The past year has reminded us of how connected we all are, and of our shared responsibilities to one another and to our communities. And as a business with a truly global footprint, HARMAN operates with the knowledge that we are embedded in many of those communities. Being a positive part of each and every one, is a responsibility we all take quite seriously. 

Indeed, engaging with the communities in which we operate, our employees around the world and our planet’s environment are all central to HARMAN’s core mission and global purpose: to connect people by creating meaningful, personalized experiences. This purpose has helped distinguish our reputation for more than 60 years. 

I’m honored to share the recent progress we have made in our global purpose and sustainability journey in HARMAN’s 2019-2020 Corporate Citizenship Report. The Report focuses on People, Planet, and Performance – themes that extend beyond business operations to HARMAN’s employees around the world and the communities in which we operate. 

Highlights from the Report include:

  • Environment: Between 2018 and 2019, HARMAN’s absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions decreased 6%, and our waste generation decreased by 2%. HARMAN also eliminated or avoided 2,161 metric tons CO2e. In addition, we have committed to decreasing energy consumption at our manufacturing facilities.  

  • Products & Innovation: HARMAN’s commitment to sustainability and the increasing demand for green products inspired the shift towards sustainable packaging and products. The JBL Flip 5 Eco edition – HARMAN’s first eco-friendly portable Bluetooth speaker – is made out of 90% recycled plastic, and our EV Plus+ solutions deliver premium in-car experiences while using less power and half the parts as traditional systems.

  • Employees: HARMAN provides many career development opportunities to help employees thrive. HARMAN Together promotes inclusion and allyship, and HARMAN University helps employees grow professionally and expand their perspective on equality. In 2020, we also established a Black Diversity Task Force that supports the development and advancement of Black employees.

  • Community & Corporate Citizenship: HARMAN has supported Covid-19 relief efforts throughout the pandemic through community outreach programs and activations. Examples include: printing facemasks for healthcare workers using 3D printers and supporting the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, which has delivered hundreds of millions of protective items globally.

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At HARMAN, we have continued to learn and make progress in our sustainability practices thanks to the support of the communities in which we operate, our employees around the world and our ongoing commitment to the environment. We are proud to share the gains we’ve made, but we also recognize that we are on a journey of continuous improvement. 

With this in mind, we are instilling sustainability as a fundamental pillar that will shape our strategic approach to everything we do at HARMAN. 

Environmental sustainability is not the only way we proactively aim to engage positively with the communities HARMAN exists in. Our philanthropic approach is centered on our global cause initiative, HARMAN Inspired, which collaborates with partners to empower the next generation of technology leaders through unique, immersive and meaningful experiences in music education, technology and community service. 

Recently, HARMAN Inspired collaborated with music education nonprofit Little Kids Rock to donate thousands of headphones to help students learn at home during Covid-19. Additionally, over the past two years, HARMAN Inspired continued to partner with other nonprofits like 1,000 Dreams Fund to help young women pursue careers in STEM and the Make Music Alliance to encourage people of all ages to experience the joy of making music.

As we navigate these unprecedented times together, upholding our sustainability commitments is one way we can drive meaningful change today, and for future generations. Please join HARMAN in our pledge to make a difference, and I look forward to continuing this critical corporate citizenship journey together.

To learn more about HARMAN’s commitment to global purpose and sustainability, read the full Corporate Citizenship Report here, or visit HARMAN Inspired online at https://www.harman.com/inspired.