Boss Design

Carbon per million dollars of revenue. The legacy industry-standard reference (CDP, MSCI). Useful for cross-sector context, but distorted by margin — high-margin firms appear artificially efficient. Read alongside the operational and asset intensities for the full picture.

OpEx (operating expenditure) is the running cost of the business — staff, services, energy, materials. This shows how carbon-intensive operations are per million dollars of spend. Removes the margin distortion that revenue-based ratios introduce.

EVIC (Enterprise Value Including Cash) is the firm's total capital footprint — equity + debt + cash + minority interest. The EU's standard intensity measure (SFDR PAI 3) — answers: how much carbon does each million of capital deployed in this business produce?

PP&E (Property, Plant & Equipment) plus leased real-estate assets is the firm's physical infrastructure on the balance sheet. This shows the carbon intensity of that physical footprint — uses Scope 1+2+3 for consistency with the other headline intensities. Surfaces stranded-asset risk for asset-heavy firms.

Boss Design's factory has run on 100% renewable energy since April 2018, sourced solely from wind, hydro and solar. Staff committed to reducing energy usage via vigilance on lighting and IT shutdown; staff environmental suggestion scheme has implemented over 60% of suggestions, helping maintain energy usage over three years despite footprint growth.

No narrative on durable removals approach in the firm's most recent reports.

• Design for disassembly, repair and recyclability

  All new collections designed with circularity in mind — engineered to be easy to disassemble using standard hand tools so components and materials can be separated, recovered, reused and/or recycled. Task seating designed for easy disassembly for repair or recycling; upholstery uses quality materials that can be separated at end of life. Boss invests ~4% of annual turnover in R&D, majority devoted to sustainable design.

• Cradle-to-gate carbon labelling on every product (EPDs)

  Boss calculates carbon footprint and environmental impact of every material — sourcing, transport, chain of custody, processing, manufacturing, in-life use and end-of-life recovery. Every product carries an Environmental Product Declaration (e.g. Ola chair at 13.48 kg CO2e cradle-to-gate, 53% post-industrial + 10% post-consumer recycled content). Calculations are self-declared using the firm's Calculator carbon footprint tool.

• Sustainable, reusable and recyclable packaging

  Plastic bag packaging is 100% recyclable; cardboard base covers, kraft paper and cardboard boxes use 76% recycled content and are 100% recyclable. 100% of plastic waste from factories is recycled; plastic packaging on larger pieces continually reduced and single-use plastic packaging being eliminated.

• Lean manufacturing and process technology investment

  Lean manufacturing process delivers zero waste to landfill across facilities. Investment in new polymer technologies and injection mould equipment has reduced plastic use and manufacturing time, lowering energy consumption. Continual improvement of machining, materials, finishing and process technology in collaboration with equipment suppliers.

• Recycled-content materials in purchased inputs

  High proportion of glass and metal used is recycled; continually reviewing aluminium suppliers to increase recycled content. Increasing recycled polymer content — projects exploring recycled-bottle plastic to replace plywood and moulded parts, plus 100% recycled polypropylene with existing tools. Exploring hemp-based plastic replacements, recycled coffee grounds, bamboo and pine alternatives to hardwood.

• End-of-life take-back via Waste to Wonder Next Life programme

  Next Life programme collects end-of-first-life Boss Design furniture, safety-checks and donates to partner schools and charities — over 1,600 tonnes diverted from landfill, 750+ schools equipped in 18 countries. Where reuse is not possible, products are dismantled with hand tools for material recycling. Reupholstery and refurbishment service (e.g. high-street bank case study saved ~£200k) extends service life with new Boss warranty.