Social Impact

Beyond our environmental stewardship, Semtech takes pride in our social responsibility as global citizens. On the local level, each of our offices contributes to charitable causes, events and initiatives to support our communities. We are constantly looking for ways to engage with the community and support important local initiatives. On the global scale, Semtech actively identifies and pursues products and technology that are not only sound business choices, but that can positively impact the world.

Social Citizenship 

Local Initiatives

In 2016, Semtech was named Business of the Year at the 49th Annual City of Camarillo Community Awards. This recognition by the City of Camarillo was for Semtech’s exemplary community contributions.

Two examples of Semtech’s commitment to their larger role in the community that year were for local organizations, Fox Canyon Aquifer and Dignity Health’s St. John’s Hospital:

Fox Canyon Aquifer

Using its award-winning LoRa® devices and LoRaWAN® protocol that enables connected Internet of Things (IoT) applications, Semtech and several partner companies presented a proposal to automatically track groundwater pumping data from the Fox Canyon Aquifer. This streamlined process should both reduce costs associated with manual data tracking and make groundwater conservation processes more efficient.

Dignity Health’s St. John’s Hospital

Semtech again leveraged its LoRa devices and LoRaWAN protocol to create a network of LoRa-based devices at Dignity Health’s St. John’s Hospital. This network is able to monitor patients’ beds to prevent injury from falling.

Global Initiatives

Semtech is a global company, and as such we develop products and platforms that solve global problems and impact the world in a positive way. Many of Semtech’s products and technology are doing just that, today, in real-world applications. One example is our Protection Product Group’s Circuit Protection Products. These products, such as our Transient Voltage Suppression (TVS) protection solutions, safeguard electronics systems against damage or latch-up caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD), lightning (surge) and other destructive voltage transients, keeping key systems on-line when they are needed most. They are also being used in applications such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, helping to keep our roads and drivers safer than ever before.

Community Engagement

Semtech is always looking for ways to engage with the community and be good social citizens. One such way is our comprehensive internship program. By establishing faculty relationships at various universities across the country that offer specialized technical disciplines, Semtech has been able to identify qualified students and recent graduates from around the country, and offer them the opportunity to develop hands-on experience in a variety of fields, including engineering, business and information technology.

Interns (all of whom are paid) are paired with a senior level staff member for project assignment and direction. This opportunity to problem-solve and develop applicable skills under the guidance of an experienced mentor is invaluable, and often leads to full-time employment at Semtech. This has helped the company find and retain key talent and future contributors, and reduce the challenge of finding and hiring critical personnel.

Another way that Semtech engages the community is through sponsorships of local events. Semtech has been a technology sponsor of many local events, such as the Startup Weekend Ventura County. This event, which is organized by Dignity Health’s St. John’s Hospital and Camarillo Chamber of Commerce, is focused on providing solutions to healthcare and agricultural challenges specific to the region, as well as stimulating the area’s startup community.

Semtech participated as the official technology sponsor in both 2016 and 2017, providing training on its LoRa-based starter kit featuring its LoRa devices and LoRaWAN protocol for IoT applications, and LinkCharge® wireless charging systems for all interested participants.

Qualified teams were picked out of dozens of applicants to participate in the hack-a-thon-style event, with winning projects chosen from three different categories: Healthcare, Agriculture and People’s Choice. Two LoRa-based applications, Vital Signs and Field Vitals, were rewarded prizes to further develop their applications.

Global Reach

In addition to local events, community outreach and charity initiatives, Semtech’s LoRa-based devices have a global reach as well. Semtech’s technology is being deployed around the world in applications that have large impacts on the environment and our everyday lives including, energy efficiency and the reduction of waste, as well as the safety and security of people and things we value.

Examples of this can be found in agriculture, where LoRa-based devices are used for monitoring cattle health and nutrition as well as soil irrigation for healthier crops. Asset tracking, where solutions offer advantages for a range of applications, including personnel and asset management, small device loss, theft prevention, and enhanced pet and child monitoring. Food safety, where smart refrigeration monitoring is allowing more efficient and reliable monitoring of food from refrigerator to table, and is helping to prevent waste and extend food shelf life. Energy conservation, where metering solutions are enabling consumers to change wasteful energy habits, save money and reduce total energy usage. Historical preservation, such as the LoRa-based devices that utilize low-power capabilities to provide museums the capability to measure common factors affecting art health, such as humidity, temperature, light, and vibration.

Charitable Contributions

Semtech is dedicated to actively working with the community to support local charities and not-for-profit programs. Each of Semtech’s offices is encouraged to find ways to contribute to their respective communities in an impactful way.

As a member of the Ventura county community for 60 years, Semtech wanted to find a way to give back and be a leader in creating a better tomorrow for those in the community. So every year, beginning in 2013, Semtech has hosted a charitfy golf tournment to benefit various local charities that support our community. In the most recent year, over $100,000 was raised just from this one event for two comprehensive non-profit social services agencies based in Ventura County, California: Interface Children & Family Services (Interface) and Kids & Families Together. Other charities that have benefitted from this annual event in previous years include: RaisingHOPE, Inc., Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, Cancer Hope Foundation, and RAIN Communities, Inc.

Ethics & Human Rights

As a Global company, Semtech understands our commitment to protect those that may work for us in other parts of the world, either directly or through suppliers. Semtech’s Statement Against Human Trafficking and Slavery outlines our commitment to address and mitigate the risk of modern slavery and human trafficking in our operations and throughout our supply chain. Semtech is a proud member of the Responsible Business Alliance.

Every decision that Semtech employees make are also guided by our Core Values and Code of Conduct, one of which is to always conduct yourself with honesty and integrity. Every Semtech employee around the world is expected to adhere to these basic values that reflect the fundamental philosophy that is Semtech:

  • Teamwork and Innovation in all Areas

  • Treat All Individuals with Dignity and Respect

  • Honesty and Integrity in All we Do

  • Open and Direct Communications

  • Fiscal Responsibility