Donate-A-Light is a UK-based social enterprise that captures surplus and end-of-line LED lighting products from manufacturers and redirects them to charities, hospices, care providers and community organisations (for FREE).

Instead of being recycled or sent to landfill, these products are reused in real projects—delivering immediate environmental and social value.

To date, over 11,000 lighting products have been saved, saving more than 70,000 kgCO₂e of embodied carbon. Beneficiaries also achieve up to 60% reductions in lighting energy consumption, significantly lowering operating costs at a time when many organisations are under financial pressure.

This model demonstrates a practical circular economy in action—extending product life, reducing waste, avoiding new manufacturing emissions, and delivering measurable impact for both people and the planet.

Commit

Donate-A-Light was established in response to a clear inefficiency within the lighting industry: large volumes of perfectly serviceable LED products were being treated as waste due to project changes, over-ordering, or end-of-line stock.

At the same time, many charities and community organisations were operating with outdated, inefficient lighting due to lack of funding.

Recognising this disconnect, Donate-A-Light was created to bridge the gap—redirecting surplus lighting to where it is most needed.

We signed the Circularity in Practice pledge to formalise our commitment to advancing reuse as a core principle of the circular economy. Our work aligns directly with the initiative’s aim to encourage collaboration across value chains and move beyond linear “take-make-dispose” models toward practical, scalable reuse solutions.

Our commitment is simple:

• Prioritise reuse over recycling wherever possible

• Reduce embodied carbon by extending product life

• Deliver measurable environmental and social impact

• Build partnerships across the lighting supply chain

We believe reuse is one of the most immediate and effective actions available to reduce waste and carbon in the built environment.

Plan

Our approach is built around a structured circular model:

1. Capture surplus supply
We work with lighting manufacturers, distributors and contractors to identify surplus, slow-moving or end-of-line stock.

2. Assess and categorise
Products are reviewed for suitability, grouped into usable quantities, and logged with key data including type, wattage and estimated carbon value.

3. Match to need
We prioritise organisations delivering clear community benefit—such as hospices, care homes and community hubs—and match available stock to real project requirements.

4. Deliver measurable outcomes
Each project is assessed for:

• Embodied carbon savings (via reuse vs new manufacture)

• Energy reduction (through LED upgrades)

• Financial savings for beneficiaries

5. Report and improve
We track outputs across all projects, allowing us to continuously refine allocation, logistics and impact measurement.

Our methodology ensures that reuse is not ad hoc, but structured, scalable and outcome-driven.

Partner

Collaboration is central to our model.

We work with:

• Manufacturers and suppliers – donating surplus stock

• Circularity Initiatives – identifying reuse opportunities, where we can collaborate

• Warehousing & Logistics partners – supporting collection and redistribution

• End beneficiaries – implementing installations and reporting outcomes

• Reuse Platforms – We sell some surplus products at low cost to encourage uptake and reuse (on a not-for-profit basis

We also actively engage with industry stakeholders to promote reuse as a viable alternative to recycling or disposal.

Internally, we ensure stakeholders understand the value of circularity by:

• Sharing impact data (carbon, energy, financial savings)

• Providing case studies and project examples

• Demonstrating how reuse aligns with net zero and ESG objectives

This collaborative approach ensures circularity is embedded across the value chain—not treated as an afterthought.

Act

Donate-A-Light has implemented circular practices directly into day-to-day operations.

Key actions include:

• Diverting surplus lighting from waste streams into reuse channels

• Creating structured stock systems to enable efficient redistribution

• Developing eligibility criteria to prioritise high-impact community projects

• Embedding carbon and energy calculations into project assessments

Measured impact to date includes:

• 11,000+ lighting products saved

• 70,000+ kgCO₂e embodied carbon saved

• Up to 60% reduction in lighting energy consumption for beneficiaries

• Significant annual cost savings for charities through reduced electricity use

In addition, reuse avoids:

• Manufacturing emissions from new products

• Waste processing impacts

• Transport emissions associated with disposal and replacement

This demonstrates that circularity is not theoretical—it can be implemented today with immediate, measurable results.

Share

We actively promote circularity and reuse across the lighting industry and wider built environment.

This includes:

• Publishing case studies demonstrating real-world impact

• Sharing project data on carbon, energy and financial savings

• Engaging with manufacturers to encourage surplus redistribution

Using platforms such as LinkedIn and industry events to raise awareness

We also highlight a key behavioural shift:

• Reuse should be considered before recycling.

By showcasing successful projects, we aim to:

• Challenge traditional disposal practices
  
• Encourage others to adopt circular models
  
• Demonstrate that reuse is both practical and scalable

Our goal is to help normalise circular thinking across the industry—turning isolated actions into standard practice.