Environmental Guidelines

The OSRAM environmental guidelines were introduced in 1998. They were signed by the chairman of the management Dr. Wolf Dieter Bopst, the managing director for technology Dr. Jörg Schaefer and the managing director for finances & personnel Dr. Thomas Seeberg.

We hereby commit ourselves to respect the environment, assume responsibility for it, deal with resources economically and avoid any negative impact on the environment. We underline our commitment to active environmental protection with these environmental guidelines. They apply to all OSRAM activities and to each individual employee.

OSRAM is clearly committed to its responsibility for the environment. In all operational aspects, the company makes every effort to protect the environment. The goal for all OSRAM production operations is to reduce environmental impact as much as possible.

Instead of products exemplifying the greatest technical feasibility, the focus is on competitive, high-quality products with the lowest possible environmental impact. Our mission is to ensure that all OSRAM production operations are secure, cost-efficient and environmentally safe.

At OSRAM, environmental protection applies to all aspects of commercial trading, product development and manufacturing, work processes and the company's social responsibility. Therefore, top priority is placed on environmentally safe processes ranging from the production of source materials and manufacturing, to product service life, product recycling and final disposal.

Saving energy is a preventive approach to environmental protection. Energy-saving light and radiation sources are a main focus of the OSRAM product strategy. This includes advising customers about the environmentally compatible use of our products.

Our key operating principle is to implement continuous improvements to ensure that environmental pollution is strictly avoided or kept to an absolute minimum, i.e. lower than the legally specified limits. This process involves constant monitoring to determine whether new materials and processes can be implemented to further reduce environmental impact. It also involves updating technical systems to the current state of the art. Waste materials should be avoided to the greatest extent possible or recycled for further use.

Compliance with environmental protection laws is a matter of course for every responsible OSRAM employee. A specially adapted environmental management programme ensures that our environmental policies are effectively implemented. The requisite technical and organisational procedures are regularly checked and further developed. An important aspect is the guidance provided for dealing with environmentally damaging materials and processes.

Each OSRAM employee is responsible for environmental protection. A special task for managers is to provide the necessary preconditions to ensure that all facilities and equipment meet the needs of personal safety and environmental protection. This includes regular maintenance of machinery and systems, the immediate correction of defects, and monitoring the effectiveness of environmental protection measures.

Transparency combined with open internal and external communications make it easier for the company to address environmental awareness and understanding among employees and customers alike and foster the social acceptance of our products.