Sustainability at Miele
Immer Besser:
For the planet, our only home
Why we care about sustainability
Our planet is going through some profound changes – changes that we are just beginning to feel the consequences of.
We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure a brighter, more sustainable future - from the largest multinational to the smallest family home.
'Immer Besser' defines Miele's commitment to always do better in everything we do. It keeps motivating us to make better, smarter appliances so the homes and businesses they serve become more sustainable, from one generation to the next.
On this page you can find out what we're doing on our journey to contribute to a better tomorrow.
Our pledges for the planet
As the race to save our only home is ever-accelerating, our commitment to evolve our ambitions is too. To continue our journey Miele commits to the following sustainability pledges.
Make sustainability happen at every step
We continuously work towards making sustainability essential at every stage of our products and services' life cycle - as well as in all of our value chains, and in the homes of our customers.
Make appliances that won’t leave a trace
Miele is dedicated to producing the best possible products and services with the least impact on the environment, with the ultimate aim to make them 100% carbon-neutral.
End waste by giving our appliances new life
We are working towards creating a circular value chain with net-zero waste for all materials used in our appliances to re-enter the loop at the end of their lifecycle.
You can find out more about Miele’s commitment to sustainability in our latest report.
Did you know?
To us, sustainability is a journey. We understand it as the accelerator to move Miele forward. In all of our projects and initiatives, we're continuously working towards sustainable innovations that will make a difference in the world.
Miele creates smart service routes
Miele works on optimizing the routes of service vehicles on a daily basis in order to save driven miles and reduce emissions.
Miele helps McDonald's with innovative laundry solutions
Miele assists leading global foodservice retailer McDonald's with grease recovery which is then used in their biofuel production simultaneously reducing the amount of grease into the drainage system.
Lessons from the land
We share one home, our planet and the responsibility to preserve it. We travelled to Australia to gather inspiration and learn first hand how artisans, producers and local communities are working towards a sustainable future. As a part of the journey towards becoming more sustainable, we challenged ourselves to shoot in the most sustainable way too. Our efforts were awarded a Green Seal by the Environmental Media Association.
Episode 2: Flinders Island
Not leaving a mark means trying to have the least impact on the environment. In this episode of Lessons from the land, we meet the community of Flinders Island, Tasmania who have spent their lives nurturing the untouched land and its surroundings and trying to preserve its natural beauty for the future generations.
Episode 3: Seven Seasons
The more ethically produced the food is, the more delicious it is. In this episode of Lessons from the land, we're learning about indigenous communities of Australia's Northern Territories, and ethical-ingredient sourcing for a green ant gin with Daniel Motlop from Seven Seasons.
Episode 4: Cullen Wines
Sustainability is a journey and a long-term commitment. The final episode of Lessons from the land tells the story of the Cullen Wines' vineyard, whose owners adopted holistic and sustainable farming practices to build a healthy living soil that helps to nourish the vines for years to come.
Creating Sustainable Production
Miele is dedicated to constant improvement in all that we do. That's why we challenged ourselves to shoot Lessons from the land in the most sustainable way possible. For improvements in energy efficiency and waste management the production was awarded a Green Seal by the Environmental Media Association. Watch the full story of creating sustainable production to learn more.
Green projects
The race to save our planet, our home, is accelerating, and so is our commitment to evolve our ambitions. But we can’t do this alone. Here are some examples of projects we are working on with others to tackle the climate crisis.
Supporting research in energy efficiency
The house of the future combines innovation, design, and energy efficiency. In the „MIMO“ (Minimal Input, Maximum Output) project, presented at the international competition for sustainable living Solar Decathlon, we co-developed an innovative heat pump system that uses heat generated from kitchen appliances to warm or cool homes. During the competition, the system was installed in a building to be tested and measured in common conditions, for the first time.
Supplying the fully sustainable home
One of the leading sustainability advocates in Australia, Joost Bakker, has created the ‘Greenhouse-Future Food System’ in collaboration with Miele. A self-sustaining, closed loop, two-bedroom home, it shelters, feeds and provides energy for its inhabitants. Every Miele appliance featured in the house has been carefully considered to ensure it meets the highest expectations for energy saving and efficiency.
Image credits: Earl Carter
Turning Copenhagen green
Miele is heavily involved in the creation of Denmark's first "Green City" as a standard equipment supplier. We are supplying around 15,000 domestic appliances for the project in a newly transformed quarter of Copenhagen.
Getting busy with bees
Miele supports various bee keeping initiatives of employees that keep the fields around some of the Miele plants buzzing and have a positive impact on the eco-system around our factories.
Using green steel
In a pilot project, Miele will be sourcing green steel from its partner Salzgitter AG. With the use of this material the CO₂ emissions generated by the manufacturing process are reduced by more than 66% by harnessing climate-friendly energy sources and reusing steel scrap. In introducing this change, Miele is making an initial contribution to further reducing emissions from purchased goods and services.
Together, we can make a positive difference
Small changes in our everyday lives can make a big difference for the planet. Here are just five 'Home Hacks' to help you use your Miele products more efficiently and ensure sustainability starts at home.
Give your fridge some space
A refrigerator that is too full can no longer cool food efficiently and consumes more energy, so always leave a little space free.
Use detergents mindfully
Careful dosing of cleaning products helps to protect the environment. With TwinDos - Miele's automatic dosing system - dosing is even easier and you can save up to 30% of detergent*.
* compared to manual dosing
Wash single pieces resourcefully with Miele
To save water and energy, the washing machine should be loaded to a maximum capacity if the textiles allow it. Miele's SingleWash feature also helps to conserve resources when washing individual items.
The Circular Economy
Our planet has a finite amount of resources. This means that we can't continue to simply use and discard products. Instead, we need to evolve to a more conscious, circular system. The aim is to make appliances last longer, repair them if necessary, and reuse and recycle parts and materials in order to avoid waste. All this will help reduce our environmental footprint.
Built better to last longer
Miele tests most of its domestic appliance series to the equivalent of 20 years‘ use. If you're interested in what products are tested visit the 20 Years Promise website to learn more.
CO₂ neutral in all facilities
Miele is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and we are carbon neutral in all of our locations (Scope 1&2). An important milestone on this path is the reduction of emissions in the use phase of our products (Scope 3.11) – which are the major contributors to our overall carbon footprint – by 15 percent from 2019 until 2030.
Spare parts and accessories
We continuously stock over 70,000 Miele original spare parts in our central warehouse. In that way we can ensure the availability of functionally relevant spare parts, for at least 15 years after discontinuation of production of the appliances model.
Impact Hub Berlin
We keep working to improve our sustainability footprint. To do so, we build strong partnerships with innovative minds inside and outside the company. Impact Hub Berlin is the place to be when it comes to collaboration in the sustainability field. The hub offers us the opportunity to work with start-ups and focus specifically on circular economy.
'Immer Besser' means
always better, always caring
As a family-owned business, we believe that the future needs to be sustainable – and that our responsibility doesn’t end at the factory gate. That’s why we are driven to make everything we do more sustainable, and to help others do the same. For only together can we begin to solve the challenges facing our world.
We're serious about sustainability
More than 50% of our Research and Development budget goes into developing more sustainable appliances and services. The majority of Miele washing machines sold in 2020 achieved the highest efficiency class on the market.
Quality equals longevity
From day one, the core of our product philosophy has been to manufacture products of exceptionally high quality with a long service life, using premium-quality materials and sophisticated production methods. So, using a longer-lasting Miele appliance gives you peace of mind, knowing that you are consuming less.
A reliable partner
We employ over 22,300 people whose well-being is very important to us. With manifold HR initiatives we support all our employees and are committed to being a reliable partner for both the industry and society.
Our ambassadors
We are committed to collaboration with the leading sustainability advocates on our journey to a sustainable future. In our latest content series 'Stories from our only home', we celebrate the efforts of our ambassadors, who are enacting real change by always trying to do better, and constantly improving. The spirit that matches Miele brand values and ambitions in sustainability.
Episode 1: Norbert Niederkofler
Norbert Niederkofler takes his inspiration from the nature of South Tyrol, where he is from - his approach to ethical cooking and sourcing of the ingredients from the local farms became the basis of a gastronomic revolution that he called ‘Cook the Mountain’.
His philosophy is built around respect for people, produce and our planet, mirroring Miele’s ethos of performing better with less, avoiding waste, optimising supply chains and achieving quality without compromise with products that last.
Episode 2: Kyle Connaughton
Kyle Connaughton runs a 3 Michelin-starred restaurant SingleThread in Sonoma County, California, along with his wife, Katina Connaughton, who is in charge of the SingleThread Farm.
The seasonality of the farm produce dictates everything: from what appears on the plates to leftovers of each meal that go back to the farm to nurture the soil. Circularity, and a sustainable approach overall, is at the core of the operation of both farm and restaurant: creating experiences that give people a better connection with the planet and each other; working relentlessly and constantly improving; and sharing knowledge with the local community.
Making of sustainable production
At Miele we are not only constantly exploring more sustainable production and service practices but also endeavoring to empower sustainable consumption. And if you want to inspire others, you need to lead by example. That’s why we are constantly looking for improvement – such as creating the content with zero waste in mind: from using reusable water bottles and rechargeable batteries, to being paperless and offsetting emissions.
In recognition of sustainable filming practices implemented during the ‘Stories from our only home’ production, Miele was awarded the Green Seal by Environmental Media Association.
Miele Sustainability Report
Miele's new Sustainability Report is now available as a download. In this report Miele reinforces its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) published by the United Nations and subscribes to the 2°C target of international climate politics. As in the case of past reports, this issue follows the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).*
Contact us
For press enquiries, or if you have any questions relating to the content of this site, please contact the Sustainability Communications Team in the Miele Press and Public Relations Office: sustainability@miele.com