NWF, SFC Releases 2020 Wood Furniture Scorecard

October 16, 2020  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Industry   

This year’s analysis of 94 companies shows that companies’ actions on their wood sourcing policies and implementation have continued to improve significantly. Of the 94 companies assessed in 2020, 13 earned Top Scores, 13 earned High Scores, and four earned Honorable Mentions. A few are truly leading the way in sustainability for the furnishings industry: mebl Furniture, Simbly, Cisco Home, and Williams-Sonoma Group. 

“Sustainable Furnishings Council is dedicated to helping furniture consumers find the more environmentally safe furnishings we know they would prefer,” says Susan Inglis, executive director of the SFC. “Everyone’s future health depends upon the health of forests, so pointing customers to sustainably sourced wood is of paramount importance. Working with furniture retailers to improve their sourcing policies is good for their business development as well as for their customers’ satisfaction. This year, more companies than ever have engaged with us in the process, which certainly bodes well for our communities as well as for the businesses. We at the Sustainable Furnishings Council are delighted to be a resource for retailers and for their customers.”

“Deforestation continues to threaten critical wildlife habitats, weaken water and food supplies, and further fuel the global climate crisis,” says Barbara Bramble, vice president of international wildlife conservation and corporate strategies at the National Wildlife Federation. “The National Wildlife Federation believes that consumers have a crucial role to play in ending deforestation, and we are committed to educating consumers and companies on the importance of sustainable product sourcing. Through responsible purchasing choices, consumers can help protect forests and the wildlife that depend on these important ecosystems.”

The scorecard is in its third iteration and continues to feature new retailers each year. Even with the new set of challenges faced by the furniture industry due to the COVID-19 pandemic, more companies than ever have demonstrated their commitment to responsible wood sourcing and promoting a more sustainable future by participating in the 2020 Wood Furniture Scorecard.

This year’s scorecard aims to increase companies’ ambition for creating robust sustainable wood sourcing policies by building awareness of best practices for responsible wood sourcing, supporting the progress of companies working to advance their policies, and recognizing leadership within the furnishings industry. It no longer suffices for companies to simply state that they have policies in place. Rather, this year’s scorecard highlights tangible and actionable mechanisms that companies have in place to ensure sustainable wood sourcing practices throughout their supply chains.

The Wood Furniture Scorecard website gives consumers sustainability information on their favorite retailers and offers guidance and tools for companies to improve and implement their wood sourcing policies.