Net Zero Lighting Conference: Companies must adopt a holistic approach

Achieving net zero for lighting must be a holistic approach that encompasses everything from supply chain sustainability to logistics, and to customer engagement. This was one of the key messages to come from the Net Zero Lighting conference in London last week.

The event was organised by Recolight and  the Lighting industry Association (LIA). It brought together 120 delegates and speakers for a comprehensive review of the challenges around the decarbonisation of manufacture in the lighting industry. Key topics covered were Strategy, Metrics and Measurement, Materials, Energy, and Transport.

Strategies to reduce carbon

Lighting manufacturers Ledvance, Whitecroft, Stoane Lighting, and Knightsbridge shared a range of strategies they have adopted to reduce carbon emissions in various aspects of business operations.

Sharing their road map, Tim Bowes, head of lighting application, and Oliver Wallace, sustainability officer, Whitecroft Lighting told us;

“It is about starting to collect data and understand your impacts to date. It may not be perfect but as you learn more then the data points will become more accurate and you will start to identify opportunity. Finally it is about collaboration and engagement. Starting these conversations with suppliers and customers will open up new avenues and ideas for all stakeholders.

Irene Mazzei, Sustainability Lead at Stoane Lighting, said

“Net Zero targets should be aimed at real, practical changes to reduce emissions at company level, but also embedding sustainability into product design and manufacturing.”
“These efforts should be communicated transparently, especially when they’re about products, so that customers are really able to select them based on their environmental impact characteristics. “

Ledvance has pioneered sustainable transportation of both its luminaires to customers and its intake of raw materials. Andreas Adam, Senior Director Sustainability of Ledvance summarised the company’s strategy by emphasising that:

“Customer interest and needs must be balanced with the company’s emissions reduction ambition for transport. Storage optimization and delivery times that are altered to optimise carbon footprint will impact both sides of the customer relationship. Complexity will affect other processes besides the delivery, including processes for ordering and invoicing.”

Rebecca Hatch, Director at WSP in the UK, spoke from the specifiers perspective. saying

“Asset managers and owners hold primary responsibility for implementing a carbon management plan. All stakeholders share responsibility. A systems level approach is needed to avoid looking at scope in isolation – we need collaboration especially between designers, manufacturers and constructors to realise the benefits and impacts.”

One key strategy highlighted by many was setting focus pillars that align with your business goals. Whitecroft Lighting’s approach is about energy optimisation, material innovation, circular solutions, and carbon reduction across all stages of a product’s lifecycle. Similarly, Stoane Lighting’s emphasis on Company, Products, and Community underscores the multifaceted nature of sustainability efforts.

What was clear from their presentations is that moving towards net zero and sustainability is not a tick-box exercise, but also about changing the culture of the organisation in fully embracing the need to decarbonise. And when that culture is changed, with teams involved in and taking ownership of the need to change, and more ideas, and more action can flow. For instance, staff, especially younger members of the team, become energised and engaged in a way few management initiatives can achieve.

Metrics and Standards for reducing carbon

Bob Bohannon, Head of Policy and Sustainability at the LIA gave a comprehensive overview of the increasing range of private sector certification schemes that manufacturers can use to drive and evidence their actions towards net zero. With many different schemes and initiatives, Bob said that

“Manufacturers need to choose the right one that best fits the company’s strategy, with particular consideration given to scope: some schemes are more narrowly focused on carbon emissions, while others cover a wider range of sustainability parameters.”

Laurie Wood, UK&I Sustainability Sector Lead BSI Assurance spoke of management system standards which are forward looking and verification standards which consider historical information on emissions.

“Standards set out the minimum requirements an organisation needs to implement but they don’t define how this must be done.” Laurie said that “When selecting a standard to implement, take a risk-based approach to identify the areas, activities and processes which have the biggest impact, and require the highest level of control.”

Net Zero Lighting Conference in summary

Ayça Donaghy, LIA CEO, said

“It’s evident that the journey towards sustainable lighting products and operations is both urgent and ongoing. Our discussions underscored that this isn’t merely about reducing emissions – it’s about reimagining how we operate across every aspect of our business. From enhancing our product designs with sustainability at the core to engaging deeply with our supply chains and customers, every step we take is critical to achieving our goals. As we continue to set transparent, science-based targets and improve our practices, the commitment from every stakeholder across the industry will be essential for turning these ambitions into reality.”

Ray Molony added

“A number of companies said that they gained enormously from beginning their sustainability journey. Far from being a burden, gathering and analysing data on their processes such as their energy use and their supply chain helped organisations identify waste and potential cost savings. In some cases, the savings were dramatic.”

Nigel Harvey, Recolight CEO said

“It has been inspiring to hear of the work some lighting manufacturers are now undertaking as they start to decarbonise their operations. Nobody should underestimate the challenge this involves. But the commitment to make change was tangible, and the number of delegates confirming that they would implement changes as a result of the conference was very encouraging.”