Waibel Joins EFEC Board of Examiners

August 2, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on August 3, 2010

Randy Waibel of furniture components vendor Hickory Springs, was recently named the newest member of Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture Board of Examiners.

EFEC is the environmental management program developed by the American Home Furnishings Alliance to help its members create and maintain a strong, proactive environmental program that makes them industry leaders. The EFEC Board of Examiners reviews reports from AHFA-certified auditors, who examine each applicant€™s facility and registration application. If approved, the EFEC board will provide the final registration, which will be valid for three years.

Waibel is corporate environmental director at Hickory Springs, Hickory Springs, N.C., one of the nation's largest integrated manufacturers and an international supplier of components for the furniture and bedding industries.

"I'd been in contact with Randy while he was submitting applications to register Hickory Springs' HS Converting facility for EFEC certification," said Bill Perdue, vice president of environmental affairs, health, safety and standards for the American Home Furnishings Alliance. "Over time as we got to know him better, we realized that someone with his level of experience was exactly what we were looking on the EFEC board."
 
Waibel has 22 years of environmental experience in many aspects of environmental compliance, investigations, remediation, and restoration. He has worked in federal government (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), county government (New York), environmental consulting, and private industry. Waibel has been with Hickory Springs for five years. During that time, he has helped implement a variety of environmental programs, including initiatives focused on regulatory compliance, pollution prevention, and a variety of activities that have reduced the impact of facility operations on the environment.
 
"It's a real honor to have been named to the EFEC Board of Examiners," Waibel said. "I hope to bring the same level of environmental stewardship and experience that has helped build Hickory Springs' environmental initiatives to the AFHA and the EFEC Board of Examiners."

Waibel also deeply values the mission of Hickory Springs: "I'd say environmental sustainability is more than just an initiative. It's our core value. So, it's an integral part of what we do here at Hickory Springs and has been for a long time."

Hickory Springs has developed and follows its own Corporate Sustainability Initiative, a continuous-improvement process aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing waste, easing environmental impact and boosting workplace safety. The company will continue to introduce innovative products like Preserve foam, the first foam to incorporate a significant percentage of non-petroleum ingredients into its traditionally all-petroleum based formula, and other products such as the new EarthCare Inside line of eco-friendly components.