Steelcase Receives Multiple Certifications

Steelcase Inc. (NYSE: SCS), a global office furniture manufacturer, has received a silver McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry(MBDC) Cradle to Cradle Certification for three of its products. These certifications follow on the heels of Steelcase’s industry-first certification for its Answer® powered workstation in 2006.

The Montage® workstation, including panels, wood worksurfaces, tile fabric, and overhead storage is one of three newly certified products. The other products recognized with silver certifications are Steelcase’s Siento(TM) executive chair and the first ever certified full-height architectural wall product — Pathways® Privacy Wall.

With more than a dozen C2C certified products, Steelcase has more certified products than any other manufacturer.

Cradle to Cradle Product Certification places primary emphasis on the human and ecological health impacts of a material’s ingredients, and focuses on the ability to recycle or safely compost those materials. In addition to stringent material criteria, which includes prohibiting the use of PVC, companies seeking this certification are required to meet strict criteria for social fairness and corporate practices and ethics. Cradle to Cradle product certifications have recently been recognized by the U. S. Green Building Council and is now included within USGBC’s LEED® Green Building Rating System(TM) and eligible for earning “Innovation in Design” points.

“Certification of the Montage workstation demonstrates the commitment to providing C2C certified systems products we established with the certification of our Answer workstation. Our strategy is to focus on our entire systems product portfolio in order to make the most immediate and comprehensive impact on the sustainability of office environments,” said Jim Keane, president, Steelcase Group.

The certification recognizes the use of ecologically-intelligent materials and cradle-to-cradle product design in the Montage workstation, Siento chair and Pathways Privacy Wall. For example, the panels in the Montage workstation are 100 percent reusable; the plastic panel trim is PVC free; the wood components are made from 100 percent pre-consumer recycled wood fiber; and all metal finishing is done with 100 percent solvent-free powder technology.

All components of Pathways Privacy Wall are PVC free, including pre-wired modular power. All painted surfaces use solvent free powder coat technology. Wood doors can be provided with FSC certified woods and rapidly renewable core materials. All panels and components are fully reusable, easy to disassemble, reconfigure and reinstall, which can minimize VOC’s that are associated with conventional construction processes.