Partnerships

PROBLEMATIC SITUATION THAT OCCURRED

After years of full-scale war, Ukrainian society is going through a wave of emotional, psychological, and sensory exhaustion. According to the Ministry of Health, over 40,000 people in Ukraine have been officially diagnosed with PTSD and autism spectrum disorders – and this number continues to grow every year. For some of these people, even a simple trip to a store can trigger anxiety due to excessive noise, bright lighting, loud advertising announcements, or flickering screens.

COMFY – a company that puts human comfort at the heart of its philosophy – saw in this not only a social challenge but also a potential threat to brand trust. Among its visitors are people who avoid overstimulating spaces, even if they are loyal customers. Ignoring these challenges could have led to a loss of loyalty among certain customer segments, a decline in foot traffic to physical stores, and criticism of the brand for lacking an ethical stance on an issue of public importance.

At the same time, the company faced another challenge – the need to optimize electricity consumption across its retail network. After the energy crises of 2022–2023, it became clear that saving energy is not only about cost reduction but also about responsibility toward the country. This is how two directions were born – “Energy Saving in Stores” and “Quiet Hours” – which later merged into a single synergistic case.

SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMATIC SITUATION

Idea and Concept

The response to both challenges was to create a space that would be comfortable for people and energy systems alike.

COMFY decided that every day – from the moment the stores open until 12:00 p.m. – all 112 locations across the network would operate under the “Quiet Hours” mode, which meant:

• reducing lighting intensity;

• turning off televisions, digital signage with dynamic visuals, and part of the equipment;

• lowering the volume of background music and eliminating other sound irritants.

COMFY became the first company in Ukrainian retail to implement such an initiative nationwide. The project launched on July 1, 2025, and has been running daily in all stores ever since.

Implementation Timeline

1. 2023–2024 – Pilot phase of the energy-saving program: various scenarios for turning off lighting and display screens during morning hours were tested in selected stores.

1. Early 2025 – Development of the “Quiet Hours” concept in collaboration with the Operations Directorate and the Strategic Communications Team.

1. Spring 2025 – Staff training and an internal communications campaign titled “With Care for Customers with Sensory Sensitivity.”

1. July 1, 2025 – Official launch of “Quiet Hours” across all stores in the network.

In the first weeks, the process was manual: sales staff personally turned off devices, lighting, and audio systems. Later, the company implemented the Smart Life remote control system, which enables centralized regulation of lighting and equipment – reducing operational workload.

Top Management’s Position

The company’s top management took an active and unambiguous stance in implementing the project.

COMFY’s Chief Operating Officer, Natalia Kutuzova, emphasized:

“COMFY became the first company in the home appliances and electronics market to introduce such an initiative on a national scale. This reflects our profound understanding of social responsibility and our commitment to creating the most comfortable, inclusive spaces for all customers.

Today, more than ever, we recognize the importance of building environments that are barrier-free and sensitive to the needs of every person. The war has led to an increase in the number of people living with PTSD and anxiety disorders – and it is our duty, as a business, to respond to these challenges.”

Challenges and Resources

Launching “Quiet Hours” required more than just a communications effort – it demanded a deep restructuring of in-store operational processes. The greatest challenge was to balance inclusivity with business efficiency: to make the environment comfortable for sensory-sensitive visitors without creating obstacles for others.

The first challenge was organizational – ensuring a consistent “Quiet Hours” standard across all stores. The pilot phase revealed that staff lacked clear guidance, which led to the second challenge – communication. It became essential to explain to both employees and customers the meaning and importance of the initiative. What for some felt like relief from sensory overload looked to others like stores that were closed or experiencing technical issues with lighting.

To overcome these barriers, COMFY developed detailed instructions, presentations, and held live meetings with store teams. The company also informed the media and the public through external communications – newsletters to industry outlets, social media posts, and collaborations with bloggers.

Another difficulty was the technical setup of lighting and sound systems across various store formats. At the start, the process relied heavily on manually switching off numerous devices  – a task dependent on employees’ attentiveness and sense of responsibility. Later, COMFY introduced remote control through the Smart Life app, enabling centralized management of lighting and equipment.

RESULTS OF THE DECISION

Social Impact

“Quiet Hours” became a practical step toward barrier-free retail. COMFY began receiving positive feedback from customers – people who, for the first time, could shop calmly without being overwhelmed by sound or light. The initiative also drew the attention of civic organizations, including the NGO “League of the Strong,” with which COMFY has already established a partnership to scale the project across other retail chains.

Importantly, by September – just two months after the project’s launch – local authorities also took notice of the issue of sensory accessibility. The Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration announced plans to introduce “Quiet Hours” in Kyiv shopping malls, and several malls in the capital began joining the initiative.

Thus, COMFY effectively set a new national benchmark for social sensitivity in Ukrainian retail.

Environmental and Economic Effect

Integrating the initiative with the “Energy Saving in Stores” project produced a double outcome:

• a reduction in average energy consumption during morning hours by 15-17% 

• decreased CO₂ emissions and reduced strain on the national power grid;

• optimized operational costs without compromising customer comfort.

In this way, COMFY supported an important national initiative and strengthened its own ESG positioning – demonstrating that inclusivity and sustainable development can reinforce each other rather than exist as separate pursuits.

Impact on Brand and Market

COMFY became the first company in Ukraine to bring the “Quiet Hours” initiative to the level of national retail. The project strengthened customer trust and emotional loyalty – especially among families with children, veterans, and people with sensory sensitivity. It is safe to say that the initiative enhanced COMFY’s reputation as a company that transforms care into systematic action.

Following the launch, the share of positive media and social media mentions about the company grew. The initiative sparked interest among public organizations, while the brand received a wave of organic support from opinion leaders.

For COMFY itself, the project became a reputational bridge between values and actions, reinforcing the company’s internal culture of empathy and employee trust in the brand. After all, physical accessibility (ramps, elevators, etc.) is only one component of inclusion. COMFY’s case – merging care for mental well-being with the sales of consumer goods – is unique for the Ukrainian retail market.

Had the company not made this decision, it would have risked staying on the sidelines of society’s call for empathy, inclusivity, and responsibility – the core values without which modern business cannot thrive.

Lessons and Next Steps

“Quiet Hours” demonstrated that humanity itself can be a business strategy. COMFY proved that social innovation not only strengthens reputational capital but also nurtures an internal culture of engagement and care.

The next step is to scale this experience across the entire Ukrainian retail sector by developing unified standards for inclusive shopping spaces in partnership with the NGO “League of the Strong,” media outlets, and government institutions.

Conclusion

The “Quiet Hours” case is a story about how one simple decision – to turn off excess noise and light – can change the experience of thousands of people. COMFY proves that technology, energy efficiency, and human care can coexist within the same space.