BIFMA Level

What is BIFMA’s level™ Sustainability Program?

Following the development and publication of the Sustainability Guideline for Office Furniture in 2005, followed by the ANSI approval of the Furniture Emissions Standard in 2007, BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association) sought to lead the nation in a comprehensive method of proving to the world that office furniture products are made in an environmentally friendly and sustainable fashion. This comprehensive standard has 111 measurements in three areas of material sustainability, environmental impact, health and wellness and social impact. The level ™ Standard addresses sustainable material sourcing, designing products for the environment, efficient use, recycling and Life Cycle Analysis from the source of the raw material to the ultimate disposal of the products. Level™ addresses baseline energy and water used in products and processes in order to measure reduction in energy use, movement to green energy sources and reduction in greenhouse gas production throughout the life cycle of the products. Human and ecosystem measurements focus on safe workplaces, safe products, reductions in “chemicals of concern” and reduced air, waste water and hazardous waste emissions from products and processes. Finally, BIFMA level™ addresses the company’s social responsibility and focus on employee health and safety by assuring that all safety and environmental laws are followed, as well as assuring the no forced or child labor is used in any of the company’s facilities or throughout the supplier chain.

Indiana Furniture’s position on BIFMA level™

Indiana Furniture supports the BIFMA level™ Sustainability Standard. As a 117-year-old company, Indiana Furniture has demonstrated sustainability in material sourcing for all of its history. Today there is 150% more hardwood timber growing in the United States than in 1945. Indiana Furniture has worked hard throughout its past to conserve resources, labor, materials as a means to control costs as well as being a good corporate neighbor. Indiana Furniture has led our local industry group in safety and health improvements by meeting or exceeding OSHA and EPA regulations.

Where Indiana Furniture stands in their quest for BIFMA level™ certification of products

BIFMA’s level™ Sustainability Standard ultimately is certified on individual product lines, not plant or company-wide. If the raw material, processes, finishes, packaging all meet various line items of the 96 measurements, that product line may be granted a level™ 1, level™ 2 or level™ 3 certification by an outside auditing third party.

With our naturally grown, renewable and biodegradable wood materials, Indiana Furniture is in an excellent position to claim many points within level™. Our UV Advantage finish which is Indoor Air Quality certified also shows Indiana Furniture as a leader in product technology. We are in the process of documenting six years of energy, water and chemical use by plant to establish baselines for use, which we are comfortable that we will exceed reduction goals. Over the last decade, Indiana Furniture has increased focus on safety and has received several awards from our insurance carriers for our remarkable improvements. Indiana Furniture strives to be a good “corporate neighbor” in the small city of Jasper, Indiana. We donate, we volunteer, not for points, but because we are part of our small community, and we know our neighbors and extend our hands to them as often as needed. We strive to attract the best labor with competitive wages and benefits in order to manufacture the best quality products with the best service to our customers.