Sustainability with letter and seal

Wood is nature. Wood is design. Wood is life. For many centuries this material has provided valuable services. It is and remains one of the most beautiful materials - because furniture made of this substance flatters the eyes and soul. But naturally wood is not equal wood.

On the proverbial wood way is, who looks with the furniture purchase exclusively at the price. This not only violates the lowest quality standards, but also the responsibility we bear for future generations. Schmidt Küchen und Wohnwelten is clearly aware of this obligation. This means that we are the right address for customers who attach particular importance to the careful use of resources. With its sustainable economic concept, the family-owned company is among the ecological avant-garde in industrial production. The furniture manufacturer was awarded the renowned "Green Franchise Award" for its living eco-concept. Schmidt also claims to be the only industrial manufacturer in Europe with six certifications: In addition to ISO 14001 for the environmentally friendly production process and ISO 50001 for energy efficiency, the custom-made furniture specialist has also been awarded the "NF Environnement Ameublement" environmental seal - an environmental certification initiated by the French furniture industry - for its concrete contribution to reducing environmental pollution by cutting CO2 emissions in production. Schmidt also successfully completed the "Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification" - PEFC for short.

This certificate documents that the majority of the wood used in production comes from sustainable and controlled forestry. The stipulated quota of 70 percent is clearly exceeded with 82 percent. These recognitions are supplemented by the ISO 9001 certification for the high quality standards and OHSAS 18001 for hygiene and occupational safety. "However, these results are only one stage. A trampoline on the way to new and more demanding standards," Anne Leitzgen points out. The granddaughter of the company founder is the president of the Schmidt Groupe, to which Schmidt Küchen und Wohnwelten belongs.

Schmidt customers can rely on the fact that the entire manufacturing process of their product is certified and checked by independent experts. "We certainly see ourselves as eco-pioneers in this respect. Our structure as a traditional family business requires us to think in generations and not in quarters. That is why sustainable development is one of our most important corporate goals," says Anne Leitzgen. In many places, the furniture manufacturer, founded in 1934, has already been able to demonstrate that its self-imposed commitment to protecting people and nature is at the heart of its business activities. The photovoltaic systems installed and the consistent waste separation are just two small examples.

The emission of pollutants has been extremely reduced thanks to the commissioning of the over one million euro volatile organic compound incinerator. Apart from this, the French leader in the sector systematically recycles the waste produced in recycling chains and uses it to generate energy. The sawmill waste, for example, is used to heat the factories and offices. The zero-deposit policy applied focuses on the targeted recovery of materials through recycling, or on making them available for energy recovery through incineration and thus for heat or energy production. All materials used are subject to this requirement. Schmidt halves the European standard of four grams per 100 grams of chipboard when using formaldehyde, which is still indispensable according to the technical standard today.

Europe's fifth-largest kitchen manufacturer received the "Prix d'Excellence de l'Entreprise Patrimoniale et Familiale" for its environmentally conscious corporate strategy and its lived ecological concept - the highest award for a medium-sized family business in the neighboring country.

It was also awarded the "Coup de Coeur" as an excellently managed group with sustainable growth. And it was decorated with the eco-design label of Ademe, the French agency for environmental and energy management. In all its plants, the company is committed to giving preference to energy-saving investments. Every salesperson also undergoes training in environmental standards. The design and manufacturing processes are always based on the Three Rs rule: réduire, réutiliser, recycler - in other words, reduce, reuse, recycle. Schmidt also gives priority to local suppliers in order to minimize transport distances, energy and unnecessary expenses. New logistics platforms have also been put into operation at the production sites to avoid any empty truck returns. In addition, electric vehicles are provided for transportation between the various production sites. For Schmidt, sustainable growth means producing more with fewer resources. Quality and ecological development go hand in hand.