Kimball® Office and National™ Office Furniture Achieve Industry Milestone for Eco-Friendly Products

JASPER, Ind., May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimball® Office and National™ Office Furniture, brand units of Kimball® International, proudly announce that 100 percent of company-manufactured products achieve American National Standards Institute/Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (ANSI/BIFMA) level 2 or 3 certification, which includes casegoods, systems, tables, and seating.

As a result, designers, clients, and government, healthcare, and education facilities that choose Kimball Office and National will benefit by selecting from the industry's most eco-friendly product portfolios. Selecting products certified level 2 or 3 ensures sustainable choices that reinforce efforts for building healthy, efficient environments.

Combined, Kimball Office and National offer more than 50 level 3 product series, which increases the number of level 3 products currently available by more than four times.

The ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard (level) is a stringent multi-attribute, third-party certification program for the contract office furniture industry. This achievement strengthens the companies' positions as two of the industry's most prominent manufacturers of sustainably-produced contract office furniture.

"For more than 40 years, Kimball Office has maintained a commitment to the environment by designing and producing products that support our dedication to responsible business practices," said Georgy Olivieri, Director of Architecture, Design, and Sustainable Strategies, LEED AP, Kimball Office. "By offering level 3 furniture in all major product categories, more than any other manufacturer, we are able to provide the market with solutions that meet growing demand for green standards. Our team has worked extremely hard to ensure we meet and exceed BIFMA's standards for product development, manufacturing, and corporate responsibility."

"National's achievement of level 3 continues a rich heritage of environmental stewardship. Our goal is to provide the marketplace with quality, sustainable solutions at an exceptional value. Attaining level 3 requires significant commitment throughout the organization and supply chain. Our partners and customers deserve the best in sustainable products, and now they have more level 3 products than ever from which to choose," said Mendy Claridge, Sustainable and Technical Product Solutions Manager, LEED AP ID+C, National Office Furniture.

"The transparency and thoroughness of the level program as well as attaining level 3 certification, demonstrates how incorporating sustainability and corporate social responsibility into a holistic business strategy benefits everyone. It strengthens the business, provides customers with the highest performing products, and creates an on-going pursuit for our industry to reduce its impact on the environment and be good neighbors," said Don Van Winkle, President, Office Furniture Group, Kimball International.

The BIFMA level program establishes measurable performance criteria to address environmental aspects of product manufacturing throughout the supply chain, including the areas of materials, use of energy, human and ecosystem health, and social responsibility. There are three levels of conformance, each requiring specific prerequisites and optional credits, similar to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) certification. Level 3 is the highest certification under the current ANSI/BIFMA program. The level certification program allows facility managers, architects, and designers to evaluate products using a 'level' playing field, based upon the product and manufacturer's environmental and social impact. The BIFMA level program recently received the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Design Excellence Award for Innovation.

Both Kimball Office and National Office Furniture products can be found on www.ecoScorecard.com for a quick and simple way to research sustainable products and download documentation for green building programs such as LEED.

More information:
Laura Barnard
(317) 873-8100
[email protected]

SOURCE Kimball Office