Sustainability isn’t a passing trend
Or a buzzword of the moment
Our vision is a future where business, people, and the planet can live more harmoniously together. It's rarely simple, but small acts that challenge the way we do things today, will ultimately lead to real and meaningful change tomorrow.
John Fearon & James Bassant
Co-founders
Our 2030 Commitments
We have set long-term goals which guide each decision we make. Our three prioritised goals are linked to the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development.
We are committed to going further than carbon neutrality, by actively reducing emissions to as close to zero as possible across our entire value chain.
We are transforming our approach to design and engineering. Our design and quality teams are collaborating in new ways to lengthen the lifespan of our products and ensure that circular loops, such as 'reuse, repair and recycle' are adopted.
Nearly one billion people live without access to electricity. Many are forced to rely on dangerous and toxic light sources when it gets dark such as candles and kerosene lamps. We believe everyone should have access to light no matter who you are or where you live. We're working on several initiatives to spread awareness of this global energy crisis and help more people get access to light through the use of portable solar lamps.
Sustainability in Design
There are many ideas around what makes lighting sustainable. We believe it is about being mindful of the whole lifecycle, making responsible design and engineering choices at every stage - from the very first concept sketches, through to the end of the product's life. We demonstrate this way of thinking through our set of guiding principles.
1.
Products will have a long design life.
2.
Product designs will avoid unsustainable materials and manufacturing processes.
3.
Products will be efficient.
4.
Products will be repairable, with any consumables replaceable.
5.
Products will facilitate reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal at their end of life.
A transformational approach to
Product Development
We are using a Life Cycle Analysis tool to assess and reduce the carbon footprint, energy consumption, water eutrophication and air acidification across each stage of our products journey.
Adapting our materials
Goodbye to single use plastics
Polystyrene is a thing of the past thanks to our new origami-inspired inner fitment, constructed entirely from a recycled-mix cardboard.
Product screws are now in a recycled cardboard packet, rather than a plastic bag.
We have reduced our printer ink requirements by 40%, by switching from four-colour labels to black and white two-tone labels, on our products.
Making a difference in our communities
A Greener HQ
Sustainability is at the forefront of our business choices and inspires all of those that work here at Astro. This passion is reflected in our work environment, and at our global head office in the United Kingdom.
Solar panels
Our HQ is powered by 460 solar panels. We generate more energy than we consume, meaning we send any surplus back to the national grid.
Our garden
We've designed our garden area to be wildlife-friendly, including bird boxes created by our very own engineers.
Protect our surroundings
We actively help to maintain and protect areas surrounding our head office, organising green weeks, which include litter picks around our neighbouring chalk river, a rare and vulnerable habitat.
Electric charging
We have installed 10 electric car charging points to support our employees' move to more environmentally friendly travel to work.
