Together for Our Community
We create meaningful moments for people in public spaces by making them safe, comfortable and sustainable.
With more than half of the world’s population currently living in urban areas, public spaces have become more important than ever. Our Together for our Community strategy focuses on 2 important areas to help achieve SDG's 11 and 15 and sustainable living for all:
1. lighting that has a positive social impact;
2. protection of fauna and flora.
Lighting with a positive social impact
Public lighting has a strong social role to play in any urban area. In line with the UN SDG target 11.2, we want our lighting systems to make a difference so we develop solutions that:
- Improve safety at crossings for pedestrians and cyclists, particularly taking into account more vulnerable people such as the disabled, elderly and children. Lighting plays a vital role in helping them feel safe, secure and supported. All of our luminaires can be equipped with specific light distributions for active mobility.
A great example is Mandel bike path which is lit by TECEO LED luminaires (14W) fitted with motion detection sensors and controlled by the Schréder EXEDRA system. Powered by solar panels installed on the roof of the local exhibition centre, it is a truly sustainable and self-supporting lighting system.
- Deliver lighting & Smart City solutions (e.g. WiFi) for economically less privileged areas such as run-down neighbourhoods and economically deprived villages. One example of a community lighting project was in South Africa, where we donated 160 LED street lights to Chintsa East, a small village in the Eastern Cape. Effective street lighting means everyone feels safer so women and children can walk around freely at night and kids can even play football.
In 2021, we took the decision with the Schréder family to go a step further and give a more structured approach to our philanthropic purpose by setting up a global fund, the Schréder Together Fund, in cooperation with the King Baudouin Foundation.
Protection of fauna and flora
The UN forecasts that 68% of us will live in towns and cities by 2050, meaning an additional 460,000 square miles of our planet will be urbanised.
As we need to share that space with forests, wildlife and insects, we design lighting solutions to ensure safety for people and also let wildlife survive and thrive. For used wisely, today’s technology makes it possible to minimise light pollution, while still providing ample illumination.
Protect our starry skies was the mission when relighting La Mongie in the heart of France’s International Dark Sky Reserve.
We delivered a smart lighting solution that uses 40% less energy, works well in snowy conditions and lets astronomers soak up the views of the Milky Way.
Preserve the local biodiversity and promote the use of public transport was the objective when relighting Driebergen-Ziest Station in The Netherlands.
The TECEO fitted with warm white LEDs was installed on the platforms and surrounding roads to create a welcoming landscape while the TECEO luminaires installed on the paths along the neighbouring nature reserves were equipped with amber LEDs to minimise disruption to wildlife.
Encourage active mobility and protect the local wildlife was key when relighting Borkener Aa River path.
We delivered a smart lighting system with motion sensors so the path is only lit when necessary.
In addition, the luminaires are fitted with warm white LEDs (2,200K) that diffuse a light with a yellow glow to minimise disturbance to the different species of fish, insects and endangered animals living there when they are switched on.