Knoll

Knoll and the Environment


"Today, Knoll continues to focus on three key environmental areas: climate change; third-party certification and design for the environment, which sets standards for environmentally-responsible materials, products and processes. And we are continuing to set industry-leading standards for sustainable design."

– Andrew Cogan, Knoll CEO
 

• FSC® 
• Clinton Global Initiative and The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX®)
• ISO 14001 
• LEED 
• SMaRT© 
• MTS 
• BIFMA 
• Greenguard 
• USGBC 

Decades of conservation

For the past 30 years, Knoll has led the industry in demonstrating its concern for the environment, focusing on “green” design, innovative technology and sustainable business. Knoll has received a number of awards for its environmental and conservation efforts and was the first furniture manufacturer to have its manufacturing sites to be accredited to the ISO 14001 standard with related Environmental Management Systems, both in Europe and the USA.

 
 


Decades of conservation continued

The construction of our Foligno manufacturing plant was commissioned by Dino Gavina in 1963. To ensure that the beauty of the surrounding valleys would not be disturbed by the concrete structure, he instructed the architect, Pier Giacomo Castiglioni, to build the plant 6 metres below road level. Today the Foligno plant covers an area of 68,800m2, of which 46,800m2 is given over to open space. The Graffignana plant covers an area of 20,000m2, of which 9,400m2 is given over to open space. Our environmental sensitivity extends throughout the manufacturing process; from the sourcing of our materials to energy use, wastage, packaging and distribution.


Knoll and Sustainable Design

Sustainable design is at the heart of our business. We endeavour in our designs to produce sustainable products by maximising the use of recycled components, selecting materials from sustainable sources, utilising materials and components that can be easily recycled and design products that utilise a manufacturing process that minimises our environmental impact. By producing high quality, flexible products that are easy to maintain, we seek to increase the life span of these products; both in terms of the product itself and its ability to support a client’s changing business needs.

 


Clinton Global Initiative CCX

“Knoll, with its long history of environmental stewardship, continues to lead the contract furniture industry in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Their accomplishments, under the strict and legally binding compliance standards of CCX, place them on the leading edge of companies using the exchange to manage their greenhouse gas emissions."

 

Richard L. Sandor, Chairman and CEO, Chicago Climate Exchange.


Conserving the past

In 2004 Knoll became the founding sponsor of the World Monuments Fund Modernism at Risk program, an initiative devoted to the conservation of modern buildings around the globe that are in disrepair or in imminent danger of demolition.  The ADGB Trade School, Germany, pictured here, was protected in 2008, along with the Zonnestraal Sanatorium, Netherlands in 2010 and the Hizuchi Elementary School, Japan in 2012.