MillerKnoll presents its new Sustainability Strategy focusing on carbon emissions, materials and circularity, aiming for ‘net-zero’ by 2050. These ambitious goals are at the heart of the Better World Report 2024, which the group has published and which details the commitment of all its design brands to designing a better future for employees, for the communities in which they operate around the world and for the planet.
MillerKnoll’s Better World Report 2024 monitors company performance in fiscal years 2022, 2023 and 2024 in relation to key environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives. The report’s sustainability highlights include reducing energy requirements (currently, around 75 per cent of electricity used comes from renewable sources), reducing waste (total reduction of around 50 per cent of waste at MillerKnoll facilities worldwide from FY2022), Smart Packaging with a 52 per cent reduction in single-use plastic packaging, including polystyrene and bubble wrap, from 2020, and the use of sustainable and innovative materials such as bamboo liners, marine zostera and balanced biomass foam.
“Climate change is an urgent, global challenge, and at MillerKnoll, we are taking bold steps to drive change,” said Andi Owen, CEO of MillerKnoll. “Our associates are working with our partners, suppliers and customers to further improve the sustainability of our processes, products and the spaces we design. These new goals build upon our history of environmental stewardship and represent an ongoing commitment to design for the good of humankind.”
Underpinning the new sustainability strategy, MillerKnoll sets a clear mission to sustainably design and create some of the world’s best design products according to three key areas: minimising carbon dioxide emissions to achieve net-zero by 2050, using sustainable materials that are entirely organically sourced or recycled, and creating timeless and durable products with zero waste by 2050.
MillerKnoll strongly believes that every single decision or action, such as the choice of materials, energy used and transport logistics, has an impact on the planet. Every step in the process contributes to the company’s carbon footprint. That is why MillerKnoll is committed to reducing emissions and reaching the ‘net-zero’ target by 2050*. Through innovation, dedication and data analysis, its teams are constantly improving the product creation process.
“We aim to transform how we design, manufacture, deliver and maintain furnishings. It starts the moment a design is conceived and continues even after a product has reached the end of its life,” said Sean McDowell, SVP of Innovation and Sustainability at MillerKnoll. “Our refined sustainability strategy establishes clear short- and long-term goals to drive meaningful improvements in carbon, materials and circularity across every stage of our product journey, creating lasting change.”
Key Initiatives to Achieve Net-Zero
• Sustainable Materials and Safe Chemistry: Prioritise natural, low-carbon and recycled materials and ensure that its products are safe for people and the environment.
• Energy and Waste Reduction: Commit to using renewable energy and minimising waste and water use across manufacturing processes.
• Smart Packaging and Logistics: Continue to reduce usage of single-use plastic packaging, including polystyrene and bubble wrap. Leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise routing and load efficiency and transition fleet to use more biofuel and electric energy, further reducing emissions from transportation.
• Supply Chain Collaboration: Engage Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers to reduce waste and drive efficiency.
• Global Take-Back Programme: Reclaim and responsibly resell, restore, refurbish or recycle its furniture, no matter its condition.
To demonstrate tangible progress against this new strategy, the company has set the following short-term goals:
• Eliminate added per- and poly- fluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) in North America by FY2025 and globally by FY2027.
• Transition to 100% renewable electricity by FY2026.
• Develop specific action plans for the top five commodities to increase material utilisation and efficiency by FY2026.
• Establish logistics carbon baselines and set reduction goals by FY2026.
• Increase furniture waste diverted from landfills to 10 million pounds (approximately 4.5 million kg) by FY2027.
• Establish carbon baselines and set reduction goals for its top 25 suppliers by FY2027.
• Publish the carbon footprint for the company’s top 100 products each year and new products by FY2028.
• Achieve a 25% reduction in the carbon footprint of top 100 products by FY2030.
• Exceed 75% recycled content in top 100 textiles by FY2030.
• Achieve 90% sustainably harvested, ethically sourced natural materials by FY2030.
• Achieve zero landfill for the top five manufacturing sites by FY2030.
• Eliminate single-use plastic packaging for MillerKnoll manufacturing sites by FY2030.
*MillerKnoll’s net-zero commitment is subject to factors that are partly outside its control, including its value chain’s ability to reduce their Scope 1 and 2 emissions (and therefore MillerKnoll’s Scope 3 emissions) by 2050. In light of this, MillerKnoll is committed to achieving net-zero by 2050 and will continue to engage with stakeholders across its value chain to support them in their efforts to become net-zero by 2050.
For more information visit: www.millerknoll.com/environmental-social-impact/sustainability
