Why Conduct ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry?
The incorporation of environmental and social due diligence along with financial reporting helps in the decision-making process, leading to responsible and smart investment ventures. The furniture and fixtures industry has lately witnessed a rise in the adoption of distinct manufacturing products and services globally to sustain environmentally sound approaches, and therefore, investment in ESDD parameters has escalated predominantly in recent times. If you are looking to enter into furniture and fixtures industry or are planning to expand your current business venture, you must integrate ESDD and/or ESG parameters into your business strategies right away.
Corpbiz assists enterprises and businesses in discharging their obligations by providing them with valuable insights and practical business solutions. We have established a renowned presence as a prominent ESDD consultant in the furniture and fixtures industry by providing exceptional consultancy solutions to businesses across India. Corpbiz aims to develop and deliver innovative environmental solutions for projects with a high environmental impact in a variety of industries. We provide these solutions through impact assessment studies, environmental media analysis and monitoring, and strict implementation of effective plans within the allocated budget to assist our esteemed clients.
What Makes Conducting ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry Difficult?
The furniture and fixtures industry faces many obstacles, ranging from supply chain shortages to the industry's adoption of e-commerce and technology. The industry has also experienced a significant financial setback as a result of increased imports of raw materials and decreased exports, creating a "double curse" that lowers profits. The increased expenses of safety regulations, which force manufacturers to provide a warning list of the use of various toxic chemicals and substances, pose a threat to the industry as well. Investors are searching for investment opportunities to develop eco-friendly and sustainable products that support their efforts to combat climate change and promote financial inclusion in order to counteract the sentiments of consumers however, integrating environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry can be challenging due to the following reasons
Unoptimized Resources
As an enterprise grows, the number of repetitive processes also grows, and areas such as marketing, sales data analysis, and customer relations all increase in scale. In addition to this, conducting ESDD in the furniture and fixtures industry can lead to common problems like unoptimized use of resources as tasks are impossible to achieve in the stipulated time at such an increased volume, and this also increases the probability of errors or mistakes due to rushing key tasks, or information getting lost across different areas of the company.
Increased Production Cost
Manufacturing furniture and fixtures is already an expensive affair, and businesses involved in this domain are already regulated by various other rules and regulations, which have to be duly discharged. In addition to this, hiring an in-house team to ensure the performance of ESDD in furniture can further lead to increased production costs, which may not be so economically viable for smaller stakeholders or micro and small enterprises, thereby posing a severe challenge in alignment of ESG and ESDD factors in the production chain.
Lack of Technical Cooperation
Lack of technical cooperation poses yet another challenge while conducting environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry, as the same requires access to advanced technology and digital transformation. Many stakeholders often lack this kind of technology or have access to outdated technology, which does not suffice for the due discharge of these obligations. In addition to this, many companies may want to avoid the new updated technologies due to the risks associated with the increased use of technology, such as cybersecurity risks, privacy concerns, etc.
Overcoming these hurdles in order to conduct environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry requires a concerted effort from all the concerned stakeholders. Allow us to join forces with your business so that we can provide you with cutting-edge solutions that are crucial to promoting sustainable and responsible practices.
Benefits of Conducting ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry
Corpbiz works in an ethical and responsible manner and our approach to environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry is built on our dedication towards formulating responsible and sustainable practices. We understand that considering environmental, social, and governance factors is crucial for creating long-term value and managing risks, which is why we are committed to integrating ESDD or ESG considerations into our decision-making processes and operations at all levels of our organization. By doing so, we remain focused on achieving a healthy balance between economic growth, social progress, and environmental stewardship. Some of the key benefits that businesses can enjoy by conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry are
Increased Stakeholder Engagement
Increased stakeholder engagement can be ensured by conducting environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry. Good practices in order to conduct stakeholder engagement exercises regularly, in particular before a new investment venture, would include communicating the outcomes of such deliberations and action plans, and planning for site closures or translocations, if any, for continuous improvement initiatives, recognizing the importance of collaboration and shared responsibility.
Regulatory Compliance
By conducting environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry, you not only discharge your social and environmental responsibilities but also allows you to ensure regulatory compliance associated with the following: Emissions and Discharges, Dust and Noise Abatement, Fire/Explosion Hazard, etc. Ensuring all this might involve the costs of purchase and installation of equipment and the costs of training employees and management, all of which can be reasonably incorporated in ESDD packages.
Enhanced Brand Value
Environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry is more than just a compliance. It also allows the businesses involved to attract investors and customers who value transparency, sustainability, and accountability. With increasing consciousness around environmental and social concerns, conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry will effectively help enhance your brand value and reputation in the market and help you gain an additional competitive advantage in the sector. Thus, by diligently investing in cultivating ESDD reporting mechanisms and embracing technological advancements, these businesses can showcase their commitment to corporate responsibility and sustainability.
Resource Efficiency
In order to conduct ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry, it is important to enhance the utilization of natural resources and energy through efficient practices, aiming to minimize waste and maximize sustainability and, at the same time, allow for an efficient use of the limited personnel resources as well. There is only so much you can do with the help of your limited human resources. Outsourcing services pertaining to environmental and social due diligence in in furniture and fixtures industry allows you to concentrate on your core business processes and operations by letting someone else take care of your ESDD needs. This kind of division of labour can augment the overall production of your enterprise and enhance the efficiency of your workforce and other resources.
Therefore, as the world continues to grow, businesses and companies involved in this Industry need to make efforts to stay ahead of the curve and proactively prepare for the future. This can be achieved by diligently investing in environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry. Adapt; otherwise, the change will change you!
Our ESDD Consultant Services in India
If you are wondering what we have in store for you, then our package of ESDD Consultant services provides a wide assortment of solutions for your exclusive business needs. Our package for environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry entails the following
Identification of Risks and Related Expenses
The ultimate objective of conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry is to oversee the identification of potential risks and related expenses involved in cleanup activities while also understanding the responsibilities related to a plant setup. In addition to looking into aspects of site contamination, the enterprises or companies concerned can use the environmental and social due diligence services to inspect the proposed investment thoroughly and find any potential environmental concerns. In addition to helping create an initial environmental condition assessment of the property at the time of the transaction, this would serve as a reference Document in the event of additional contamination and inquiries regarding site responsibility.
Assistance in Establishing ESMS
Corpbiz experts will also help you establish an ESMS, i.e., an environmental and social management system, in place. This entails preparing outlines and establishing a set of policies, procedures, and tools. This will ensure that your business activities are in compliance with its environmental and social standards. Thus, by having an ESMS in place, our experts can help you to identify and manage your business's exposure to environmental and social risks and show your commitment to implementing the environmental and social management system.
Formulating Procedures and Policies
Purchasing our package for conducting environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry also means ensuring legal and regulatory compliance mandated for your respective business or Industry. The industry experts can guide you in developing procedures for the handling and storage of hazardous chemicals, assessing environmental impacts on soil and water regularly, and implementing measures to minimise wood wastage and improve energy efficiency.
Ensuring Legal and Regulatory Compliance
Conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry also means ensuring all related legal and regulatory compliance in order to avoid any adverse consequences. The furniture and fixture sector is governed by many such rules and regulators in order to ensure environmental and social safety, such as having an environmental management system which is certified to an international standard such as ISO14001, etc. This allows the businesses to avoid any indirect costs which may arise in the form of fines or penalties for any violations and non-compliance, even if done inadvertently.
Social Impact Assessment and Compliance
ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry involves conducting social impact assessment. Our team of experts can help you do so and additionally assist you with health and safety improvements. These may include ensuring safe machine use by providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to staff; ensuring and implementing a health and safety management system in place, certified to a recognized standard such as the Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 and the International Labour Office ILO-OSH 2001 systems.
Customized Solutions
We provide customized solutions with the assistance of our large team of experts in Environmental Compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines. Additionally, our experts at Corpbiz help you promote transparency, and our team is committed to working with our clients to ensure that social and environmental assessment Documents are made available in an accurate and easy language that is easily accessible by affected people and other stakeholders so that they can provide meaningful inputs into project description, design and implementation.
Reasons to Choose Corpbiz
Evolution of ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry
ESDD typically stands for Environmental and Social Due Diligence. Conducting ESDD in the furniture and fixtures industry would involve assessing the environmental and social impacts associated with the production, use, and disposal of furniture. This may include evaluating raw material sourcing, manufacturing processes, waste management, and labour practices. Implementing effective ESDD can help businesses identify and mitigate potential risks, ensuring their operations align with environmental and social responsibility standards. By embracing principles of environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry, businesses not only contribute to a sustainable future but also enhance their resilience, competitiveness, and long-term value for all stakeholders, and ultimately, these efforts can help create a better world for future generations.
The furniture and fixture sector, in particular, can make a significant contribution towards meeting green economy objectives owing to their importance in climate change mitigation. Wood is a natural, renewable, carbon-neutral, and sustainable material for diverse applications such as building structures, bridges, furniture, handicrafts, etc. It seizes carbon during its production and locks it for a long duration while in use. There is considerable pressure to reduce wood use through the substitution of synthetic materials such as aluminium, steel, PVC, glass, cement, and plastics. However, most of these synthetic materials require far more energy to produce, are non-renewable, and create environmental pollution. Enhancing the use of wood has been advocated as one of the effective strategies in climate change mitigation.
Adverse Impact Furniture and Fixtures Industry
The furniture and fixtures industry is a cluster of various small and large-scale businesses that are involved in operations relating to furniture production, processing, supply, and distribution. The larger the industry, the greater the capacity to cause adverse effects. Therefore, the furniture and fixtures Industry is expected to comply with the environmental and social due diligence in order to ensure compliance with their regulatory requirements and, at the same time, address the following concerns
Transition Impact on the Environment
The production of furniture may have a negative impact on the environment. The manufacturing of furniture and fixtures from wood and wood-based products involves the supply and storage of timber, carpentry, bonding, glueing of wood and final assembly into finished products. The furniture and fittings sector also uses materials other than wood, such as plastic, metal, leather, etc. Companies use synthetic materials during the manufacturing and product development process, which significantly contributes to the negative impact on the environment through pollution. Plastics and synthetic materials are frequently made from fossil fuels such as oil and gas, and while their extraction has the potential to destroy an entire ecosystem, the processing of synthetic materials also emits harmful greenhouse gases, such as massive amounts of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere, causing significant climate change.
Soil and Groundwater Contamination
Processing of the materials and equipment used in the furniture and fixtures industry can involve using hazardous substances, including preservatives, pesticides, biocides, dyes, heavy metal additives, tanning agents, cleaning agents, formaldehyde, solvents, adhesives, flame retardants, etc. These may cause contamination and pollution during storage, transport, handling, etc. In addition, when these waste materials are sent to landfill at the end-of-life of the product cycle, these chemicals leach into the soil containing high concentrations of hazardous elements such as arsenic, cadmium, chromium or lead and end up causing severe harm to our ecosystem.
Health and Safety Concerns
Fumes arising from the chemical use at furniture and fixtures manufacturing sites, such as the use of resins and varnishes in solvents, may have adverse health impacts on the workers or the human personnel, such as skin and/or respiratory conditions. Therefore, adequate ventilation and fume extraction must be provided along with necessary respiratory protective equipment. In addition to this, insolvents and flammable products and chemicals should be stored safely and separately from main work areas, where there is effective fire prevention and firefighting equipment.
Therefore, the furniture and fixtures manufacturers should concentrate their efforts to improve their performance by focusing on the following measures to reduce their environmental impact
- Reduce the threat of deforestation and the risk of natural resource depletion by using environmentally safe and sustainable raw materials.
- Reduce energy consumption and waste production during the furniture manufacturing process.
- Concentrate on producing long-lasting and highly durable furniture that can be recycled effectively and ensure the health and safety of the labour involved.
Need for ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry
The increasing discussion around ESDD, i.e. environmental and social due diligence, is rooted in the acknowledgement that businesses and/or companies have a duty to positively impact the environment and society beyond their financial goals. By integrating ESG or ESDD considerations into their business plans and strategies, the business is then able to contribute towards building an environmentally and socially sound world by reducing carbon emissions, evolving social equity, and implementing sustainable business practices. Additionally, the concerned stakeholders, including customers, employees, and investors, are now on the lookout for businesses that prioritize values of sustainability, corporate responsibility, and social and ethical practices instead of just worrying about their revenue no matter what.
Environmental and Social Due Diligence, i.e., ESDD in the furniture and fixtures industry, involves a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and social impacts associated with the entire lifecycle of furniture products. This includes scrutinizing raw material sourcing for sustainability, evaluating manufacturing processes' environmental footprint, ensuring ethical practices in the supply chain, and considering the social and environmental aspects of product use and disposal. Waste management, compliance with environmental regulations, and community impacts are also key considerations in the process of environmental and social due diligence. Therefore, by implementing effective ESDD, companies aim to demonstrate commitment to sustainability, adhere to ethical standards, and transparently report on their environmental and social practices.
Business Opportunities in the Furniture and Fixtures Industry
There has been an increasing shift towards the purchase of eco-friendly furniture and fixtures. The global furniture market size was valued at USD 531.5 billion in 2019 and is further expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.1 per cent between 2020 and 2025. By 2025, the Asia Pacific region is projected to achieve a market size greater than USD 90 billion due to a rapid increase in urbanization, along with the expansion of the IT sector. Similarly, during the same period, Europe is estimated to experience a CAGR exceeding 5.0 per cent due to the increase in the tourism industry, resulting in the augmented demand for luxury furniture and fixtures in the hospitality sector.
The India furniture and fixtures market alone is expected to achieve a CAGR of 10.9 per cent between 2023 and 2028 and will reach USD 32.7 billion by 2026. In addition to this, the incessant switch and trends followed by customers towards custom-made theme-based house décor, interior decorations and periodic renovations of their spaces have heightened the endorsement of extravagant furniture and fixtures. The government has taken measures to enhance standardization in furniture and ensure product safety by introducing BIS standards on furniture in 2022, and in fact, the import duty on furniture has also been increased from 20 per cent to 25 per cent to boost domestic furniture and fixtures manufacturing.
These numbers and/or statistics are a testament to the fact that the furniture and fixtures industry in India offers several opportunities for growth in the coming years, and its substantial share of the market necessitates the effective monitoring of the industry. Therefore, investing in environmental and social due diligence in furniture and fixtures industry is going to give you an additional advantage because the growth in this sector hasn't saturated yet.
Nonetheless, we know that conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry can be a complex and daunting task, and this arduous compliance often requires expert guidance from those who have had years of industry experience, especially because these obligations are so multifaceted that they are out of a layman's league. Therefore, the enterprises involved in the furniture and fixtures sector often feel the need to outsource their environment and social due diligence in order to avoid any inadvertent fiascos on their part.
Why Ensure ESDD in Furniture and Fixtures Industry with Corpbiz?
Corpbiz is known to offer an extensive range of services, ranging from procuring licenses, regulatory compliance services, business registration, and much more, with a key focus on helping our clients experience unprecedented growth by offering these services at throwaway prices. Our team of ESG experts and ESDD consultants work hard to provide our clients with the best services possible. At Corpbiz, we always ensure that every concern is resolved promptly, and for that, we have excellent automation and customer empowerment, so contacting us is a cakewalk.
So, if you are concerned about your compliance requirements, then you have landed on the right page because we offer an inclusive range of services. Corpbiz is a technology-driven platform where our well-conversed staff will answer all your concerns and will accordingly recommend premium solutions and relevant strategies after a thorough investigation of your needs. We can help you with the valuation of the adverse environmental and social impacts of your potential investment ventures by assisting you in conducting EIA, indorsing advanced solutions to eradicate these adverse impacts, helping you perform ESG and ESDD and thereby ultimately helping you obtain all the necessary environmental clearances from the concerned authorities.
Our team of experts will help you discharge all your environmental and social obligations by providing hands-on business solutions. We have been successful in establishing our presence as a prominent ESDD consultant in India by providing unique consultancy solutions to our clients. Through our bespoke team of industry experts in ESDD compliance, we have been able to provide customized solutions to our clients while keeping in mind their unique needs and requirements. By leveraging our expertise in ESDD management systems, we have assisted numerous enterprises across the country and will continue to do so.
So, if you wish to deliberate more about ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.
Getting Started
Brace yourself to attain excellence in environmental and due diligence practices. Contact us at 9121230280 to discuss how Corpbiz can help you achieve your quest for success. Join us in building a sustainable future for furniture and fixtures industry in India.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The sustainability standard used by the furniture industry is the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard.
The major environmental impacts associated with the furniture industry are the biodiversity and climate change impacts of wood sourcing, particularly if unsustainable forestry operations are involved, such as illegal logging, clearing of natural-growth forests, etc.
Quality control is critical in the furniture production process for several reasons: It ensures customer satisfaction. Quality control helps to ensure that the final product meets the manufacturer's design specifications and quality standards and that it is safe for consumers to use.
There are several factors to consider when designing eco-friendly furniture. The selection of materials is an important aspect of sustainable furniture design. Sustainable furniture should be made of nontoxic and renewable materials such as natural wood, bamboo, or recycled materials.
The main objective of sustainable furniture is to achieve optimal results that benefit the environment. It ensures a variety of factors when designing and creating furniture; some of these include quality, durability, low cost, furniture made from recycled materials, etc.
The furniture industry has faced various challenges, such as rising raw material costs, supply chain issues, and the ongoing energy crisis, which have all had a negative impact on the global furniture industry.
Environmental and social due diligence, i.e., ESDD, is a process to assess and manage the potential environmental and/or social risks associated with business activities. In the furniture industry, this involves evaluating the impact of manufacturing processes, raw material sourcing, and labour practices.
ESDD is important for furniture and fixtures industry because this sector can have significant environmental impacts, such as deforestation for wood sourcing. Social issues, like fair labour practices, also play a crucial role. ESDD helps companies identify and address these concerns, promoting sustainability and responsible business practices.
Key considerations which should be considered in conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry include sustainable sourcing of raw materials, energy efficiency in manufacturing, waste management, and the overall carbon footprint of the production process.
Companies can implement supplier assessments, conduct audits, establish clear environmental and social criteria for suppliers, collaborate with suppliers, etc., to integrate ESDD into their supply chain in the furniture sector.
Unique environmental considerations specific to conducting ESDD in furniture and fixtures industry include sustainable wood sourcing, responsible waste management, energy-efficient manufacturing processes, and minimizing the carbon footprint associated with furniture production.
Sustainable furniture should be made of nontoxic and renewable materials such as natural wood, bamboo, or recycled materials. Avoid using environmentally hazardous materials or those that cannot be recycled, repaired, or restored, such as plastics or toxic chemicals.
Energy management is an ongoing process that includes monitoring energy performance and constantly finding ways to improve and maintain performance.
An Energy management system is focused on the efficient use of energy, water, and other raw materials. A systematic approach to energy management includes energy procurement, performance measurement, development of energy policy, energy auditing, raising awareness, implementation of energy efficiency projects, training and education, management of investment projects, etc.
The environmental and Social Management System, popularly known as ESMS, is a Document that lays down the procedures for identifying, analysing, and managing environmental and social risks of financial transactions. It also defines the decision-making process, describes the roles and responsibilities of staff engaged and expresses the commitment of the enterprise to maintaining a transparent process of paper works and recordkeeping and, thereby, ensures that business activities are in compliance with its environmental and social standards.
Social due diligence may include implementing a formal code of business conduct, which outlines the principles by which individual employees and the organization must conduct themselves; developing a policy covering labour practices for contractors and sub-contractors; developing a policy to ensure labour standards and human rights are respected along the supply chain; having a whistleblowing policy to allow anonymous reporting of any ethical violations without fear of repercussion, etc.
