The Better
Effect
Kinnarps / Drabert / MartinStoll / Materia / NC / Skandiform
KINNARPS AB GROUP’S SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023
Contents
Getting better
– together
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO
THE YEAR IN BRIEF
SUSTAINABILITY IS PART OF OUR DNA
SUSTAINABILITY ALL THE WAY
12
OUR FOCUS AREAS
18
RAW MATERIALS AND RESOURCES
22
CLIMATE
30
PURE MATERIALS
40
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
46
CIRCULARITY
56
ERGONOMICS
66
RISKS AND GOVERNANCE
72
AUDITOR’S STATEMENT
74
ABOUT THE REPORT
This sustainability report relates to the
Kinnarps AB Group for the financial year 2023
(01/09/2022–31/08/2023). The previous report
was published in October 2022. We follow an
annual reporting cycle. This report has been
prepared in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 6 of the Swedish Annual Accounts Act.
The Board of Directors is responsible for
the preparation of the report.
The Kinnarps AB Group is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of interior
design solutions for offices, schools and healthcare facilities.
We are a total interior solution provider and help our clients create
sustainable, future-proof spaces using our own brand portfolio,
various services and complementary products. Our curiosity
and interest in sustainable solutions mean that we are continually
working to improve our climate impact, enhance well-being,
and create timeless spaces. In this Sustainability Report, we focus on
six key areas in which all of us in the Group, together with our clients
and suppliers, can work to create a better effect for future generations.
This sustainability report is clickable.
Click on the section in the table
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Tip!
Long-term solutions
create sustainability
Together with our clients, we want to create truly sustainable, long-term interior
design solutions. We pride ourselves on creating products and solutions that
are designed for a long lifespan. This means a low life cycle cost for our clients,
as well as a lower environmental impact in practice.
In our work to create more sustainable solutions for our
clients, we see circularity as an important tool. However,
just because something is circular doesn’t automatically
mean that it is sustainable. That’s why we focus on
sustainable circularity. Kinnarps’ view is that sustainable
circularity is about making conscious choices based
on an in-depth needs analysis, and investing in flexibility
and high-quality solutions. This creates the conditions
for an interior design solution that lasts over time.
A detailed needs analysis that identifies the organisa-
tion’s actual needs is the launch pad for a successful
interior design solution with long-term sustainability.
We use our analysis tools for offices, schools and health-
care facilities to help our clients map out and understand
the needs of their organisation. This provides qualitative
data for making conscious choices right from the start
and creating a business adapted interior design solution
that supports the organisation’s way of working.
By designing solutions and products with flexibility in
mind, we make it possible to adapt the organisation’s
existing furniture to changing needs and work patterns.
The furniture can be combined in new ways and
functions can be added or changed. This not only
extends the lifespan of the furniture but also ensures
that our clients get the most out of their investment.
We design and produce high-quality and long-lasting
furniture. Our design is carefully considered from
the outset, so the furniture can last a long time and
be maintained, renovated, updated and given a new
look in the future. We also offer a range of services
to help our clients extend the life of their products.
Our design philosophy is based on the interplay between
aesthetics, functionality, ergonomics and sustainability.
The result is timeless, genuine and carefully considered
down to the smallest detail, from how a piece of furniture
is made and looks to how and where it is used. We start
with the user’s needs and our understanding of how to
create good total ergonomics. A high user focus ensures
that the interior design solution is relevant for more
users, thus increasing the benefit to both the individual
and the organisation.
Our factories are located in Sweden and we make
major investments in our units to ensure continued high
efficiency and reduce our environmental impact. In recent
years, we have started manufacturing more components
in-house, thereby increasing our control and ability to
ensure environmental performance and social conditions,
as well as reducing transportation. Our own logistics
system is unique in the industry. By wrapping our
products in reusable blankets instead of single-use
boxes, we can load 50% more furniture than the industry
average. This means that when others need three trucks,
we manage with just two. We can also assemble and
install the furniture at our client’s premises in half the
time of our competitors, and avoid more than half a tonne
of waste per truck by bringing the blankets home and
reusing them again and again. We are also adding the NC
Nordic Care brand to our logistics system, which means
that all our brands now are included in the system.
ROBERT PETERSSON
CEO KINNARPS AB
CERTIFIED WOOD RAW MATERIAL
The year in brief
PROPORTION OF FOSSIL-FREE ENERGY
EMISSIONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER TRADED SEK
CO-LOADING ALL OUR BRANDS
Kinnarps’ logistics concept is unique in the industry
and uses circulated packaging material in the form of
blankets instead of single-use packaging. This saves
270kg of packaging material per container and also
provides 50% more furniture space, thanks to denser
packing. This year, the system has been expanded
to include deliveries of NC’s products directly
to the client. This has reduced both the number
of shipments and carbon dioxide emissions.
BIO-BASED SURFACE TREATMENT
This year at our factory in Kinnarp we’ve
tested and introduced bio-based lacquer
on selected wooden details in our range.
The lacquer is partly based on renewable
raw materials from plants instead of fossil
raw materials and means a reduction
in carbon dioxide emissions of approx.
1.5 tonnes per year.
We’re leaving a successful year behind us and can look back on twelve months
filled with exciting client projects with a focus on sustainability. During the year,
we have tested new materials and innovations aimed at increased sustainability,
and made major investments for the climate and more circular flows.
MATERIA RE-LOVED
During the year, we’ve added yet another tool to our toolbox to
extend the lifespan of our high-quality products. With Materia
Re-Loved, we offer to take back a selection of products from
Materia for reupholstering. These reupholstered products are given
a green label to indicate that their lifespan has been extended.
Read more about our circular services on Page 60.
CUSHION MADE OF LEFTOVER FABRIC
This year, we’ve developed another product
made from leftover fabric from our own
operations. The Re-Fold cushion from
Materia is made from leftover fabric from
our Tranås factory. The fabrics used depend
on the leftover fabrics available at any
given time. The padding is also recycled
and consists of siliconised ball fibre.
LEXIE – SUSTAINABLE ALL THE WAY
Lexie is a comfortable and functional new
wooden chair that’s both Möbelfakta and
FSC® certified. Thanks to a design featuring
minimal components, all of which can easily
be separated and recycled, it is a circular,
long-term sustainable choice.
(FSC®C010544)
RARE – WITH RESPECT
FOR NATURAL MATERIAL
Rare armchair from NC, in FSC®- certified birch,
has been designed with a desire to make use
of the whole tree and show respect for the
wood. Parts of the tree that are usually hidden
behind textiles or incinerated have been used
to truly make the most of the material. Each
chair is unique – a small shift in colour or a twig
is a lovely testament to our love for nature.
73%
-47%
95%
KINNARPS AB
MATERIA AB
NC NORDIC
CARE AB
MATERIA
GROUP AB
KINNARPS
HOLDING AB
SKANDIFORM AB
1805
+40
+250
THE KINNARPS AB GROUP COMPANY STRUCTURE
Sales points
BRANDS
Sustainability
is part of our DNA
Employees
Markets
SALES
COMPANIES
We are
It all began with a young couple’s dream of a small
carpentry factory 80 years ago. We’ve grown into one
of Europe’s leading suppliers of interior design solu-
tions for offices, schools and healthcare facilities.
Since the company was founded in 1942, we’ve
had a passion for sustainability and a vision that
everything can be done a little better.
Using resources sparingly and creating long-term
solutions are part of our DNA and the core of our
business. We are constantly curious, and continue
to develop sustainable and successful interior design
solutions that enable both organisations and people
to thrive. The Kinnarps AB Group currently comprises
six production units, all located in Sweden, and has
a brand portfolio of seven brands. The Group is
a family-owned business, and the values that have
been embedded in the company from the outset
are still a major part of our heart and soul.
Sales companies
Headquarters and production unit
Production units
SEK 4.45 billion
Turnover
01
02
03
04
05
06
10
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An invaluable value chain
The purpose of the Kinnarps AB Group’s business model and value chain
is to understand and fulfil the needs of businesses and organisations for
interior design solutions with associated services.
01 DESIGN
When we design and develop products, we set high
function and quality requirements. We work hard
to take all factors affecting sustainability into account
as early as possible in the development process,
such as pure materials, as little waste as possible and
an optimised use of resources. We design products
with a platform approach that gives the product
the flexibility to be renewed and changed over time.
02 RAW MATERIALS
When purchasing raw materials, components and
finished products, it’s important to us that they
come from sustainable sources and are produced
under good social conditions. We therefore set high
standards for both our suppliers and the products
supplied. The Kinnarps AB Group has a common
Code of Conduct covering social responsibility, which
we also follow up through on-site risk assessments
and audits at our suppliers’ production facilities.
03 SALES
We help our clients to analyse both their existing
and future needs, in order to create business
adapted spaces that promote health and efficiency. A
business adapted interior design solution furnished
with flexible and multifunctional products is a long-
term investment that can be adapted to changing
at a relatively low cost.
Making the right purchase from the start is an
important part of reducing your environmental impact.
We are a total interior solution provider and help our
clients to implement their interior design solution with
the help of products from the Group and our partners.
04 MANUFACTURING
We manufacture on the basis of client orders, which
means that we only manufacture what is actually in
demand and avoid creating large stocks of products.
When manufacturing our products, avoiding eco-
hazardous and harmful substances is important to us.
We do this not only to ensure a good working
environment in our six manufacturing units, but also
to create healthy workspaces at our clients’ premises.
We make continuous efforts to improve our use of
resources by optimising the consumption of materials,
reducing waste, and utilising leftover materials.
05 DISTRIBUTION
We have our own logistics system that delivers
products from all our brands directly to clients. When
we pack our products, we use blankets and cardboard
sheets that we take away with us for reuse. This means
that we save packaging and have space for 50%
more furniture per shipment. Our trucks also run on
renewable diesel to further reduce our climate impact.
06 USE AND REUSE
It’s important to us to design products that last
a long time. That’s why we place great emphasis
on high quality, and the ability to update or refurbish
a product in order to extend its lifespan.
We offer a range of services to help our clients keep
their interior design attractive for longer and change it
as necessary. Our furniture washing and maintenance
services keep the interior design in good condition,
while our renovation and updating services mean the
furniture can be repaired, customised to new needs
or given a new look.
DISTRIBUTION
SALES
RAW
MATERIALS
DESIGN
Value chain
MANUFACTURING
USE AND
REUSE
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12
Sustainability
all the way
At Kinnarps, we look at sustainability from a holistic perspective. This involves
using resources in an efficient and environmentally smart way, promoting
well-being, and helping our clients to do the same. It’s about offering products
that can be updated and reused, as well as delivering sustainably and creating
well-thought-out and flexible interior design solutions that have been made
to last. Most importantly, it’s about interior design always based on the actual
needs of the people using it. Furniture and solutions that contribute to well-being
and success – today and tomorrow.
“Demand that the
interior design is
designed to live a long
life and is prepared to
be updated, renewed
or renovated when
the time comes.”
Johanna Ljunggren
Sustainability Manager at Kinnarps
At Kinnarps, we look
at sustainability from the
perspectives of sustainable
spaces, sustainable people
and sustainable investment.
It’s when these three work
together that you achieve
sustainability all the way.
Designing sustainable, high-quality furniture with
pure materials is a matter of hygiene for us. But in
order for a piece of furniture to be truly sustainable,
it must be part of an interior design solution that’s
been designed according to the vision and needs
of a specific organisation. It is about spending time
and thought at the beginning of the project, analysing
the needs of the organisation and then designing
interior design solutions that support their users
and activities. Spaces with the right functions that
support well-being, efficiency and creativity give
sustainable people, which in turn leads to success
for the organisation as a whole.
A sustainable investment is just as much about the
present as the future, so it’s important to invest in an
interior design solution with a low life cycle cost, i.e.
a flexible, multifunctional and transformable solution
that can be adapted to changing conditions and
needs. At Kinnarps, we’re experts at creating precisely
this type of business adapted interior design solution
for our clients, and our products are also designed
and prepared to be updated, reused and recycled.
For us, sustainability is simply a lifelong commitment,
based on curiosity, a long-term approach, and an
indefatigable desire to do things differently and do the
right thing, and to pave the way for a better tomorrow.
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Over the years, we’ve helped numerous clients design
value-creating transformations in their physical space.
We do this through our needs analyses Next Office®,
Next Education® and Next Care®, which help to create
business adapted and sustainable spaces. Thanks
to our many years’ experience in workplace strategy,
we know that solid preparatory work creates success.
The key is to map the client’s unique needs and work
patterns. This creates the conditions for achieving
the best and most sustainable solution.
Our needs analyses help the client gather valuable
knowledge and data before designing their spaces.
With specially developed tools, our experienced work-
place strategists guide the management team to es-
tablish the vision, goals and framework for the project.
Through workshops, lectures and an online survey,
they then help to map needs and work patterns and
involve all stakeholders in a carefully considered way.
The analysis provides the client with facts, a solid
knowledge base and a qualitative basis for how their
workplace can be designed to best meet their needs.
Well-considered, well-planned working environments
that meet the needs of both the organisation and
employees promote everything from well-being and
creativity to efficiency and productivity. This leads to
an efficient use of the available space, a reduced risk
of accidents and sick leave, and a stronger brand,
which facilitates both the recruitment and retention
of staff. In other words, a good and sustainable
investment.
Mapped needs show the way
The greatest sustainability impact is achieved by choosing the right interior
design solution from the start. To be able to do this, it’s important to map
out and analyse your needs, and create a business adapted and flexible
solution that lasts over time.
ANALYSIS
INTERIOR DESIGN
SOLUTION
FOLLOW-UP
IMPLEMENTATION
ANALYSIS
DEFINE THE END RESULT
The Next Office® needs analysis lays
the foundation for how your office spaces
should be designed to support employees
and the organisation in the best way possible.
INTERIOR DESIGN SOLUTION
FROM IDEA TO ACTION
We help you convert the needs analysis
results into a design concept, layout and
tangible drawing. We review ergonomics,
functions and sustainability.
IMPLEMENTATION
INTRODUCING THE POTENTIAL
Through our own efficient logistics and delivery system,
we deliver and install your interior completely according
to drawing. We help you introduce and implement
environments, furniture, ergonomics and working
methods so that everyone understands the potential.
FOLLOW-UP
KNOWING IS BETTER
THAN GUESSING
Based on your needs analysis, you
can then continuously follow up on
how your office is working and identify
whether your needs have changed.
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Kinnarps’ sustainability
work in five points
3.
4.
2.
5.
1.
WELL-BEING BEGINS IN THE SPINE
In our product development, we collaborate with
ergonomists who are experts on our physical and
psychological needs. This enables us to create
customisable products that enhance people’s well-
being, and minimise sick leave and work injuries. We
design products that promote movement in different
ways. Chairs with swivel function or springiness in
the back, height-adjustable desks or meeting tables,
balance balls and stools with tilting function are
just a few examples. All Kinnarps task chairs are
designed to support or encourage movement.
DESIGN WITH A PURPOSE
We base the design of our products on circularity,
as we believe it should be easy to upgrade and
replace parts to extend the lifespan of the furniture.
Everything to ensure our clients are able to renew
their interior design and create attractive workspaces
without great inconvenience or environmental
impact. For example, we offer 26 product ranges
with removable upholstery, which makes it easy
to reupholster these products in a cost-effective
way, without unnecessary transportation.
FURNITURE TESTED TO LAST
Our products are tested for compliance with strict
quality requirements in our own accredited Test
& Verification Centre in order to guarantee high
quality and product safety. In addition, we have more
than 50 proprietary tests that we use in our product
development to simulate how the products are used
in reality and thus test their durability. This also means
that our clients receive products that last longer,
which not only shrinks their investment costs over time
but also significantly reduces their climate footprint.
MADE IN SWEDEN
All our factories are located in Sweden, and thus
have high environmental and working environment
requirements.
We also demand social responsibility within our
supplier chain, via our Supplier Code of Conduct,
which mandates an on-site risk assessment and
monitoring to ensure socially acceptable conditions.
In our production, we also deal with waste materials
in various climate-smart ways. For example, some
of our factories are heated using wood waste from
their own production. In addition, we’ve developed
the innovative Re:fill material, which consists of
leftover fabric from our production in Skillingaryd
and recycled PET bottles.
We have stringent environmental requirements for
all our products and many of our products are also
ecolabelled. This means that the products are safe
and contain no unnecessary or harmful chemicals,
which creates healthy working environments and
better indoor quality.
REUSABLE BLANKETS
We use blankets as packaging material instead
of single-use boxes for the delivery of products
from all Kinnarps’ brands. The blankets are then
taken back for reuse on the next delivery, saving on
waste management and about 270 kilos of packaging
per truck shipment. The blankets also mean that we
can fit 50% more furniture in our trucks, compared
to other companies in the industry. This is just as
positive for the climate as it is appreciated by our
clients, as it means fewer and faster deliveries.
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Our focus areas
Product and service quality
Pure materials and chemicals
Social responsibility
Transport and resource management
Circularity
Product labelling
Climate
Waste and emissions
Transparency
Ergonomics and health
Working environment
Far-sighted, responsible entrepreneurship
Responsible raw wood
Skills and development opportunities
Local involvement
IMPORTANCE FOR STAKEHOLDERS
IMPORTANCE FOR KINNARPS’
BUSINESS STRATEGY
STAKEHOLDER DIALOGUE
Which issues are important to the people who influence or are influenced by our operations? Knowing this
is essential to enable us to pursue our sustainability work effectively, and we therefore maintain a regular
dialogue with our stakeholders. This is done by methods including interviews, focus groups, surveys,
and ongoing meetings in our daily operations.
THE KEY STAKEHOLDERS WE HAVE IDENTIFIED:
Clients / Regulators / Owners / Employees / Trade unions / Authorities / Society / Media / Retailers / Suppliers /
Lenders / Insurers / Certification bodies
MATERIALITY ANALYSIS
Which sustainability issues are most relevant to our operations? On the basis of the stakeholder dialogue,
we carry out a materiality analysis, which is revised annually. The analysis not only identifies the areas
in which Kinnarps’ stakeholders have the highest expectations but also those of major importance
to our business strategy. We have summarised the most important areas in our six focus areas.
Our focus areas
Materiality analysis
Climate
Social responsibility
Ergonomics
Raw materials
and resources
Circularity
Pure materials
p.22
p.30
p.40
p.46
p.56
p.66
In order to identify which sustainability areas are most important
for our business, we maintain a dialogue with our stakeholders
and conduct an annual materiality analysis.