AHFA sets second Sustainability Summit for Dec. 2-3

Will offer intelligence on eco-friendly home furnishings

Heath E. Combs -- Furniture Today, October 7, 2009

HIGH POINT — The American Home Furnishings Alliance will hold its second annual Sustainability Summit Dec. 2-3 at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C.

The program provides marketing intelligence for companies developing eco-friendly home furnishings. Companies don't have to be AHFA members to attend.

The summit is co-sponsored by Cargill's BiOH polyols business unit.

Headlining the opening day program is Miriam Arond, director of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, which recently launched the Good Housekeeping Green Seal. The Institute may add furnishings to product categories eligible for the Green Seal, the AHFA said.

Other speakers include:

• Suzanne Shelton, president and CEO of the Shelton Group, who will present custom research commissioned by the AHFA exploring how home furnishings companies can motivate mainstream consumers to make sustainable choices.

• Heather Gadonniex, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED-certified professional and principal at MindClick, a sustainability consulting firm, will discuss existing certifications in a presentation called "The Promises and Pitfalls of Eco-Labels."

The presentation will untangle the web of certifications, rating standards and labels and describe the Environmental Product Declaration, a type of label that originates from ISO 14025 standards and is based on scientific data generated from a product life cycle assessment.

• Angela Nahikian, director of global environmental sustainability for Steelcase Inc., will share the company's progress toward the goal of reducing its global environmental footprint 25% by 2012 and the role suppliers are playing in achieving that goal.

A panel of suppliers, including representatives from Hickory Springs, Cargill, Columbia Forest Products and Leggett & Platt, will discuss their sustainable business practices.

The AHFA will also include an update on regulatory changes in advertising and marketing environmental attributes from Christie Grymes, a partner in the Washington office of Kelley Drye and chair of the law firm's Consumer Product Safety practice group.

The AHFA is assembling a panel of retailers for "Bridging the Gap: Communicating Green at Retail." Among the participants will be Andy Thornton of LaDifferénce in Richmond, Va., and Peggy Burns of Circle Furniture in Boston.

Manufacturer Kincaid Furniture will present a case study on policies and programs the company has used to reduce its environmental footprint.

The opening day will conclude with a reception where the winner of the 2009 Sage Award will be announced. The award recognizes excellence in home furnishings through sustainable business practices.

A limited number of rooms at $169 per night are available at the Proximity. Attendees should call the hotel at (800) 379-8200 or (336) 379-8200 and provide the group name, American Home Furnishings Alliance, to get the reduced rate.

Registration for the Summit is $500 per person or $450 per person if more than one from the same company is attending. The registration form is online at www.ahfa.us. From the home page, click on events, then scroll down to Sustainability Summit.