About Knoll Environment
Mission & Vision
Our Commitment
Our Journey
Management Plan
Awards
Certifications
Products
Manufacturing |
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Management Plan
The Triple Bottom Line
Sustainable products provide social, economic and environmental benefits over their total life cycle.
The Knoll Five–Phase Process Toward Sustainability is
- Methodical
- Proactive
- Evolutionary
Phase One
Eliminate Toxins from Manufacturing Process
- Lead, heavy metals and hazardous chlorinated compounds completely eliminated from production processes
- State–of–the–art waste water treatment
Phase Two
Clean Technology
- Eliminated VOCs and ODMs from manufacturing processes
- Invested in UV curing systems
- Switched to water–based paints and adhesives
- Developed company–wide use of hot–melt glues
- Introduced 100 percent recyclable fabrics
The Bulldog® Chair (1993)
Developed and manufactured for clean technology from start to finish, including returnable, reusable packaging.
Phase Three
Indoor Air Quality
- Independent testing
- In–house standards for low–emitting materials
- GREENGUARD™ certification
All Knoll office seating, systems furniture, KnollStudio seating and KnollTextiles are GREENGUARD™–certified.
Phase Four
Systemized Environmental Programs
- Resource reduction
- Materials protocols
- Environmental management plans
Resource Reduction
- Design for reduced material content in products
- Establish minimum recycled content for raw materials
- Use Techwood man–made veneers, reduce wood waste by 60%
- Recycle all scrap metals, fabric, cardboard and paper
- Invest $500K in returnable, collapsible shipping containers
- Offer FSC–certified wood
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- Establishes standard, respected worldwide principles of Forest Stewardship
- Promotes:
- Environmentally responsible
- Socially beneficial
- Economically viable management of the world’s forests
Materials Protocols
Protect environmental integrity of products as design evolves.
- Facilitates a change management process
- Balances environment, function and aesthetics
- Monitors company–wide compliance
Environmental Management Programs
- Comprehensive internal Environmental Health and Safety Plan
- ISO 14001
East Greenville, Grand Rapids, Muskegon and Toronto facilities ISO 14001–certified
Phase Five
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA)
Analyzes the environmental impact of a product from beginning to end of life.
- Design
- Production
- Transport/distribution/packaging
- Usage
- Disassembly/recycling/responsible disposal
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) Design Strategies
- Low impact materials
- Clean manufacturing
- Healthy workplace/indoor air quality
- Waste reduction/efficient use of resources
- Durability/extended product life
- Reuse and refurbishment
- Ease of disassembly
- Recyclability
Knoll Life™ Chair
Designed and manufactured using LCA.
Knoll supports the adoption of a consistent LCA protocol throughout the industry.
Click here to view the 2004 Environmental, Health & Safety Annual Report
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