At Acre, we strive to do what’s right for the planet and our people.  We strive to reduce our environmental and carbon footprints by implementing practices that reduce waste, recycle items, and reuse when possible.  We also embrace wellness and volunteering for a better environment for our people and the communities in which we operate.

Acre Sustainability Vision Statement

LEED Certification & WELL Building Standard

As part of our vision, Acre selected a LEED Certified building for our new showroom.  Our building recently celebrated a WELL Core Gold Achievement, further enforcing that we choose the right building for our employees.  

Here is what we learned.  If you are going for a LEED or WELL certification, or simply want to make sustainable choices, we help by selecting products and practices that will contribute to a greener solution.

  • Carbon Neutral products

  • Indoor Air Quality certified products

  • BIFMA Level 1, 2, and 3 certified products

  • FSC Certified Wood products

  • High recycled content products & products that can be recycled

  • Locally sourced products

  • Direct-to-site shipping and blanket-wrapped products

Furniture Sustainable Practices

We start by selecting products that are made to last and have replacement parts to extend a product's useful life.  This is the first step in designing for circularity.  Steelcase is our major partner and a leader in sustainable efforts.  To learn more about what Steelcase is doing, click on the link below.

People + Planet: ESG & Sustainability Goals | Steelcase

Following sustainable product selection, we can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by shipping the product directly to the site and blanket wrapping the product.  This practice reduces fuel consumption and packaging waste at the installation site.  For products that must be boxed, we recycle cardboard and wood pallets.

Eventually, a product is not usable, but we don’t see that as the end of the story.  We offer environmentally friendly decommissioning programs that help avoid products going into the landfill.  We also offer brokerage, charitable donations, liquidation, and recycling options. 

Internal Sustainable Practices

We continually seek out new practices that will reduce our environmental footprint. 

Some of our current practices include:

  • Our showroom is in a LEED-certified green building

  • Sensor lights turn off when no motion is detected throughout the showroom

  • LED lighting is used throughout the showroom

  • Smart sound masking that adjusts or turns off when noise levels are low

Reduce Energy Consumption

Reduce Carbon Footprint

  • Encourage direct shipments when possible – this also saves our clients money

  • Hybrid work model – employees are equipped to work from home and can work 2 days a week from home

  • Building has bicycle storage and showers so employees can bike to work

Reduce Waste

  • Paperless practices are encouraged

  • Use glass plates and cups that are washed and reused

  • Water machine encouraging employees to fill their own water bottles and therefore reducing the use of plastic water bottles – to date, we’ve eliminated over 24,000 water bottles

  • Encourage platters for meals vs. boxed meals

Reuse

  • Assist in selling and/or donating used furniture that clients no longer use

  • Sell used furniture through our website

  • Material Bank allows us to send samples back for reuse

  • Repurpose showroom furniture or auction to employees, with money going to a charity

  • Use glass plates, cups, and silverware that are washed and reused

  • Paper products made from recycled materials – paper towels, napkins, printing paper

  • Bins for paper, plastic, and glass recycling

  • In office composting

  • Building has recycling and composting services and dumpsters

  • Warehouse has a cardboard binding machine to recycle cardboard

  • Steel and metal scrap is collected in the warehouse for recycling

  • Wood pallets are recycled

Recycle