Environmental responsibility

We take into account the environmental impact of our operations. We strive to continuously develop our activities to minimise negative impacts and promote circular economy. Our environmental responsibility work is guided by the following principles, actions and targets:

• We continually improve the quality of our design and product management processes.
• We collect data and measure the environmental impact of our products.
• We work to minimise the negative environmental impact of our products throughout their life cycle.
• We invest in products, solutions and processes that contribute to mitigating climate change.
• We continuously improve the functionality and environmental friendliness of our packaging.
• We raise awareness of energy efficiency, product safety and recycling.
• We consider the environmental friendliness of our operations on our premises and when we travel.
• We communicate openly about environmental matters to our stakeholders.
• We invest in waste prevention and recycling.

» Learn more about our annual sustainability targets.

Emission calculation

We calculate our emissions each year according to the GHG greenhouse gas accounting protocol. In the 2021 calculation, we calculated the emissions of our entire supply chain for the first time. Less than 1 % of our emissions come from our own direct operations. The main source of emissions is the use of electricity of the luminaries and light sources that we sell. 

Emission targets

The annual emission calculation is the basis for our emission target and follow-up. Our emission target is science-based, i.e., in line with the Paris Agreement target of keeping global warming within 1.5ºC. The Science Based Targets (SBT) initiative has validated our target:

We are aiming for a 42% reduction in our own direct and purchased energy emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 2030 compared to the base year of 2021. In addition we are committed to measuring and reducing emissions in our value chain (scope 3).

The majority of our emissions come from energy consumption that occurs when our customers use our lighting and other electrically powered products. This is why we set a target for our scope 3 emissions that complements the SBT commitment: to reduce emissions from our products by 30 % by 2030. 

We have built a plan to achieve our emissions targets, and we update it annually. 

We have already taken various practical steps to mitigate the climate impact of our own activities, including:

• We have carried out a number of energy efficiency measures at our properties, such as replacing lighting and adding insulation when renovating roofs. Our properties offer car charging possibility.
• We use 100 % certified, renewable electricity on our premises. Our Kerava facilities use renewable, bio-based district heating.
• We have improved waste sorting and recycling at our own facilities. For example, we reuse packaging materials whenever possible.
• In our car policy, we have set a CO₂ emission limit of ≤ 100 g (WLTP). The emission limit is reviewed regularly. We also offer a company bicycle benefit to all our permanent employees.

 

In our product range, we have reduced emissions by e.g. the following measures:

• Our assortment includes controllable, dimmable and energy-efficient products. It includes f.ex. SmartHome products that enable intelligent energy use, and A energy class LED bulbs in accordance with the new energy label rating. Some of our products use solar energy.

• In product design, our rule of thumb is to use as little materials as possible. We have also reduced the amount of packaging materials we use.

• We favour sea freight and aim to optimise our transportations

In addition to company-level emissions, we have calculated the carbon footprint of selected products.

Materials and recycling

A variety of materials are needed to make our products. Airam’s starting point for material selection is product safety and compliance with standards and laws. 

We take into account the different stages of the product life cycle from the very beginning of product design. A product that uses materials sparingly consumes fewer natural resources – not only in manufacturing, but also in transport. By choosing the right materials for the intended use, we ensure the usability and long lifetime of our products. This also ensures that the natural resources used to make each product are used as efficiently as possible. To make it as easy as possible for our customers to recycle parts made from different materials in our products when they reach the end of their life cycle, we avoid the use of adhesives. We also try to avoid unnecessary packaging.

We are currently exploring the possibilities of using new sustainable materials in our product range. 

We comply with the REACH and RoHS chemicals legislation, which limits the use of substances that are harmful to the environment and human health in products. The basic principle of the aforementioned legislation is that chemicals found to be harmful will not be used if safer alternatives are available at a reasonable price. One of the big changes brought about by chemical regulation was the ban on the manufacture and import of mercury-containing fluorescent lamps in August 2023.

Recycling

We want to make it as easy as possible to recycle Airam products and their packaging. Cardboard accounts for 95 % of our packaging materials.

We have also increased the reuse and recycling rate of materials in our own operations. Where possible, we reuse transport packaging and pallets. From our logistics centre, we send broken pallets for repair and packaging plastics and broken cardboard packaging for reuse as raw material. The amount of waste that we generate fell by 30 % between 2020 and 2023. 

Producer responsibility

According to waste legislation, manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment, batteries and accumulators, such as Airam, are obligated to recycle their products. Producer responsibility also applies to companies that pack products in Finland and to companies that import packaged products selling them remotely. We manage our producer responsibilities through the following producer and service communities:

• Batteries: Recser Oy
• Luminaries and lamps: FLIP ry
• Packaging: Registered companies RINKI Oy

Energy efficiency

Energy-efficient products enable our customers to reduce their electricity consumption. The introduction of LED light has improved the energy consumption of lighting dramatically. LED technology is also constantly evolving: the energy consumption of energy class A LEDs is as much as 60 % lower than that of a standard LED lamp. 

In addition to efficient light sources, energy can be used more efficiently and thus contribute to sparing the environment through wireless lighting control such as Casambi or ActiveAhead, dimmer and time switches, motion sensors, and various smart solutions.

In recent years, we have also improved the energy efficiency of our own operations, for example by renovating roofs, renewing lighting and adjusting building technology. At our Kerava facility, where our headquarters and logistics centre are located, we reduced electricity consumption by 15 % and district heating by as much as 25 % between 2018 and 2023. 

Ecodesign and energy labelling 

New ecodesign and energy labelling regulations for light sources, i.e., for light bulbs, entered into force in September 2021. Among other things, the reform updated the energy efficiency requirements for light sources and the energy labelling scale. The energy label indicates which category the light source belongs to based on its energy consumption. As manufacturers and importers of light sources, the reform spurs us to offer increasingly energy-efficient products.