Seven Additional Companies Pass Environmental EFEC Audit

Furniture World Magazine

The AHFA announced that seven additional members of the American Home Furnishings Alliance, including all but one company in the La-Z-Boy Case Goods Division, have implemented a rigorous environmental management system resulting in measurable environmental improvements at their domestic manufacturing facilities. AHFA’s EFEC program – which stands for “Enhancing Furniture’s Environmental Culture” – is a furniture industry-specific environmental management system launched by the Alliance in 1999. Becoming EFEC-registered requires a company to analyze and better understand the environmental impact of its processes, raw materials and finished products on a facility-by-facility basis. Companies that passed an EFEC audit in September include: C.R. Laine, Hickory, N.C.; Hickory Chair, Hickory, N.C.; Lea Industries, Greensboro, N.C.; American Drew, Greensboro, N.C.; Kincaid’s Hudson, N.C., plant, Kincaid’s Taylorsville, N.C., plant and Vaughan-Bassett, Galax, Va. Lea, American Drew and Kincaid all are part of the La-Z-Boy Case Goods Division. These companies join Stanley (Martinsville, Va. plant), La-Z-Boy Utah (upholstery), Vaughan in Galax, Va., and Bernhardt, based in Lenior, N.C., on the fast-growing list of companies with EFEC-registered manufacturing facilities. Interest in EFEC has soared since the Alliance’s new Sustainable by Design certification program was unveiled in 2007. Sustainable by Design is a more comprehensive environmental program that calls on companies to implement sustainable business practices throughout their entire supply chain. However, companies interested in Sustainable by Design certification must first complete EFEC registration for all their domestic facilities. C.R. Laine is the first AHFA member company to complete EFEC and then achieve full Sustainable by Design certification. “The purpose of EFEC and SBD is to help member companies begin a journey of continual environmental improvement,” explains Bill Perdue, AHFA’s vice president of environmental affairs. “Certification is not a stopping point – rather, it is recognition for companies that have worked diligently to ensure that all of the systems and measures are in place to continue and accelerate their environmental improvements.” Several other AHFA member companies are working toward EFEC registration, including the remaining plants in La-Z-Boy’s Upholstery Division. Stanley, too, is working to register its divisions in Robbinsville and Stanleytown, Va. “We expect many of these companies to continue on toward Sustainable by Design certification,” says Perdue. “One of the things EFEC does is empower companies – from management all the way through rank-and-file employees – with the knowledge that small steps can make a big impact. As a result, they are inspired to continue the journey.” The American Home Furnishings Alliance – located in High Point, N.C., and Washington, D.C. – is the largest association of home furnishings companies in the world and represents more than 240 leading furniture manufacturers and distributors, plus about 200 suppliers to the furniture industry worldwide.