Sustainability at SATTLER - circular economy and responsible production

The sustainable vision of SATTLER

The circular economy is at the centre of our sustainability strategy. We want to avoid recycling our lights - ideally, we want to rule it out. That is why we are already doing everything we can to manufacture our products in such a way that reuse, refurbish or remanufacture becomes ‘normal’. For this reason, we have created the SATTLER-RE sub-brand. We use it to close the loop, so to speak, by refurbishing returned products and putting them back on the market.

The take-back guarantee is the basis for this process. Only if the lights find their way back to our factory, however many years later, can they be professionally reconditioned for a second life. Refurbishing and reusing products is a matter of course for us. This is not a new phenomenon. Generations before us have already done this extensively. Unfortunately, this culture was lost with the economic miracle and the prosperity that came with it.

Sustainable production with a regional supply chain

Ever since the first SATTLER lights were manufactured, we have favoured cooperation with regional suppliers and workshops. In the region around Stuttgart, we can draw on almost inexhaustible knowledge of materials, material processing and production. This expertise makes our lights a regional product across almost the entire value chain. We believe in Germany as a production location and ‘made in Germany’. And not just in the context of the supply chain, but in particular to produce the best possible product for our customers.

For a realistic cycle, we have to build luminaires differently today than we did in the past. Even though we have always been very quality-conscious and sustainable in our production, an important design factor today is how we can dismantle and refurbish luminaires in 10 years' time if necessary. This is already changing the design and manufacturing process in the early stages.

CSR - Honest responsibility

A new chapter in the company's history began with the construction of our new factory and administration building in 2015. The risk of the financial investment was offset by securing the success of the business and safeguarding jobs. We have created a working environment and a working culture that show how much we recognise our social responsibility. For the people who work at Sattler, for our supplier partners and for the region.

Independent certifications & reporting

With the first Global Compact Report in 2014, the ‘reflection’ began. Thinking about sustainability and what that means in the wider context. The SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) of the United Nations (UN) create a very holistic basis for everyone's sustainable work. Whether individuals, groups or companies. In addition to the ‘global initiative’, we are also a partner of the state of Baden-Württemberg in the WIN Charter and will collect our first report in 2023. Creating a report is one thing, but realising set goals is a daily challenge - and a ‘sustainable’ reminder in our daily activities.

The work on cradle-to-cradle certification and with Climate Partner and ecovadis (emissions certification) is very important to us. Every collaboration brings new knowledge, new ideas and new thoughts. And, it strengthens our awareness on a whole level. We don't just want to be certified for the sake of being certified. We want to act sustainably as a whole and across all processes in an authentic and comprehensible manner. For us, for the region and especially for the next generation. We report regularly on our environmental activities and check our annual water consumption.

Partnership with added value

We have been a CONCULAR partner since 2022. It was a conscious decision to enter into this partnership. Why? We are convinced that our society and our entire economy are already benefiting from this and will of course continue to do so in the future. To help reduce emissions, of course, but also because it will open up completely new opportunities. Keyword ‘re-culture’. CONCULAR is taking the right path and showing us all not only an ecological path, but also an economic one.

We believe in alliances like this. That is why we also maintain a constant dialogue with customers and other partners in our cosmos. Added value and progress can only be achieved through dialogue and joint initiatives.