With a shared vision of improving lives through homeownership and improving communities, Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity have had a relationship spanning 25 years and exceeding $140 million in funding. The work in that time has had, and continues to have, a positive impact on communities and nearly 1,000,000 individuals. Additionally, through innovative programs and efficient products, they are helping homeowners save money sustainably.
Donated products are key to the success and impact of the programs Whirlpool Corp. supports through Habitat for Humanity. In the 25 year relationship, more than 241,000 home appliances have been donated to date. These product donations save homeowners money in a number of ways:
- Saving on major home appliance purchases
- Helping families save money on food expenses by reducing the need to eat out often driven by inadequate appliances
- Lowering their monthly utility costs with new, energy-efficient appliances
In 2021, Habitat conducted a study to estimate the total energy savings and associated cost-savings resulting from Whirlpool ranges and refrigerators donated between 2018 and 2020 to Habitat homes. The study extrapolated that over the duration of the decades-long collaboration, the donated appliances generated lifetime energy savings of over 218 million kilowatt-hours and energy bill savings of more than $24 million dollars across the full network.
The Whirlpool Corp. donated product program was recently enhanced with support from InSinkErator, a global manufacturer of garbage disposals and instant hot water dispensers for home and commercial use. Over the next year, InSinkErator, a Whirlpool Corporation brand, will donate a disposal for each new Habitat home construction, rehabilitation and kitchen repair project in the U.S. InSinkErator products help to reduce the amount of food waste taken to landfills and resulting methane emissions that contribute to global warming, further extending environmental benefits to homeowners.
Whirlpool supports key Habitat programs with links to the company’s vision. Through the BuildBetter with Whirlpool program, Habitat and Whirlpool built 260 climate resilient and energy-efficient homes across the United States with an expected 15 percent increase in energy efficiency compared to conventional homes. In global builds, Whirlpool Corp. has helped Habitat break into new countries like Italy and Colombia. In addition, the company supports some of Habitat’s key advocacy programs promoting affordable housing like Cost of Home in the U.S. which helped change more than 300 policies and increase access to affordable homes for an estimated 6.6 million people.
“Our global social responsibility focus is on helping to ensure everyone can have a place to live that’s comfortable and nurturing so that families can really build their best life from inside those four walls, and to help build thriving communities through education programs,” says Deb O’Connor, Whirlpool Corporation’s director of corporate reputation and community relations. “Our vision aligns perfectly with Habitat’s vision which is why this relationship has lasted 25 years and has had a profound impact for more than a million people around the world.”
For more information about Whirlpool Corporation’s Habitat for Humanity programs, visit whirlpoolcorp.com/our-impact/social-impact/social-reponsibility/.
