The inaugural Routes to Greater Sustainability Industry Day, a conference that offered insight into how the UK furnishing industry is mitigating climate change, proved a success, states its organisers.
Delivered by The Furniture Makers’ Company, in association with the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the conference took place on 16th February at Furniture Makers’ Hall, London.
The free event, which was sponsored by FIRA, Ocee Design, Panaz and SATRA, was the first pan-furnishing industry conference of its type, and welcomed businesses and delegates from all sectors of the domestic and contract markets, with the aim of sharing knowledge and best practice.
A packed room of delegates enjoyed nine short presentations, which included: an overview of potential new Government legislation by the BFC; a focus on the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP); and information about how to measure a company’s carbon footprint, by SATRA. The schedule also included several case studies from companies including Carpet Recycling UK, Hypnos, JPA Workspaces, Panaz and Silentnight. In between the presentations, networking sessions offered delegates the opportunity to learn from each other.
Joanna Knight, climate change and sustainability committee chair, says: “Our Routes to Greater Sustainability Industry Day offered a unique opportunity for colleagues from throughout the furnishing sector, from retail, office, bedding and flooring, to come together to share knowledge and experiences. We were delighted with the attendance and the extremely positive feedback. We intend to build upon this success and develop a range of initiatives to promote greater understanding."
The industry day was supported by trade associations including the British Furniture Manufacturers (BFM), Carpet Recycling UK, Commercial Interiors UK, FIRA International, the National Bed Federation (NBF) and SATRA.
