Humanscale Becomes the First Company to Make Climate, Energy and Water Positive Products

Furniture World News Desk on 6/21/2021

Humanscale, manufacturer and designer of high-performance seating and desking products, announced that 25 of their products, about 60% of sales, are certified climate, water and energy positive. The net positive certification provided by Living Product Challenge  (LPC), which is considered the most advanced sustainability standard for products, verifies that the manufacturing process for each of the 25 certified products has a positive environmental impact. Humanscale becomes the first company ever to offer any product—let alone 25—that is certified climate, energy and water positive. While other companies have set goals to be net positive (or net zero) in the next decade, Humanscale offers net positive products that customers can buy right now. 

To qualify, each individual product is audited across twenty sustainability categories such as climate, waste, water and more. Within each category, the product must measurably give back more than it takes. Amongst some of the most impressive accolades that come with the certification for Humanscale: achieving a minimum of a 90% waste diversion rate for all global factories; 100% of the product's manufacturing water is supplied by onsite captured rainwater; and 15 of the certified products derive 105% of their energy in production from renewable energy produced on-site on a net annual basis. All current LPC-certified products can be found online: https://living-future.org/lpc/case-studies/.

"We're proud to be leaders in climate-positive manufacturing and hope that our work inspires other manufacturers to join us in creating products for a better world. This initial run of 25 products is just the beginning—we will continue this effort with new products launching later this year. We're showing that consumers can expect more from manufacturers, and they can influence the world for the better with their purchasing decisions.” — Jane Abernethy, Chief Sustainability Officer

Manufacturers around the globe play a major part in current crises like global warming and chemical pollution. By doing the work to reduce the amount of harm the industry has on the environment, and then investing more than what’s needed to offset that harm, Humanscale proves that companies can reverse unhealthy trends. As more and more companies invest in making products that are climate and planet positive, the future health of our planet becomes more hopeful and bright. 

Since the company’s founding in 1983, Humanscale has been a pioneer in designing intuitive, ergonomic products that center not only around the health of the worker but also the health of the environment. Guided by the core philosophy that good design achieves more with less, Humanscale has been committed to using recycled materials while eliminating Red-List chemicals—which are often found in coatings, finishes and additives—for the health of its consumers and the planet. Because transparency is necessary to generate change within the industry, Humanscale issues transparency labels with its products so consumers can feel confident and informed about their purchase. In 2016, Humanscale was the first-ever manufacturer to achieve complete Living Product Challenge certification for not one but two products. 

Humanscale is a longtime partner of World Wildlife Fund and an advocate for fair practices through its membership in the UN Global Compact, which aligns businesses across the globe with similar goals of protecting human rights and improving labor conditions. 

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. 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. For more information, visit www.humanscale.com or see their products.