Our stories
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Reconsidered, reduced, recycled
In 2019, Herman Miller set a goal of reducing single-use plastics in packaging globally by 30%. For example, we’ve made multiple switches to paper-based or corrugated material that is easy to recycle. And we’ve reduced and incorporated recycled content in the polybags and stretch wrap (plastic that protects products during shipment).
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Cleaner, safer chemistry
The increasingly clear connection between sustainable, safe chemistry and better employee health and well-being is one reason we developed a Herman Miller Restricted List of Chemicals. This list is based on voluntary building standards, product certifications and applicable regulations. We are focused on avoiding chemicals of concern in our products.
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A sweeter solution
In 1995, Herman Miller opened the GreenHouse. Large colonies of angry paper wasps moved in, and instead of reaching for pesticides, we brought in 600,000 bees in 12 beehives. These honey bees persuaded the wasps to move out and then cross-pollinated the surrounding fields, generating a lot of honey – which we give as gifts to our guests.
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Watching like a hawk
A large and noisy group of approximately 200 seagulls nested on the roof of Portal Mill, our manufacturing facility in the UK, making a mess for our building’s rainwater collection and operations, as well as posing a health and safety risk. So we brought in some muscle – Willow, the trained hawk – to convince the seagulls to relocate.
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WELL buildings
In 2020, we became the first furniture company to register for WELL Portfolio, which enables organisations to enhance their spaces and improve human well-being across a global footprint. We also registered for WELL Health-Safety Rating, which include operational strategies to help keep spaces clean and sanitised.
GreenHouse opens
Opened GreenHouse operations centre as a LEED Pioneer Building, where we quickly brought in honey bees to tackle our wasp problem
No more plastic water bottles
Eliminated plastic water bottles at all facilities
AFRDI Green Tick certification
Herman Miller products achieve AFRDI Green Tick certification for ethical and sustainable furniture design and manufacturing
Cradle to Cradle, European edition
Cradle to Cradle certification is extended to Herman Miller’s European products
European Declare Label
Ratio Desk received first European Declare Label, a product transparency disclosure that identifies where a product comes from, what it’s made of, and where it goes at the end of its life
100% recycled content textile collection
Launched Revenio, a 100% recycled content textile collection with a biodegradable polyester
Ocean-bound plastic
Launched ocean-bound plastic product campaign, updating Aeron Chair, Sayl Chair, Tu Storage, OE1 Collection and Revenio textile collection to include ocean-bound plastic
