Building a Better World
by Herman Miller

Since not all of you had the opportunity to hear Paul Murray, Herman Miller Inc.’s Director of Environmental Affairs, speak at last month’s Net Impact Conference, we sat down with him for an interview. Paul offered his insight as a 20+ year veteran of Herman Miller and shared about their “Better World” program.

Q. Herman Miller’s environmental programs began in the 1980s, and now one of your company’s core values is built entirely around the “Better World” concept. Did sustainability gradually become integral to the strategy of Herman Miller’s business, or was there an awakening that caused leadership to realize its importance?

The core value of being a steward of the environment was instilled in Herman Miller by our founder way back in the 1950s. With each subsequent leader came a renewed statement of values which consistently included an environmental focus. Over the years, it has expanded to what we now refer to as a “Better World” focus, which includes the environment along with other facets of values-based leadership. I do think that in order for a company to make sustainability integral to business strategy, everyone at the company has to understand what a journey towards a better world really means in the way of commitment and dedication. It’s understanding from not only the leadership, but all employees within the organization.

Q. What advice would you give to employees at other companies where senior leadership isn’t as on board with sustainability? How should they make the case for making sustainability integral to corporate strategy?

I have worked with other companies that have this problem. To get buy-in, you must be able to speak a business language everyone loves: profit. Thus, I always advise to—at a minimum—start with a focus on energy reduction. Document where the company is, make changes, and communicate the impact of the savings. But make sure to include the environmental benefits as well, like carbon reduction. This action plan can be used for any recognized environmental impact. Work backwards, figure out how you can impact profit, then execute and communicate. Soon, management will allow you to set a comprehensive goal set for the entire company.

Q. Your “Better World” program emphasizes that designing products with consideration for their environmental impact is central to corporate strategy. Can you tell us more about this “Design for the Environment” focus?

A Design for the Environment (DfE) program is a commitment to making significant changes to products either during the original design phase or even after the product has been introduced. Changes brought about by a solid DfE process should always be in the direction of improving products that do less harm during their production, use, and final disassembly/use/disposal. We focus on three areas: recycled content, recyclability, and material chemistry.

We drafted a set of DfE Guidelines in 1992 which included the first two concepts, but not material chemistry. We began to include that concept in 1999, when we partnered with McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC), Bill McDonough’s company, to embed the evaluation of material chemistry of every part we put into a product. This concept has since become known as Cradle to Cradle Design Protocol.

Certifications for a product that has completed a DfE protocol make the company adhere to higher standards not only with product materials but also the manufacturing process. It pushes us farther in the direction of a company working in a socially responsible way. I am happy to say that we are well on the way to our goal: 100% of our sales will be DfE approved by 2020, which means all new products are meeting this goal. We have redesigned the Aeron Chair and all filing and storage in the last couple of years as well.

Q. We noticed that diversity is a major component of your “Better World” goals. Why is diversity so important to Herman Miller?

The work experience is much richer if employees are surrounded by a diverse employee set. The rich knowledge that comes from many cultures, values, and beliefs make for a very interesting work experience.

The U.S. workforce has—and continues to become—an even a richer melting pot of cultures. Herman Miller wants to attract the absolute best talent. If the workforce is homogeneous and everyone walks, talks, and acts exactly the same, some people we want to hire may not see anyone that looks like them and might not want to work here. We simply do not want to risk not being able to attract the top talent into our workforce.

Finally, we sell our products all over the world. We want our customers to see that we value their ideals and values. Having a diverse and inclusive workforce when customers visit our facilities helps them see that we are trying to understand everyone’s values.

Learn more about Herman Miller’s vision for a “Better World” at http://www.hermanmiller.com/betterworldreport.