Funded project – Building a sustainable B2B furniture procurement
This project aims to establish an industry-led sustainable furniture procurement scheme that reduces the waste generation of commercial furnishing products.
Background
The aim of the project is to create a guide for sustainable procurement that enables buyers to make environmentally responsible choices when purchasing commercial furniture. According to EPA (2019), 8.5 million tonnes of office furniture end in landfills in Australia every year. Victoria represents approximately 35% of this waste.
This project’s goal is to significantly decrease the amount of furniture going to landfills to a weight of 9975 tonnes (a reduction of approximately 1%). The project will collect and analyse industry benchmark data specifically focused on Commercial Furniture in Victoria to accomplish the goals. The data will be used to create a business case for the sustainable procurement guide.
The problem
Furniture waste going to landfill is a significant environmental concern with far-reaching implications. Furniture items contribute to the accumulation of waste and take up valuable space, resulting in an increase in the demand for landfills and posing various environmental challenges.
One of the major issues associated with furniture waste in landfills is the slow decomposition rate of certain materials. To address the issue, sustainable procurement practices need to be in place. The shift towards sustainable procurement not only promotes the use of furniture but also drives innovation in the industry, fostering the development of circular economy models and sustainable supply chains.
The project
The project will focus on producing effective marketing and communication and promoting sustainable procurement. An audit of the commercial furniture industry in Victoria will be performed to provide valuable data, ensuring a deeper understanding of existing furniture supply chain challenges and opportunities.
Expert contractors will be engaged to check that best practices in the procurement process are captured throughout the entire lifecycle. The project will develope and deliver a business case for the implementation of a sustainable procurement guide for the furniture industry.
Objectives
- Develop an industry sector plan and business case that understand the issue and opportunities to improve circularity.
- The project aims to generate employment opportunities within Victoria by creating 1.75 full-time jobs which would contribute to the local economy.
- To significantly reduce the quantity of commercial furniture ending up in landfills.
- To divert furniture from the traditional disposal route and explore alternative pathways.
Project progress
| Key deliverables | Status |
|---|---|
| Undertake an audit of the furniture industry in Victoria, determine the extent of chemical concerns in furniture and develop understanding of current limitations to implementation. | In progress |
| Establish baseline data and process that support future collection of nationally standardized data relevant for assessing waste reduction outcomes. | |
| Produce a draft business case incorporating all deliverables including recommendations for development and implementation for commercial furniture, ethical sourcing plan and any required scheme. | |
| Complete peer review of the research to present the final business case to government, businesses, and industry. |
Challenges
There are several challenges in sustainable furniture procurement that need to be addressed. One of the primary challenges is the limited availability of sustainable furniture options in the market. Furniture supply chains can be complex, involving multiple stakeholders and processes spanning from raw material extraction to manufacturing and distribution. It requires collaboration and coordination among various suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and logistics providers, to ensure transparency and accountability in the procurement process.
From the grantee:
“The Australian Furniture Association have always strived to grow, protect and promote the furniture manufacturing industry, with sustainability and circular economy in mind. Over the past few years, the AFA have been actively working on projects with the government regarding sustainability and the circular economy, to be an active voice within the industry.
"With the majority of AFA members being SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), within Australia, we believe that educating our members on sustainable practices will enable them to adopt sustainable methods within their manufacturing processes sooner rather than later. Funding has meant that we have the financial ability to act on developing a project that encourages education and implementation of strategies around sustainability."
