The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) added a new icon to their GSAAdvantage! online shopping and ordering service last week and an “EPA Recommended” icon will now identify products that conform to standards, certifications, and ecolabels such as the level Certification Program that have been recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency.
These recognitions distinguish the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard standard for creating positive, measurable, and meaningful changes in the environmental performance of products. level is the largest certification program recommended for furniture with over 3,700 certified products. More information on the GSA announcement and EPA recommendations can be found at the following website:
The new website was created for quick retrieval of information on the government’s recommendation and use of BIFMA standards. The Federal Government is one of the largest purchasers of furniture and employs over 30,000 procurement professionals.
The recommendation and new icon announcements are important developments for any manufacturer selling to the federal government and BIFMA believes that the recommended programs will be increasingly sought out by private sector purchasers as well.
It is a testament to the many years of hard work, collaboration with stakeholders outside of the industry, and the transparency of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) process that BIFMA standards are becoming preferred.
See also the EPA press-release
Source: Bifma.org
Find the level-certified products list here