Operations & Facilities
We’re taking big steps to make our footprint smaller.
Sustainable Operations
Minimizing our environmental impact means keeping careful watch on all our operations, tracking our greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, energy use and waste on a global scale. We’ve had a formal environmental management system since the late 1960s, and we continue to evolve to meet changing regulations and customer expectations.
As we expand in some parts of the world and consolidate in others, we’re integrating lean manufacturing strategies with our sustainability efforts to achieve breakthrough results. Check out our Progress.
We are committed to maintaining a high standard of environmental responsibility in the processes we use to manufacture office furnishings. A country by country copy of our Environmental Policy is available upon request. Click here for General Information Requests.
Sustainable Facilities
Protecting the environment and the health of the people who work in our spaces is core to our strategy. In addition to understanding the impact of our products throughout their life cycles, we apply sustainability criteria to every building we create and lease.
Around the world, the majority of our plant operations are ISO 14001 certified - meaning our environmental management system (EMS) meets the requirements of the International Standards Organization. ISO 14001 is an international voluntary standard for environmental management systems. This assures we have a systematic way of managing our impact and risk in a way that meets internationally accepted criteria.
Below is a list of accomplishments and certifications for some of our North American and European facilities:
- WorkLab, Grand Rapids, Michigan - The WorkLabTM brings our brand to life through messaging, design and thoughtful experiences that reflect everything our company stands for. It is another example of our long-term commitment to human and environmental health: sustainable materials, sustainable stories, housed within a building that is LEED-CI Platinum Certified.
- Wood Products Plant, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Our Wood Products plant, located in West Michigan, was the first manufacturing facility in the world to be certified under the LEED™ Pilot Program. It also achieved ISO 14001 registration in 2009.
- Manufacturing Plant, Markham, Ontario, Canada - We are one of the few furniture manufacturers in Canada to achieve ISO 14001 registration for the past 8 years. Our continuous improvement initiatives include energy and water conservation and waste diversion. Through water reuse and conservation we have lowered our water consumption rate more than 80% since 2001. We maintain a waste diversion rate of over 90%. Additionally, our Markham plant is the proud recipient of the Recycling Council of Ontario's "Environmentally Sustainable Business Award" and "Platinum Waste Minimization Award".
- Kentwood Energy Center, Kentwood West, and Kentwood East, Kentwood, Michigan - These three facilities are operating under ISO 14001 registration environmental management systems - they were officially registered in 2009.
- Manufacturing Plant, Sarrebourg, France - In 1998, our manufacturing facility in Sarrebourg, France, achieved ISO 14001 certification from the International Standards Organization. Today, our Sarrebourg plant recycles 80% of its waste.
- Manufacturing Plant, Dongguan, China - Achieved ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
- Manufacturing Plant, Malaysia - Achieved ISO 9001 and ISO 14001
- Global Headquarters Building, Grand Rapids, Michigan - Steelcase constructed its global headquarters building in Grand Rapids Michigan with state-of-the-art energy management technologies, maximized use of natural daylight and access to outdoor views. Learn about the earth-friendly changes taking place at Global Headquarters and the WorkLab.
Read more about Steelcase key buildings.