NET ZERO LIGHTING | PROGRAMME
Chaired by Ray Molony
THE DRIVERS
Public procurement: Driving change
Public sector procurement is one of the most powerful drivers of change in the lighting market. Local authorities, central Government and public bodies such as the NHS and the Highways Agency, are all beginning to roll out procurement policies that demand visibility of suppliers’ sustainable policies and certifications. Presentation by Robert Allison, director of Auditel.
The key standards
Rahul Shah EMBA CMgr FCMI, Global Director, Built Environment, at British Standards Institution talked through the key carbon-reduction and Net Zero standards.
These are: PAS 2080, ISO14064,67,68 etc, the suite of ISO/British standards, and ISO Net Zero guidelines (IWA:42).
How will these force change in the lighting sector?
THE TARGETS
How to set science-based targets – and get them approved
The most credible corporate sustainability policy currently is the setting of ‘science-based targets’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change. Here Maria del Mar Rojas, Europe Engagement Manager with The Science Based Targets initiative, outlined how to set targets and have them validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
How to set a Carbon Reduction Plan
Mike Collett, Cost, Procurement and Carbon Specialist at Auditel UK, outlined the pitfalls, the opportunities in setting a Carbon Reduction Plan. What are the priorities in terms of delivering tangible recordable gains that will be reflected in certifications?
THE CERTIFICATIONS
B Corp: Making it work in the lighting sector
B Corp certification is a comprehensive, third-party evaluation of a company’s performance, including sustainability, social equity and governance. It requires firms to meet rigorous standards and undergo a recertification process every three years. Irene Mazzei, PhD, from Stoane Lighting explained the process and requirements to achieve the certification, what a company can learn from this and how it can help build best practice in the industry.
EcoVadis: Making it work in the lighting sector
EcoVadis provides a scorecard based on a company’s performance in areas like environment, labour practices, ethics and supply chain. While less broad than B Corp, it is gaining popularity in the lighting industry. Here John, Gorse, Signify Country Lead for Public & Government Affairs, explained the commitment, and the demand-side drivers.
PANEL DISCUSSION: Certifications: Virtue signals or competitive advantage?
Joining certification programmes such as B Corp or EcoVadis represent a major commitment in management time, expense and process change. Are they worth doing for their own sake? Or does the competitive advantage they offer justify the effort? Our panel: Emer Gellespie, John Gorse, Kael Gillam, and Mike Collett, weighed up the issues.
THE REAL WORLD
Case study: Thorn Lighting
Thorn Lighting’s factory in Spennymoor has reduced energy consumption by 1.3 million kWh and water use by 50 per cent, and is set to cut gas use by a projected 900,000 kWh. Here Mark Helm, Quality Assurance & Lean Six Sigma Manager at the plant, took us through how the ambitious targets are being achieved.
Case study: Triton Showers
Triton Showers aims to be the most sustainable brand in its sector. In 2021, the company achieved the Carbon Trust Standard and completed key baselining work supported and validated by the Carbon Trust. Since then, it has achieved carbon neutrality year on year, in accordance with PAS 2060:2014. Here Sustainability Manager Daniel Lintell shared his insights and learnings from the firm’s environmental journey of recent years.
Case Study: Beko
Andrew Mullen, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs specialist at Beko and chair of the BSI CPL/59 committee on appliance standards, looked at the steps this global appliance manufacturer is taking to achieve its ambitious sustainability goals.
