Sustainability

Herman Miller’s emphasis on sustainability is evident in its environmental friendly facilities and innovative product designs. To maintain its green standards, Herman Miller incorporates sustainable construction practices in new and existing buildings relative to the U.S. Green Building Council LEED Program standards. In addition, Herman Miller put together the Design for the Environment (DfE) team, which is responsible for developing environmentally sensitive design standards for new and existing Herman Miller products. The DfE team has adopted the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol to guide this effort.

The MBDC Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol used by Herman Miller goes beyond regulatory compliance to thoroughly evaluate new product designs in three key areas:

• Material Chemistry and Safety of Inputs--What chemicals are in the materials we specify, and are they the safest available?
• Disassembly--Can we take products apart at the end of their useful life to recycle their materials?
• Recyclability--Do the materials contain recycled content, and more importantly, can the materials be recycled at the end of the product's useful life?

Herman Miller’s Sustainability Targets by the Year 2020:

• Zero landfill
• Zero hazardous waste generation
• Zero air emissions (VOCs)
• Zero process water use
• 100 percent green electrical energy use
• 100 percent of sales from DfE approved products
• Company buildings constructed to a minimum LEED Silver certification

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