Sustainability
Overview
“Sustainability through Durability” is the mantra that guides the development of all F+S products. We believe the best way to eliminate landfills and reduce our carbon footprint is to create products you never want to throw away. Everything we produce is carefully crafted to not only endure the elements, but to transcend temporary style trends. In the words of our CEO, “The most sustainable thing you can do is not throw things out.”
FSC® 100% Certified
Since 2008, we have been working with the Forest Stewardship Council to ensure all of our hardwoods come from certified, responsibly managed forests.
Legally Harvested Wood
F+S never tolerates the use of illegally sourced or illegally harvested woods. That includes wood from threatened forests and forests at risk of plantation conversion. We partner only with FSC certified Brazilian harvesters, never logging companies.
Protecting Ecological Diversity
All of our hardwoods come from a heterogeneous forest, meaning it supports a wide variety of plant life. Our partners manage 1,500 hectares of land that’s harvested on a 35 year cycle. This gives all of the trees plenty of space and time to grow naturally.
No Genetic Modification
Genetically modified trees are not supported by the FSC and are therefore not included in any F+S product. All of our woods contain material from trees that have been bred using traditional methods and contain only natural gene variations.
Equitable Labor Practices
We believe in the FSC’s labour standards and ensure our partners adhere to these requirements. We never use child, forced, or compulsory labor. Every employee has the right to freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.
HPDC Member
The Health Product Declaration Collaborative is an organization dedicated to providing transparency and open reporting for all materials and products. Product Environmental Data Sheets are available on our website product pages.
Affiliations
Forms+Surfaces is proud to meet most standards set by the following organizations:
LEED
LEED is a globally recognized leader of the green building movement. It provides a framework for healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving architecture. F+S materials meet many green building standards set by LEED.
Estidama
Estidama guides the development of new buildings in Abu Dhabi and provides tools for better resource management.
The Sustainable SITES Initiative
SITES is an organization dedicated to increasing the effectiveness of sustainable landscape designs
The International Well Building Institute
WELL helps organizations develop healthier and more sustainable spaces for humans through more thoughtful design
Our Facilities
Our products aren’t the only thing that impact the planet. We understand the way we operate affects the environment too. We conduct regular audits to better manage and reduce our resource usage.
Energy Efficiency
Our facilities are primarily powered by natural gas and electricity. Energy reduction technology, audits, and manufacturing upgrades are some of the ways we combat excess energy use.
Lower Emissions
We have adopted low emissions initiatives, such as using low and no-VOC finishes, to reduce our impact on air quality.
Waste Management
We have made significant gains in waste management by diverting waste from landfills, improving recycling programs, and reducing waste sources.
Reduced Water Usage
We are vigilant about water waste in our facilities. Yearly audits give us insight on our water usage and ways to reduce the number of gallons used.
Recycling
We recycle scrap wood pallets, used lamps, metal, and all electronic waste. Most of our products contain a significant amount of recycled content.
Contact
For more information about our sustainability initiatives, please contact us at green@forms-surfaces.com.