VS Vereinigte Spezialmöbelfabriken is the first company to receive the “European LEVEL” sustainability certificates for its products. Based on the standard, the certified school and office furniture achieved the highest rating at “Level 3”. With this product certification, TÜV Rheinland is accrediting the school and office furniture manufacturer from Tauberbischofsheim with the “highest level in all areas of sustainable production and sustainable business activity,” was how Kai-Uwe Schlegel, departmental manager for furniture at TÜV Rheinland, put it when handing over the certificate.
“At VS, sustainability has always been part of the corporate culture. We are therefore delighted to have this confirmed once again by a neutral authority. The way we act with regard to sustainability is correct and meaningful,” says Dr. Thomas Müller, Managing Partner of VS. According to him, the certificate gives the company an instrument for providing customers with the most convincing possible evidence of this.
The new standard “European LEVEL”
“European LEVEL” is a certification program developed by the European furniture association FEMB in order to boost the sustainability of office and non-domestic furniture.
The “European LEVEL” standard sets out very comprehensively the sustainability-related requirements that office and non-domestic furniture has to meet. It addresses the following four areas: Materials, Energy and Atmosphere, Human and Ecosystem Health; and Social Responsibility. The assessment relates to the products, their production and the organizational framework.
The certification program has been accredited by the German national accreditation body (DAkkS). Furthermore, “European LEVEL” certification must be awarded by independent, previously accredited certification authorities such as TÜV Rheinland. The certificate is awarded in one of three levels: Level 1 (Basic), Level 2 (Intermediate) and Level 3 (Advanced).
At the handover (photograph, left to right): Sales Director Stefan Beuschlein, Head of the Quality Assurance Department Thomas Braun, Managing Director Dr. Thomas Müller (all VS) with Kai-Uwe Schlegel and Frank Wildförster, TÜV Rheinland.
