Premium British furniture brand Furl, known for its handmade sofabeds and storage beds, has announced its B Corp certification, joining a growing movement of companies striving to reinvent business for the benefit of all people and the planet.
Verified by B Lab, the not-for-profit behind the movement, the certification confirms that Furl meets high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability, alongside a commitment to goals beyond shareholder value.
B Corp Certification assesses the entirety of a business’ operations, covering governance, workers, community, the environment and customers. The process is rigorous – companies must provide evidence of performance across every area and legally embed their commitment to purpose as well as profit in their articles of association.
"For a furniture brand, the certification carries particular weight," Furl adds. "Furniture is among the least-recycled categories of household goods, with vast quantities of low-cost, short-life 'fast furniture' reaching landfill each year."
Furl, which sells online and through its London showrooms, says its model is a deliberate counter to that culture. Every piece is handmade to order in its Nottingham workshop from responsibly sourced timber and fabrics, "built to last rather than to be replaced, with deeper-than-standard mattresses and generous integrated storage designed for real, small-space living.
"Making to order in Britain also reduces overproduction and cuts the transport footprint of imported furniture".
Furl's founder David Norman says: “Furl exists to help people create calm at home. Becoming a B Corp is that same idea turned on the business itself – proof that how we make things, how we treat our people and how we look after the planet matter as much as what we sell. We’ve always built furniture to last rather than to be thrown away, and certification holds us to that standard for good.”
Chris Turner, CEO of B Lab UK, adds: “Welcoming Furl to the B Corp community is hugely exciting. Its commitment to doing business differently will be an inspiration to others and will help spread the notion that success in business is as much about people and planet as it is profit.”
