The globally operating company Interstuhl is the first German manufacturer of office furniture to satisfy the comprehensive evaluation criteria of the international assessment platform EcoVadis. The CSR Gold ranking issued in January 2015 places Interstuhl demonstrably among the top 7 percent of furniture manufacturers who act in a more proactive and responsible way than the average in relation to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

Meßstetten-Tieringen, January 2015. When companies assume responsibility, it's not just employees and customers that benefit - the whole of society is involved. Because Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) means a conscious effort to harmonise social and ecological objectives with economic activities, and implement the concept of a continuously sustainable development at company level on a voluntary basis, in the interest of all concerned. In the best-case scenario, this does not just mean isolated one-off initiatives: it is rather an attitude and strategic direction that is firmly embedded in the whole company. For Interstuhl, this kind of practice is nothing new: this traditional company from the Swabian Alb south of Stuttgart has been working for many years according to holistic principles.

In order to make the Interstuhl philosophy and its practical implementation in relation to CSR criteria completely transparent for customers, the company has become the first German manufacturer of office furniture to satisfy all of the 21 criteria set by the international CSR evaluation platform EcoVadis relating to the environment, social and ethical issues and the supply chain. As the first collaborative platform, EcoVadis makes it possible for companies to measure the performance of their suppliers in relation to sustainability across 150 sectors and 95 countries, to manage risks, to promote environmental innovation in their global supply chains, and to improve continuously. The result of each of the CSR activities is then communicated by a ranking, and can therefore been easily seen and evaluated.

Highest award In January 2015, at the first attempt, Interstuhl obtained the highest EcoVadis certification, the GOLD CSR rating. This classification illustrates the high profile of the company when compared with other furniture manufacturers in international competition: with 68 rating points gained in the overall assessment, Interstuhl scores well above the average of 41.4. This puts the company among the top 7 percent of furniture manufacturers and among the top 2 percent of all the firms in all categories evaluated by EcoVadis that are more proactive and responsible in terms of Corporate Social Responsibility than average. Since 2008, thousands of companies all over the world have been using the services of EcoVadis - from small and medium-sized enterprises to global players.

Sustainable economies At Interstuhl, social, ecological and economic responsibility go hand in hand. Helmut and Joachim Link, Managing Directors of Interstuhl, explain this as follows: "Responsibility for our employees and the environment and sustainability in the production process have always been part of our corporate philosophy: they form the basis for all our activities. When we develop our products, our ultimate objectives are long-term value, compliance with limit values, reduction of energy and use of recyclable materials. This route is known as E3 ?EFFICIENT, ESTHETIC, GERMAN ENGINEERING. For us this means that a good product can only evolve if it is produced in a good way. Our products are efficient in every sense of the word - ecological, economic and also ergonomic. The new Interstuhl ESTHETIC, as we call it, goes far beyond superb design. Our passion for professional GERMAN ENGINEERING is reflected in intelligent technology and quality." Interstuhl concentrates its strengths to combine farsighted corporate management, applied sustainability, best product design and engineering precision to focus on a single goal: "ENJOY SEATING PERFORMANCE" is Interstuhl's plain-speaking new invitation to its customers. So that sitting becomes a one hundred percent pleasure.

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