Page 52 - FDMAsia JanFeb 2025

50 MATERIALS JAN/FEB 2025 FDM ASIA | www.fdmasia.com

Flickr the external pressures for better information on product
environmental performance from suppliers and customers
has encouraged the company to apply an LCM approach.
Additionally, the mindset changes and the increasing of

LC’ knowledge among the ECOFURNY managers allows to
start the LCM adoption process.
ECOFURNY mainly operates in business-to-business
areas and with interior designers. From these stakeholders
emerged the main external pressures concerning the need
of environmental data on office furniture.
Recently, large buyers (companies and public institutions)
and retails introduced requirements on the environmental
need for environmental performance information prompted performance for furniture products; the customers, mainly

the application of LCM, particularly in response to customer from the US (12,5%), select furniture products with the LEED
preferences and LEED or EPD certification requirements and certification that encourage the use of products and materials
following the new knowledge on the positive opportunities for which life-cycle information is available. So, for ECOFURNY,
related to life-cycle logic. requests for technical data on the product environmental
The company's managers expected improved reputation, performance of are increasingly frequent.
marketing opportunities, and economic value as LCM adoption Additionally, public institutions through the Green Public
would consolidate trust with customers, satisfy data requests Procurement (GPP) have represented another driver to ECOFURNY

and improve the supply chain approach. environmental commitment. The product's compliant to GPP
The transition from LCA to LCM proved effective, with criteria has represented a significant business opportunity.
ECOFURNY implementing practices reducing raw material By starting from these external pressures, the internalisation
usage, increasing company effectiveness and streamlining process through which ECOFURNY has consolidated its LCM
manufacturing processes. is depicted as a pathway divided into four phases.
This integration led to organisational changes, enhanced
communication and knowledge transfer with stakeholders Drawing On LCA
increased employee awareness of sustainability and mainly ECOFURNY's strategic realignment toward environmental
changing the internal decision-making processes introducing sustainability, anchored in the insights drawn from a LCA

a more participative and shared model. conducted in 2018, has led to transformative changes across
Identity change was even prompted by both external the organisation.
and internal drivers. Initially, ECOFURNY business strategy The LCA results, identifying key impact categories and
aimed to reduce the natural resources input and increase the process stages with the highest environmental impacts for office
company's environmental efficiency. desks made of wood and laminate, have informed significant
At the same time, the company's managers have emphasised shifts in operations, design, and supply chain management.
the need to affirm ECOFURNY as sustainability leader in Notably, the PEF study highlighted that the most relevant

office desk furniture sector demonstrating its environmental life cycle stages cumulatively contribute more than 80 percent
commitment. So, the efficiency needs to be combined with to each impact category for both products. Climate change