Sustainability is an integral part of ISKU’s company DNA. Our sustainability work has long been based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the UN member states. We want to make it easy for your business to be sustainable and welcome you to join our journey towards net zero. This year ISKU joined the UN Global Compact initiative – the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative that provides a framework for companies to ambitiously advance these goals.
Together we are building a sustainable future
Sustainability is an integral part of ISKU’s company DNA. Our sustainability work has long been based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the UN member states. We want to make it easy for your business to be sustainable and welcome you to join our journey towards net zero. This year ISKU joined the UN Global Compact initiative – the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative that provides a framework for companies to ambitiously advance these goals.
For us, sustainability has always meant taking actions. We invest in the circular economy thinking and go through the product life cycle from the designer’s desk to a finished piece of furniture. This comes to life, for example, through our certified quality (ISO 9001) and environmental systems (ISO 14001) and by employing the PEFC certified tracking system for wood origin to support sustainable forestry.
To minimize our climate impact and reach carbon neutrality, the carbon footprint of all our operations has recently been calculated by a third-party on reliable standards. In addition to this, we have also made product-specific carbon footprint calculations. This way, our sustainable responsibility work comes to life in a concrete way to help guide you and your business in making sustainable choices.
To learn more about our responsibility acts over the past decade,see the Gallery of Achievement
Carbon footprint calculations lead the way towards carbon neutrality
One sustainability objective of ISKU has been to determine the carbon footprint of the entire operations. We want to offer our customers solutions that support their way towards carbon neutrality. Our third-party carbon footprint calculations are based on reliable standards. We calculated the carbon footprint of our entire operation as well as product-specific carbon footprint calculations. Such calculations are a great way for us to bring our responsibility work to life and provide our customers concrete ways to choose furniture solutions that support responsible sustainability.
RESPONSIBILITY MEANS TAKING CONCRETE ACTIONS
ISKU continues investing in renewable energy to reduce CO2 emissions
ISKU is a forerunner within its field when it comes to ensuring responsibility of its operations. One of Finland´s largest solar power plants in connection to the ISKU factory in Lahti, is another significant investment in responsibility. The solar power plant with over 6,000 solar panels was inaugurated on October 3, 2022. In the future, a significant part of the electricity used by ISKU factory will be produced locally with solar electricity. The energy produced by the solar power plant corresponds to the energy consumption of ISKU’s production for about seven months.
ISKU joined the UN Global Compact initiative – the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative
ISKU’s responsibility work has long been based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed by the UN member states. The SDGs aim to eradicate extreme poverty by 2030, promote equality and justice, and protect the planet. The United Nations Global Compact initiative provides a framework for companies to ambitiously advance these goals. In addition, the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, based on international agreements, provide a timeless and solid foundation for responsibility work.
“By joining the initiative, we want to show even stronger our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Ten Principles of the Global Compact. We also want to openly report on our progress in corporate sustainability in accordance with the Global Compact’s reporting framework”, says Kaisa Vuori, ISKU’s Director of Sustainability.
Forerunner in eco-friendly materials, production and packaging
For us at ISKU, responsibility becomes visible in many ways. Developing our quality and lifecycle thinking, the long lifespan and high level of recyclability of our products save natural resources and reduces the amount of waste. Thanks to the low level of VOC emissions and other environmental burdens, ISKU’s production operations have not required an environmental permit since 2015. We are also the only industrial company in the Finnish furniture sector that uses a PEFC (Chain of Custody) system to track the origin of the used timber. A number of our products have also been awarded the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. ISKU’s Still and Step+ are the world’s first office chairs with M1 classification which proves that the emissions into indoor air are demonstrably low.i.
Social Responsibility
To us, social sustainability means close collaboration and responsibility for our customers, staff and partners. ISKU creates employment for thousands of Finns throughout its supply chain. By ensuring good working conditions, creating jobs in Finland and acting globally in a responsible manner, we carry out corporate social responsibility and long-term sustainability.
During the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, the majority to our employees started working from home. To ensure effective and safe working, tools to cope with the changed conditions and opportunities for online training were actively provided.
At the ISKU factories, safe and healthy working practices and conditions were investigated and assessed. To prevent the epidemic from spreading and to ensure safe working conditions, employees were provided information on practices for factory visits, hygiene, such as hand washing, disinfection and cleaning of equipment, breaks and meals, work clothing, use of changing rooms and meetings. In addition, cleaning of the factory was increased.