Add conservation to its socially responsible initiatives
YSN Staff
Whether it’s helping Afghan refugees, aiding displaced Ukrainians or assisting local communities, Danby Appliances’ owner and CEO Jim Estill believes in giving back.
Besides his philanthropic endeavors and charitable giving, he has established a tradition of corporate social responsibility at his Canadian appliance company and encourages employees to volunteer their time and skills to make a positive difference.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed, as Estill is a recipient of The Order of Canada, the country’s highest civilian honor, for one’s contributions to the nation and its citizens. But Estill’s greatest undertaking extends well beyond Canada’s borders. Under his leadership, Danby embraces environmental responsibility and is taking bold steps on multiple fronts to reduce the manufacturer’s ecological impact on the planet.
According to a report in Canada’s Business Journal magazine, those initiatives begin with gas emissions mitigation. Understanding that greenhouse gas emissions are a critical concern, Danby has implemented measures to minimize gas emissions from its products, such as only partnering with environmentally conscious scrap vendors who recover refrigerant instead of sending it into the environment.
Danby also supports product repurposing and recycling, rather than discarding returned or faulty products, by operating refurbishment and repurposing centers across North America. There, products are carefully assessed and refurbished to extend their lifecycle, and components are recycled, repurposed or disposed of responsibly. This not only prevents items from ending up in landfills, the Business Journal reported, but also significantly reduces the need for raw materials and energy associated with new production.
In line with its commitment to sustainability, Danby has adopted a “landfill as last resort” policy, and in the last year alone has recovered over 70,000 units. The company also actively partners with local communities, non-profit organizations and recycling centers to create a circular economy model. On the consumer side, Danby empowers shoppers by offering refurbished products at competitive prices, and has sold over 50,000 refurbished units across North America over the past year. This not only makes quality products more accessible but also encourages conscious consumption, the company said.
Finally, Danby is committed to transparency and accountability about its refurbishment process and regularly shares its sustainability achievements with the public, including metrics on electronic waste diverted from landfills and reductions in its carbon footprint.
“Our story is one of integrity, empathy and the pursuit of ‘doing the right thing,’” the company said, as inscribed over company headquarters in Guelph, Ontario. “Danby Appliances’ core values drive our actions and shape our impact.”
Hat tip to Business Journal magazine.
