Sustainable development

Sustainability is the guiding concept for European environmental management. The furniture sector sustainability strategy is designed to help companies progress towards more sustainable manufacture

Sustainable development involves development that meets our needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

The concept is the cornerstone of UK and European environmental policy and the new laws and economic instruments designed to move us towards sustainability show no sign of abating. Indeed, Government has been exerting significant pressure upon all sectors to come up with strategies to make their businesses more sustainable.

The Furniture Industry Environmental Committee (FIEC) is made up of representatives of a range of industry bodies. Led by Matt Butcher of FIRA, it has a remit to progress environmental management within the sector and the group has been developing a sustainability strategy consisting of a number of environmental, social and economic commitments.

The draft was presented to a range of interested parties at two workshops in July 2005 to stimulate debate on the issue and gain agreement on the mechanics of a sectoral strategy. Agreement has been reached and an official launch will take place in early 2006.

Companies are being encouraged to sign up to the strategy and make use of the recently developed workbook which will help to identify, evaluate and manage key sustainability issues.

Membership is available on two levels:

Associate member: a self certified level which can be held for a one year period, during which time the company would have to progress to a specified level of achievement with regard to a number of sustainability commitments

Full member: third party certified stage which is reached when the minimum number of commitments have been achieved.

Implementation within an organisation will be greatly enhanced by referring to experts who are not only familiar with the workings of the strategy but also have an in depth knowledge of the industry itself.

Contact: Matthew Butcher
E-mail:  info@fira.co.uk