Patricia has an MBA, a BSc in Chemical Engineering and a Master's degree in Environmental Management. Patricia is a registered Chartered Environmental Manager with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Manager’s, London. Patricia has a passion for environmental protection, and her career of 30 years supports her passion.
Patricia Schröder founded Reclite SA, which operates nationwide and internationally. The business collects, transports, and recycles all waste electrical and electronic equipment, with niche specialist offerings of recycling waste lighting, solar panels and other waste energy equipment and batteries. The waste products are separated into fractions which are reused as raw materials including the recovery of toxic elements, thereby offering a complete recycling solution supporting circular economy principles. The business has won multiple business, environmental and innovation awards.
She handed over the reigns of Reclite SA to her husband and son recently, and founded Urban Elements (Pty) Ltd which focuses on growing demand in consultation regarding Extended Producer Responsibility development and support, Circular Economy Principles, and the UN Sustainable Development Goal implementation among other professional offerings for her clients.
Her success comes from innovative, solutions driven thinking.
Urban Elements has been awarded contracts for projects with the World Resources Forum (WRF), the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit) translated - German Society for International Cooperation based in Germany, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation and the United Nations Environmental Program.
She serves on various Boards, and a member of professional organisations as well as being the elected Chairperson for Lightcycle SA, a recent Lighting Industry founded Non-Profit Extended Producer Responsibility Organisation in 2018.
She is married and has two sons. Her hobbies include Scuba Diving, travelling and art.