Sustainability is a wide and complex subject, and one that is front and centre of most manufacturers’ business models and plans. A broad-brush view is that it’s about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It revolves around the three interconnected pillars: environmental, social, and governance (ESG).
How the lighting industry can be sustainable
Sustainability within the lighting sector can’t be solved by one or two individual companies overhauling their manufacturing processes. It has to be systemic, taken on board by all companies to work progressively towards improving sustainability practices.
The European lighting industry has taken the sustainability bull by the horns, working on extending the lives of products, reducing hazardous substances used within those products and improving waste recycling. Lighting Europe is working to further minimise the industry’s carbon footprint and enhance its sustainability credentials.
Individual companies can improve their own sustainability by looking at their ESG practices and those of their supply chain:
1. Environmental
Resources: switch to renewable energy, reduce water consumption, investigate and understand raw material sourcing, and recycle waste. Lower consumption and responsible sourcing indicate better sustainability.
Emissions: monitor greenhouse gas emissions and air and water pollution. Their reduction and the resulting CO2 impact can be crucial. Establish an accredited environmental management system (EMS) to record and measure all environmental impacts and improvements.
2. Social:
Community engagement: make sure those in the supply chain use fair labour practices, adopt diversity and inclusion, and respect human rights.
Equity and equality: ensuring equal opportunities and addressing social disparities are vital for inclusive and sustainable development.
3. Governance:
Resource efficiency: optimising resource use and minimising waste contribute to economic sustainability.
Long-term viability: financial planning, responsible investment and economic stability promote long-term prosperity
The European lighting industry has taken the sustainability bull by the horns, working on extending the lives of products, reducing hazardous substances used within those products and improving waste recycling. Lighting Europe is working to further minimise the industry’s carbon footprint and enhance its sustainability credentials.
Individual companies can improve their own sustainability by looking at their ESG practices and those of their supply chain:
1. Environmental
Resources: switch to renewable energy, reduce water consumption, investigate and understand raw material sourcing, and recycle waste. Lower consumption and responsible sourcing indicate better sustainability.
Emissions: monitor greenhouse gas emissions and air and water pollution. Their reduction and the resulting CO2 impact can be crucial. Establish an accredited environmental management system (EMS) to record and measure all environmental impacts and improvements.
2. Social:
Community engagement: make sure those in the supply chain use fair labour practices, adopt diversity and inclusion, and respect human rights.
Equity and equality: ensuring equal opportunities and addressing social disparities are vital for inclusive and sustainable development.
3. Governance:
Resource efficiency: optimising resource use and minimising waste contribute to economic sustainability.
Long-term viability: financial planning, responsible investment and economic stability promote long-term prosperity
Consumables: inevitable but improving
It’s true that lightbulbs don’t last forever and will need replacing over the life of a light, and that can result in waste. But LEDs now account for around 80% of all lightbulbs sold and they last up to five times longer than halogen bulbs, therefore accounting for a lot less waste.
They can be recycled at specialist WEEE facilities, and it’s up to the industry to improve customer education around this. And there are several initiatives looking at making LEDs more sustainable, including repairable LEDs and daylight harvesting strategies to make the best use of natural light.
They can be recycled at specialist WEEE facilities, and it’s up to the industry to improve customer education around this. And there are several initiatives looking at making LEDs more sustainable, including repairable LEDs and daylight harvesting strategies to make the best use of natural light.
Sustainability at Maytoni
As a relatively new player in the industry, we continue to refocus our vision which simply gets brighter. We are committed to reducing light pollution, all our manufacturing processes are transparent, and we are constantly working with our supply chain to make sure our entire process is as circular and sustainable as possible.
We practice design-led sustainability where we strive to reduce negative environmental impacts through our product development. Our superpower is our timeless designs – rather than reacting to flash-in-the-pan fashions, our lighting solutions transcend trends. And with their high production values, they last longer with less need to replace.
We create lighting with longevity, to keep it out of landfill. We encourage the repurposing of our lights where possible, given them second or third lives in someone else’s home. There is a broader, societal shift in favour of this and we encourage it. And our component parts are recyclable when they come to the end of their long lives. We use stainless steel, the most recyclable metal on earth, aluminium, the most recycled material on earth, and glass.
The right lighting has a transformative effect on a building and can be kind to the environment at the same time. Do take a look at the (ссылка выделить) Maytoni range to see how we help shine a light on your projects and build a brighter future.
We practice design-led sustainability where we strive to reduce negative environmental impacts through our product development. Our superpower is our timeless designs – rather than reacting to flash-in-the-pan fashions, our lighting solutions transcend trends. And with their high production values, they last longer with less need to replace.
We create lighting with longevity, to keep it out of landfill. We encourage the repurposing of our lights where possible, given them second or third lives in someone else’s home. There is a broader, societal shift in favour of this and we encourage it. And our component parts are recyclable when they come to the end of their long lives. We use stainless steel, the most recyclable metal on earth, aluminium, the most recycled material on earth, and glass.
The right lighting has a transformative effect on a building and can be kind to the environment at the same time. Do take a look at the (ссылка выделить) Maytoni range to see how we help shine a light on your projects and build a brighter future.
