Humanscale Becomes the First Furniture Manufacturer To Be Awarded TRUE® Gold and TRUE® Silver by Green Business Certification Inc. for Zero Waste Efforts

News provided by

Jun 02, 2022, 10:00 ET

Humanscale continues to lead the industry on sustainability and transparency by achieving the highest levels of TRUE® certifications across all global factories

NEW YORK, June 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Humanscale, a global leader in the design of office furniture, announced today that the organization was awarded TRUE® Gold and Silver certifications for all of their production facilities globally. TRUE® stands for Total Resource Use and Efficiency, and is administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) to help facilities define, pursue, and achieve zero waste goals while becoming more resource-efficient. Humanscale is the first furniture manufacturer to achieve TRUE certification.

Liberty Ocean adheres to the Liberty chair’s cutting-edge design, while building on its Net Positive impact – incorporating nearly two lbs. of recycled fishing net in each chair. Seamless functionality allows it to adjust instantly to each unique user in any position, no knobs or levers needed. Photo credit: Humanscale

Humanscale continues to lead the industry on sustainability and transparency as the only furniture manufacturer to achieve zero waste goals while becoming more resource-efficient. In 2020, Humanscale attained 90% waste diversion for all factories—a TRUE® minimum requirement. Since then, Humanscale has set out to obtain TRUE® certification via the furniture brand's Zero Waste Policy, which is targeting 100% waste diversion from landfills by the year 2030, with an improvement of at least 1% per year until this goal is reached.

"When we manage our materials carefully enough that none are considered 'waste,' we're no longer operating in the linear economy of take-make-waste, and we can begin to make the circular economy a reality," remarks Jane Abernethy, Chief Sustainability Officer for Humanscale. "Our corporate goals and policies recognize it is no longer sufficient for companies to simply reduce their harmful impacts. Instead, we must take meaningful action to reuse and divert materials waste, recycle hard to recycle materials, and work closely with vendors and suppliers to proactively prevent waste so that the entire industry can benefit."

The TRUE® certification for zero waste strives to change the way materials flow through society so that all products are eventually reused and diverted from landfills, incineration (waste-to-energy), and the environment.TRUE® provides best practices and training that enable businesses, property managers, schools, government agencies, and nonprofits to rethink how resources are used. TRUE®-certified projects are environmentally responsible and achieve a minimum of 90% waste diversion. The program helps facilities turn waste into savings, cut greenhouse gas emissions, manage risk, reinvest resources, and create jobs. Humanscale commissioned The Sheward Partnership to serve as TRUE® certification consultants for their four manufacturing facilities and help the organization achieve their goal to become zero waste in their manufacturing process.

"Humanscale recognizes that by pursuing zero waste they are helping us build a sustainable future for all," said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of U.S. Green Building Council and GBCI. "Waste impacts all facets of business and changing the way that we use resources will deliver public health benefits, reduce our environmental impact, and advance a greener economy."

To obtain TRUE® certification of their facilities, Humanscale performed a holistic examination of new ways to reuse material, recycle hard to recycle materials, work with suppliers to proactively prevent waste, and develop a culture of responsible materials management within all factories. The process fosters strong total participation, including training of all employees and zero waste relationships with vendors and customers. The whole systems approach enabled Humanscale to obtain a higher level certification than they were expecting within a short timeframe.

As part of the framework outlined above, Humanscale has assigned a Waste Leader at each location. Waste audits are also conducted twice each month to surface any small changes left to make so that the furniture brand can continue to refine their processes.

About Humanscale

Humanscale is the leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance ergonomic products that improve the health and comfort of work life. Through leveraging new technology in functional yet minimal designs, Humanscale transforms traditional offices into active, intelligent workspaces.

Guided by the core philosophy that good design achieves more with less, Humanscale is committed to designing with the health of both consumers and the planet in mind. Humanscale has 26 products, which represent over 60% of sales, certified by the International Living Future Institute's Living Product Challenge (LPC)—considered the most advanced sustainability standard for products—as climate, water, and energy positive. Further commitments include using recycled materials and eliminating Red-List chemicals from their products, which are often found in coatings, finishes, and additives. As transparency is necessary to generate change within the industry, Humanscale also issues transparency labels with products so that consumers can feel confident and informed about their purchases.

Committed to making a net positive impact on the Earth as well as our customers, Humanscale offers award-winning products designed with a focus on function, simplicity, and longevity. Click here for more information on Humanscale and their products.

About Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)

GBCI is the world's leading sustainability and health certification and credentialing body. Established in 2008, GBCI exclusively administers project certifications and professional credentials and certificates within the framework of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating systems, as well as the PEER standard for power systems, the WELL Building Standard, the Sustainable SITES Initiative (SITES), EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), TRUE certification for zero waste and Investor Confidence Project (ICP) for energy efficiency retrofits. Visit gbci.org.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Humanscale