Buy Social Corporate Challenge participant Boss Design participates in the Social Enterprise UK / DCMS Buy Social Corporate Challenge, working with social-enterprise suppliers including Waste to Wonder.
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Primary: Lean manufacturing & zero waste to landfill Lean manufacturing process sends zero waste to landfill across Dudley facilities; any non-recyclable waste is sent to energy recovery (incineration with electricity generation). 100% of plastic waste from factories is recycled. Investment in new polymer technologies and injection-mould equipment has reduced plastic use and manufacturing time, lowering energy consumption.
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Dependent: Recycled-content materials (polymers, aluminium, glass, metal) Increasing recycled content across wood, metal, glass, polymers and fabric. Projects underway to use plastic from recycled bottles to replace plywood and moulded parts, hemp-based plastic replacements, and 100% recycled polypropylene with existing tools instead of virgin plastics. Continually reviewing aluminium suppliers to increase recycled content. Example: Ola chair is 63% recycled content (53% post-industrial + 10% post-consumer).
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Dependent: Next Life take-back, reuse and reupholstery End-of-life service collects, safety-checks and donates furniture via Waste to Wonder (1,600+ tonnes diverted from landfill, 750+ schools equipped in 18 countries since 2003). Reupholstery extends life of structurally-sound items — e.g. a high-street bank refurbishment of sofas, armchairs and customer chairs (3-5 years old) saved the client ~£200k versus buying new, with a new Boss warranty issued.
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Next Life take-back & reuse programme with Waste to Wonder Partnership since 2003/2008 with Waste to Wonder has diverted over 1,600 tonnes of office furniture from landfill and equipped over 750 schools in 18 countries. Certified by Social Enterprise UK under the Buy Social Corporate Challenge.
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100% renewable electricity at Dudley factory since April 2018 Boss Design's factory has run on 100% renewable energy since April 2018, sourced solely from wind, hydro and solar. A staff environmental suggestion scheme (over 60% of suggestions implemented) has helped maintain energy usage flat for three years despite an increase in overall footprint. The company invests in green energy 'simply because it's the right thing to do'.
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Primary: Product longevity & design for disassembly Boss designs furniture to last a generation rather than 5-7 years, with all new collections designed for circularity — easy to disassemble using standard hand tools so components and materials can be separated, recovered, reused or recycled. About 4% of annual turnover is invested in R&D, mostly devoted to sustainable design and the move to a circular production model.
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Dependent: Cradle-to-gate carbon footprinting & EPDs Every product is published with an Environmental Product Declaration covering material, packaging, energy and transportation carbon make-up. Calculations use a proprietary cradle-to-gate calculator with emissions factors for materials, energy and transport based on product category, weight, supplier-to-factory-to-DC distances and energy source. Disclosures are self-declared.
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Carbon-neutral and zero-waste-to-landfill by 2030 Boss Design committed to becoming a carbon-neutral manufacturer and a zero-waste group by 2030. Manufacturing facilities in Dudley already operate as zero waste to landfill.
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Primary: Recyclable packaging All plastic-bag packaging is 100% recyclable; cardboard base covers, kraft paper and cardboard boxes contain 76% recycled content and are 100% reusable and recyclable. Plastic packaging is collected and reused where possible, and single-use plastic packaging is being eliminated.
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