophy andimplementation measures for customers and other interested parties. It
is available at www.miele-sustainability.com and via www.miele.com.
The use of the legal form has been avoided for the sake of greater
readability. Unlike in previous reports, we have used gender-specificdesignations, apart from in lists or in the case of linguistically justified
exceptions. This is intended to boost awareness of gender equality.
This report replaces the 2015 Miele Sustainability Report.
Given the 2-year reporting cycle, the next Sustainability Reportis due to appear in 2019.

2017 MIELE SUSTA IN A BILIT Y REPORT

249

Imprint

Publisher
Miele & Cie. KG
Carl-Miele-Straße 29
33332 Gütersloh
Responsibility
Carsten Prudent
Corporate Communications
Project management
Ursula Wilms
Public Relations
Data management
Sebastian Wegener
Technical Product Managementand Environmental OfficeContents Imprint Back

Editing deadline
31st March 2017www.miele.com/
www.miele-sustainability.com

Concept/editorial/design
Stakeholder ReportingGmbH, Hamburg

The current report is alsoavailable in German. In caseof deviations from the English
version, the German version willremain the authoritative version.

Photographs
Frauke Schumann
Fotografie, Dortmund
Contact [GRI G4-31]
Ursula Wilms
Public Relations
Tel.: +49 5241/89-1958
Fax: +49 5241 89-1950
E-mail: ursula.wilms@miele.deMiele would like to thankall members of staff and allother personnel involved in
the creation of this report.

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