In this issue: Reverse logistics, our Chicago roundtable, and rounding out B Corp month
How to build a supply chain that goes backwards
Circularity is easy in theory: Design out waste, reuse everything at its highest value, and regenerate nature. In practice it’s much harder, and many of the difficulties can be summed up in two words: Reverse logistics.
Even if everyone responsible for a workplace wants to reuse, redistribute, refurbish, and remanufacture, how do you do it at scale? Eventually, you need to get the goods from point B back to point A.
That’s the challenge that Davies Office, the largest office furniture remanufacturer in North America, and Green Standards, the global sustainable decommissioning company, are working together to address.
Green Standards helps major corporate clients decommission 20M square feet of office space each year, directing surplus furniture, fixtures, and equipment to local non-profits, resellers, and recyclers. The process of reverse logistics consists of four key steps, as per this 2019 literature review — acquisition, collection, inspection and sorting, and choice of disposition — all of which are already part of the Green Standards platform. Increasingly, remanufacturing is part of the disposition strategy planning.
Candidates for remanufacture are sourced by Green Standards and sent to Davies state-of-the-art remanufacturing facilities in Albany, NY, where the furniture is returned to a “like new” or “better than new” condition.
“This is structurally sound, high-quality furniture, and we’ve got the expertise to make it as good or better than new,” explained Bill Davies, president of Davies Office.
The next steps are building out robust resale markets, a process that’s already underway with key players in the industry. And while the actual shipping must be factored in, a 2023 Dutch study of furniture reverse logistics found “their contribution to overall costs remains relatively minor.”
Remanufacturing is a key component of circularity, and doing it at scale is critical to the zero-waste office. Together, Davies Office and Green Standards are building out pathways to make it happen.
Join us at Circularity 24 in Chicago this May!
The Circular Workplace roundtable is happening in Chicago! With representatives from Microsoft, the U.S. Green Building Council, Davies Office, and more, we’ll unpack zero-waste strategies and real-world results.
Join Green Standards at Circularity 24, the leading convening of professionals building the circular economy. By participating, you’ll gain access to more than 60 thought-provoking sessions, connect with over 2,000 peers and become empowered in your role to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
Register before April 19 with the 20% discount code C24GS for a combined savings of nearly $1,000 off the Final Rate All-Access Pass.
For B Corps, continuous improvement is the key to work
The circular workplace and B Corps are two ambitious movements with a shared strategy: continuous improvement through meticulous measurement. Sustainability consultants Stok and Green Standards are two Circular Workplace coalition members who are also among the 8,000 companies around the world that meet high standards for social and environmental impact, set and verified by B Lab. Every March, our community joins together for B Corp Month to celebrate everything it means to be a Certified B Corporation. In 2024, we’re showing the world how we are always growing our impact. That means diverting more waste from landfill, reusing more FF&E, and bringing more likeminded organizations into the Circular Workplace movement.
We’re always looking for case studies, actionable tips, and news items about the circular workplace. Reach out at hello@circularworkplace.com to join our coalition.
Signup for the Roundup
Subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll send you circular workplace updates every month
