Sustainability is about solidarity and consideration for future generations – in addition to all those alive today. We only have one planet, with a limited amount of resources, and it is in our common interest to take care of it. The term sustainability has been used more and more in the last 10 years. However, thinking sustainably is nothing new. Even when Helland's Armchair Factory was founded in 1947, founder Johan Helland's idea was to produce fine furniture of high product quality that would last a long time. When Helland switched to producing furniture for the public market in the late 1970s, the need to produce strong and durable furniture became even more relevant. Eco-friendly components and materials are not enough For us, it's about more than just components and materials that are not harmful to the environment. The furniture should last for decades without breaking down. In Europe alone, 10 million tons of furniture are thrown away every year and it goes without saying that such a throw-away mentality is not sustainable. That's why it's possible to buy removable and washable covers for large parts of our collection. This makes it easy to clean the furniture, but it also makes it possible to spruce up the furniture with new textiles – instead of buying a whole new piece of furniture. In addition, several individual parts of our furniture can be replaced if something is damaged. Sustainability permeates the organization from top management to production Helland Møbler AS was already certified according to the ISO-14001 standard in 2002. This standard is an environmental management system that we have integrated with other management requirements in the company and which has contributed to the organization achieving both environmental and economic goals. This certification obliges us to work continuously with improvement in accordance with this standard. We are checked by an annual surveillance audit during the certification period and after three years we must be re-certified. ISO 14001 enables us to develop and implement policies and goals that take into account statutory requirements and information about significant environmental aspects. Every year, new goals are set for environmental improvements - both on product, waste, working environment and social conditions. After working on this for almost 20 years, sustainability is something that permeates the organization from top management to production. When it comes to production, we at Helland have high demands on material quality as well as a flawless finish of the products we produce. Without such standards, we would not be satisfied with what we deliver. All wood that Helland uses in its furniture is certified materials (FSC) that can be traced to forests where operations are sustainable and where social, economic and environmental requirements are met. As a supplier of furniture for the healthcare sector, Helland Møbler AS was awarded the SWAN LABEL in 2019, as the first in Scandinavia, for a large part of its collection. When a product or service has been awarded the SWAN LABEL, it has passed the objective assessment by Ecolabelling of how environmentally friendly the product is. The entire life cycle of a product is assessed. From raw materials – to production – via use – to waste management.