40 Year Edition

Consumption and production are ever linked, key drivers of the global economy, and fundamental in addressing the rate we consume goods and resources across society. The United Nations have warned that the world’s population will be 9.6 billion by 2050, and we will need the resources of three planets if we continue the current trajectory.

Boss has put the environment at the heart of our mission and business strategy through our Sustainability & Wellness Manifesto. With guiding principles that cover economic prosperity, global responsibility, community cohesion, technical innovation, a focus on people and insightful collaborations to achieve a well-balanced and accountable business. The manifesto outlines our commitment to sustainability, wellbeing and responsible design, this promise permeates every decision we take and forms the businesses conscience.

“The central tenet for us when talking about environmental sustainability is that we make a good quality product that will last a long time, but traditionally we’d then say that it was up to our customers whether they keep it a long time or not. That’s a bit passive. Now we are much more proactive, and we are making it practical for them to do so.”

—Mark Barrell, Design Director.

Quality, durability, responsibly sourced materials and a long-term vision for every product we create are helping us on our journey towards a circular production model and a greener world.

Quality has been central to what we do from day one. This quality, intrinsic to our portfolio, affords a longer lifecycle and results in a lower cost of ownership for customers but also a lower cost to the environment. Following responsible design practices and sustainable manufacturing principles, today we consider every single detail affecting the lifecycle and carbon impact of each product.

The journey towards sustainability isn’t a new path for us. In 2009, Boss Design won the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development. We have been driving to reduce waste, reduce energy consumption and reduce miles travelled across the business. Whilst improving product longevity, increasing recycling and promoting the use of stainable materials.

The following year, we started giving clients full transparency by publishing the carbon footprint for every product in the portfolio. By 2018, we were powering our facilities using renewable energy from wind and solar, and in 2030 we aim to be a carbon-neutral, zero-waste business.

We see real opportunities ahead in terms of planning and managing the lifecycle of each product we manufacture. The durability of a product remains critical, and today this is backed up by careful evaluation of the environmental impact of the materials, supply chains and manufacturing technologies used.

This tighter focus on sustainability led us to rethink the Apply task chair in 2020, improving its manufacture to produce a chair with 69% recycled materials and that is 92% recyclable. In 2022, we then bettered this achievement with Sia. One of the most sustainable task chairs on the market, Sia consists of 70% recycled materials – 43% being post consumer recycled plastics and 99% of its materials can be recycled.

Knowing fashion, taste and brands are likely to evolve every seven or eight years, we are designing pieces that are easy to repair and reupholster, as well as ensuring parts are easy to replace. Giving products a second or third life is environmentally advantageous and is something many clients are looking for.

“Companies we work with are under a lot of scrutiny. If you were to show them two chairs side-by-side – one brand new, one refurbished – they’ll often go for the refurbished one because it aligns them with the best environmental practice.

Often, the corporate contracts that we service are made up of new products, refurbished products and repurposed products from other parts of their estate. Boss Design is making this feasible for our clients We’re listening to them, helping them meet their environmental objectives and at the same time meeting our own.”

—Mark Barrell, Design Director

By rethinking how we make, supply, support and recover our products, Boss is taking incremental steps towards the concept of circular manufacturing. There is still plenty to do in terms of the sustainability of contract furniture and getting the revenue model right presents its own challenges. However, as we move towards the green economy, two things are becoming clear. One – within a sustainable approach there is huge potential to further deepen relationships with key customers. Two – furniture as a service might be closer than anyone thinks.