FMJ Facilities Management magazine providing industry-specific intelligence to FM and property professionals
A new white paper that highlights the environmental impact of office furniture and offers practical advice for more sustainable furniture management has been published by office and commercial relocation change management company, Business Moves Group (BMG).
The report ‘Furniture Futures: Sustainable Strategies for Better Workplaces‘ draws on a survey of 250 facilities and office management professionals. Key findings include:
- Eighty-six per cent believe their current office furniture management strategy is very or somewhat sustainable, yet 50 per cent are using disposal as general waste for unwanted furniture.
- Organisations with smaller annual revenues are less likely to have a formalised furniture management strategy.
- Unused office furniture remains in storage for more than eight months on average, yet FMs estimate that more than 40 per cent of these stored assets could be reused.
Despite these findings, respondents overwhelming believe in the importance of sustainability – 89 per cent agreed or strongly agreed that that office furniture management should include sustainability requirements.
The white paper outlines recommended actions for businesses, including regular asset audits, improved procurement policies, setting annual targets for waste reduction, and a stronger focus on reuse and refurbishment. It also includes best practice case studies and Q&As with two industry experts.
Rachel Houghton, MD at Business Moves Group, said: “The report shows strong intent across various sectors, but also areas where practical support is needed. Better visibility of assets, clearer processes and earlier planning can make a significant difference. We want organisations to treat furniture management as a core part of their sustainability and workplace strategies and to have the tools and guidance to take those steps with confidence.”
Wednesday 14 January at 11:00am
Building Management Systems (BMS) have long been used to control the heart of a building – monitoring and controlling its essential systems such as lighting, ventilation, heating and air conditioning. Facilities Managers want the best visibility to help detect and deal with concerns before they become issues.
This webinar brings together the experts from energy network provider, E.ON along with FM thought leaders to discuss moving from a reactive service to a proactive service. By identifying energy issues early and automatically, instead of occupants reporting issues, then potential faults can be identified early and remedied. The BMS does this before the problem occurs by using smart alerting and EMC support services.
Panel:
- Sara Bean: Editor FMJ (Facilities Management Journal)
- Nick Westlake: Energy and Service Delivery Manager at E.ON Control Solutions
- Sunil Shah, the author of IWFM’s Energy Management Good Practice Guide and MD of Acclaro Advisory
- David Cermak, Regional Facilities Manager for David Lloyd Clubs
To register for the webinar which will be taking place on 14 January 2026 at 11:00am click here.
