There’s never been a time in history when purpose-driven innovation has been so critical to a business’ long-term, sustainable success. Not only do studies show that companies that prioritize environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues outperform their competitors, but research also reveals that consumers and employees are demanding more responsible business practices from the brands they support. As a purpose-driven company focused on connecting people by creating meaningful, personalized experiences in a responsible way, HARMAN has been unwavering in our commitment to lead with integrity and innovate with intention throughout our nearly 70-year history.

We take this responsibility very seriously. This past year, sustainability became one of HARMAN’s key strategic business pillars that shapes everything we do as a company. Now, we’re bringing this pillar to life in a unified, systematic way like never before with our Sound Purpose platform. "Sound Purpose" is our global ESG platform that enables the communities where we live and serve to thrive sustainably and responsibly in order to create lasting and meaningful progress.

The Sound Purpose vision is already becoming a reality. We are proud to share our latest Sustainability Report, Sound Purpose: Driving Cause with Impact, which features stories of social and environmental progress that we made in 2021 across three strategic areas: Planet, People and Purpose. By working together and focusing on priority causes, we can ‘Drive Cause with Impact’ and bring about real, lasting change.

Highlights from the Report include:

  • Planet: HARMAN is working to understand the impact we have on the planet and ensure our operations and products are built responsibly. We’re also taking bold action to formalize the processes for measuring and monitoring our impact across all dimensions of sustainability. In 2021, we pledged to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 – 10 years ahead of the Paris Agreement – and work toward ambitious, measurable shorter-term targets that:  
    • Reduce Emissions: HARMAN is on-track to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions 40% by 2025.
    • Reduce Energy: HARMAN is committed to ensuring all of our global manufacturing run on 100% renewable electricity by 2025.
    • Reduce Waste: HARMAN is optimizing the design of our products to reduce their effect on the environment. In 2021 and 2022 alone, we developed 6 new products made from 90% recycled plastic, 30 new products with fully sustainable packaging and 14 EPA Energy Star-certified products.
  • People: We’re committed to fostering growth among our people and to providing a safe, inclusive workplace through employee resource groups, ongoing education and trainings. Our purpose-driven culture is evident in these bold actions as well as through our dedication to employee health and safety. In 2021:
    • More than 8,000 employees participated in 70+ courses from HARMAN University – our leadership training program that just celebrated its 5th anniversary.
    • Employees each spent an average of 9.25 hours immersing themselves in topical themes like Creativity, Learning to Learn and Responding to Change.
    • Our DE&I Learning Journey delivered curriculum allowing 197 Leaders, Human Resources, and employees to understand the DE&I foundational concepts and promote a culture of inclusion across HARMAN.
  • Purpose: HARMAN is passionate about inspiring an inclusive next generation to realize their possibilities. Anchored by HARMAN Inspired, our global cause initiative, we foster purpose-driven partnerships to drive creativity and humanize tech, empowering the next generation of leaders to develop deep connections with HARMAN technologies through unique and immersive experiences in audio, music, technology and service. In 2021, HARMAN Inspired:
    • Hosted our first virtual Jam Session during Make Music Day in June 2021, featuring 68 musical performances by more than 80 employees from around the globe.
    • Partnered with 1,000 Dreams Fund partner to back girls pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as well as eSports by providing funding, mentorship and other forms of support through a number of programs.
    • Launched JBL Campus SoundSessions: a mentorship program for minority students interested in careers in music led by HARMAN’s iconic JBL brand, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2021.
    • Collaborated with Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock) to provide music education and instrument donations to more than 525,000 students in 500 school districts across 49 states.

Sustainability isn’t an end goal; it’s a journey of continuous improvement. At HARMAN, we know our work toward a sustainable future is never done and that driving sustainability is an ongoing challenge that requires constant collaboration. Thank you for supporting us on this journey to ‘Drive Cause with Impact’ as we continue to fulfill our mission to create connected experiences that enrich a sustainable lifestyle. We look forward to advancing our Sound Purpose together in 2022 and beyond.

To learn more about HARMAN’s commitment to sustainability and social impact, read the full Report here.