VS furniture awarded sustainability certificate

VS produces furniture that fulfils the highest quality standards. The medium-sized family business sets itself high standards not only with regard to functionality, ergonomics and design, but also with regard to the sustainability of its products. VS furniture is regularly subjected to a wide range of independent tests. Seven product groups have now been awarded the BIFMA “level® 2” certificate, the BIFMA sustainability standard, in Gold.

VS is a worldwide operator: practically every 4th piece of furniture that leaves the factory goes abroad. It is therefore important that VS products also satisfy international requirements. In fact, the German and European standards are still definitive in our furniture-testing operations. For global orientation, however, it is necessary to draw increasingly on international testing principles.

The American association BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association) for example is constantly setting companies new challenges. Since 2008 one of its guidelines, the so-called BIFMA Level e³-2012, has been assessing the environmental friendliness of furniture and the social sustainability of the production chain and of the manufacturing company.

Accordingly, some of our furniture was assessed in October 2013 according to the following criteria:

• Materials: The choice of materials should already be taken into account in the company’s environment policy and should include sustainability aspects such as climate neutrality, recycling capability, recycling percentage, efficiency of material consumption and the life cycle of the material.

• Energy and atmosphere: The environmental impacts of processes and products by reference to the consumption of grey energy, greenhouse emissions and transport volumes.

• Human health and ecosystem: All the chemicals supplied for the materials, the processes and the finished products are listed and compared with annexes to the standard containing chemicals that pose a medical or environmental risk. Hazardous waste and emissions in air and water are also reported.

• Social responsibility: The company’s occupational safety and human rights, safety and health management as well as inclusion and local social commitment are aspects of corporate responsibility and are also assessed in the procurement chain.

We are delighted to report that 52 of our product families, covering 94% of the total VS models sold in 2012, have been awarded the level® 2 certificate in Gold in the following seven BIFMA product groups:

• Chairs made of a metal steel frame and top section made of air-cushion plastic (LuPo)
• Swivel chairs made of a metal steel frame and top section made of air-cushion plastic (LuPo)
• Chairs made of a metal steel frame and top section made of plywood
• Swivel chairs made of a metal steel frame and top section made of plywood
• School desks/tables made of a metal steel frame and wood-based sheet material
• Office and multipurpose tables made of metal steel frame and wood-based sheet material
• Carcass furniture made of wood-based materials

Click HERE to go directly to our certificates.

An overview of all certified product families can be found HERE.