Commercial Lighting Systems Ltd

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The Company

Since it’s formation in 1991, Commercial Lighting Systems Ltd has been dedicated to the promotion of energy efficient lighting products within the commercial market. Long before the term “Global Warming” became a regular topic of conversation, we recognised that artificial lighting of commercial properties accounted for a large proportion of overall energy usage so we set out to play our part in reducing what we felt was an unnecessary waste of resources.

The Products

We are registered on the Energy Technology List as manufacturers of  “High Efficiency Lighting Units”. Long before this scheme was introduced, our product range has always been designed around the latest energy efficient light sources, whether those manufactured by ourselves or products for which we act as distributor for a small number of European manufacturers. Particular attention is paid to the quality and type of materials used to ensure longevity of each of our products, and refurbishment of our older products is encouraged and regularly undertaken to extend their useful life.

Transportation

We have always operated a policy to source as locally as possible and currently support several sub-contract metalwork & engineering companies within 50 miles of our factory. Even today, the majority of the parts used in all our products have only covered a few hundred miles prior to leaving our factory as a finished product. When it comes to delivering products to our customers, our research suggested that using the existing national carrier network would be the most efficient use of resources, backed up by our own van for local deliveries and collection of components.

Premises

Right from the early days, we have taken care to minimise waste throughout our buildings, including our use of energy. Our own products have been installed in order not only to reduce energy consumption but also to enable us to monitor the performance of our products and make improvements to the design where possible in order to further improve their overall efficiency.

Renewable Energy

The layout and location of our buildings is ideally suited to make the most of renewable energy sources. We already have our own Solar Thermal System mounted on the South facing roof elevation, which supplies heated water for the aqueous degreasing system used in our powder coating paint plant, and also provides assistance to our central heating and hot water system thus further reducing emissions. 

We are completing the final design for the first phase of our PV Solar System to provide power to our external and car park lighting. The system will be monitored for maximum efficiency and will allow for additional panels to be added as and when appropriate to further increase our production of zero emission energy.

Other options are continually assessed with Rainwater Harvesting likely to be added within the next 12 months to provide the water for our degreasing plant, flushing of toilets etc, thus helping to preserve valuable fresh drinking water supplies.  

Recycling

The Company was one of the first lighting manufacturers to register with Lumicom in order to comply fully with the requirements of the WEEE Directive designed to control the recycling of electrical products at end of life. We are also one of few which do not make a charge for our obligations under this directive, as we feel it is our responsibility to ensure the correct handling of our products once they have served their purpose.

As with most companies, a large amount of paper is generated in the normal course of our business, much of which soon becomes “waste”. We have for some time recycled the majority of our waste paper, by using the reverse side of documents for internal communications before finally shredding redundant documents and re-using as packaging material. Even the envelopes from our daily post are shredded and re-used in this way.

Whilst we re-use cardboard boxes wherever possible, many are not suitable for re-use so we have installed a heavy duty cardboard shredding machine which recycles them into usable packaging material. 

Staff are encouraged to recycle all plastic bottles, newspapers etc and recycling points are provided in convenient locations throughout our buildings.

Local Environment

We are corporate members of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust which works to create a better future for wildlife and wild places in Hampshire and the Island. We take our corporate responsibilities seriously and work hard to ensure the operation of our business has minimal detrimental affect on the environment and wildlife we share it with.

We are long term supporters of Fareham in Bloom which provides funds to carry out extensive planting of shrubs and other flowering plants to improve the local environment for both residents and wildlife. In an area undergoing considerable development we believe schemes such as this are vital for sustainability.