FEMB level® certification
One mark certifying all relevant sustainability aspects
When purchasing office, school or contract furniture, buyers increasingly want proof of its sustainability. As a manufacturer or retailer, you must prove that the production of your equipment has been environmentally friendly, resource-conserving, socially responsible and fair. Failing to do so risks being excluded from many future public and private tender opportunities.
A variety of certificates are available for office, school and contract furniture which provide information on specific aspects of sustainability. However, obtaining all of these requires considerable effort. Moreover, most certifications do not to take a comprehensive approach, for example, by excluding social criteria.
The European Office Furniture Federation (FEMB) has now created FEMB level®, certification that covers practically all sustainability criterion for European public procurement.
Take the opportunity to show with a single certification that your office, school and contract furniture meet every aspect of sustainability. Our specialists will provide you with the necessary support.
The European FEMB level® certificate provides the first truly comprehensive overview of all relevant sustainability aspects, and not just for furniture buyers. It also provides product developers and manufacturers with transparency about customer requirements, including key circular economy criteria.
This means when you opt for FEMB level® certification, you will be documenting – in a single certification process – that you act responsibly.
We not only inspect the product during the certification process, but also include production sites and the company itself. This involves examining four impact areas: Materials, Energy & Atmosphere, Human & Ecosystem Health, and Social Responsibility.
A comprehensive perspective – efficient and responsible
To receive the FEMB level® certificate, products must first meet certain minimum requirements (prerequisites) in all four impact areas. Only then can points be accumulated for certification. This requires manufacturers to accurately identify and measure manufacturing process inputs and outputs, use appropriate materials and document product design. And because sustainability means more than just protecting the environment, manufacturers also need to show how they are meeting their social responsibilities.
In the production of school and office equipment, environmental protection is multifaceted: materials selection, efficient use of resources, using recycled materials, water and waste management, and handling packaging materials.
We examine four impact areas as part of FEMB level® certification:
Materials
- Addresses materials and resources in the product development process: selection of materials, efficient use of resources, use of recycled materials, water and waste management, as well as packaging and product life cycle.
Energy & Atmosphere
- Addresses issues such as developing a corporate energy policy, energy and greenhouse gas audits, generating and using renewable energy, product-embodied energy, and greenhouse gas emissions reporting.
Human & Ecosystem Health
- Addresses, for example, the impact of chemical substances on humans and the natural environment. It involves examining products, production processes and measures for maintaining and servicing the production facilities.
Social Responsibility
- Addresses management methods to identify and prevent hazards to employees and the environment. Among the criteria are, for example, inclusiveness, the company’s community and social engagement, and ensuring social responsibility within supply chains.
Make the most of market opportunities by using accredited, meaningful certification
This comprehensive sustainability certificate for office, school and contract furniture gives you important sales arguments when operating in European as well as international markets.
The European Office Furniture Federation certification has been developed on the basis of the American ANSI/BIFMA e3 standard, European criteria on green public procurement, and specifications from voluntary European eco-labels.
A single certification therefore gives you a comprehensive, authoritative and supra-regional accredited seal of quality covering basic legal requirements of the EU, a large part of the US market, as well as other regions of the world.
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Overview of benefits
- FEMB level® is the only accredited standard in Europe for the green economy.
- FEMB level® is one of the most comprehensive sustainability standards for furniture.
- FEMB level® covers the contents of other certification marks.
- Recognition of accredited schemes.
- Integration of benchmarks and threshold values from other certification marks.
- FEMB level® meets circular economy market requirements.
- FEMB level® enjoys a high level of credibility and international recognition.
Use our expertise and experience to acquire the forward-looking FEMB level®
FEMB level® certification may only be provided by a testing institute accredited to ISO 17065. TÜV Rheinland's many years of experience and extensive network of experts made it the first testing institute to obtain ISO 17065 accreditation from the DAkkS German accreditation body. TÜV Rheinland is the only German-based accredited testing institute for FEMB level®. We have also been closely involved in developing the certification with the Office Furniture Federation.
As a broad-based testing organization with extensive expertise and experience, we are the perfect partner for certifications requiring detailed knowledge of a wide range of aspects of sustainability. Our sustainability experts know exactly what is required and provide professional support through the testing and certification process.
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