September 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Green on September 20, 2010
The American Home Furnishings Alliance has extended the deadline for 2010 Sage Award entries to Friday, Nov. 5.
The entry form and entry guidelines are posted at SageAward.org. Manufacturers, retailers and suppliers to the residential furnishings and bedding industries are eligible to enter.
Now in its third year, the Sage Award program gives industry-wide recognition to companies whose environmental leadership illuminates a pathway of improvement that others in the industry can follow. Companies applying for the award should be able to demonstrate measurable progress in: reducing their environmental footprint; expanding their positive social impact; and operating a profitable business.
"The last point has presented some difficulty for a number of businesses that have expressed interest in this year's Sage Award program," said AHFA CEO Andy Counts. "We want to assure companies that this part of the entry application does not require confidential financial information. Also, its purpose was never intended to be a 12-month assessment of profitability. Rather, our judges look for information to help them assess the long-term health of the business."
The online entry form includes two main sections: an executive summary describing the company's primary business objectives and environmental accomplishments, and a detailed questionnaire that requests information about sustainable business practices, environmental accomplishments and social impact with specific examples. Eighty percent of a company's overall score comes from these two sections.
Finally, the entry form asks applicants to describe "savings and/or profitable growth experienced as a result of sustainable practices."
"Unfortunately, we have discovered that some companies felt this statement meant that they had to experience 'profitable growth' in the previous 12 months in order to be eligible to apply for the award," Counts said. "Of course, we recognize that the unprecedented conditions in our national economy have made it difficult for everyone over the last 24 months. But this should not discourage a strong environmental leader from entering the 2010 competition."
There is no cost to enter the Sage Award competition.
Up to three 2010 Sage Award finalists will be honored during the Dec. 1-2 All-Industry Sustainability Summit at the Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park in Asheville, N.C. The finalists will receive a complimentary registration to the Summit, and the winner will be announced at a special awards reception December 1.
The Sage Award is sponsored by the American Home Furnishings Alliance and Cargill's BiOH polyols business. Applicants do not need to be AHFA members nor users of Cargill's BiOH polyols to enter. Neither AHFA nor Cargill are represented on the judging panel, and this year the High Point-based accounting firm Smith Leonard has been asked to tabulate the results.
September 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Internet on September 20, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r3192264315&f=10761
OneKingsLane.com, a members-only home furnishings e-retailer, has added operations, engineering and product executives to its management team.
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September 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on September 20, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r3190737093&f=10761
Cherry Hill, N.J.For 30 years, his furniture store has been Howard Katzoff's baby.
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September 19,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Store Openings on September 20, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r3190723478&f=10761
Home furnishings retailer CB2 is opening a Georgetown store next spring, its first one in the Washington region, according to Eastbanc's Marcie Connolly, who negotiated the deal for the landlord.
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September 18,
2010 by in UnCategorized
By Aggregated Content in Furniture Retailing on September 19, 2010
from http://c.moreover.com/click/here.pl?r3187789267&f=10761
After 45 years of selling furniture and home furnishings in Colorado, Kacey Fine Furniture will begin the process of closing its stores next Tuesday.
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