Intertek Recognized as Third Party Certification Body for BIFMA level™ Program
18 Aug 2009
New certification recognition increases commitment to customers and the environment.
Intertek (LSE: ITRK), a global leader in testing, inspection and certification, announced today acceptance by the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) as a third-party certification provider for the BIFMA level™ Program for commercial furniture. Participation in the program provides manufacturers with valuable resources for evaluating and communicating the environmental and social impacts of their furniture products, company and processes, and helps consumers make informed choices about their commercial furniture purchases.
The level™ program is unique because it requires products conform to numerous areas of sustainability performance criteria. Participation in the program provides a pathway for furniture manufacturers towards greater sustainability not only for individual products, but throughout the entire supply chain.
Under the level™ program, Intertek will evaluate products and processes based on four performance criteria: materials, use of energy and atmosphere, human and ecosystem health and social responsibility to the BIFMA e3-2008 sustainability standard. Similar to the U.S. Green Building Councils LEED program, level™ certification requires specific prerequisites for compliance and optional credits. Manufacturers accumulate points based on conformance to specific criteria in the standard, and are then categorized into levels of conformance from levels 1 to 3, with 3 being the highest.
“This certification gives manufactures a distinction that independently verifies environmental marketing claims, providing a competitive advantage in the global marketplace,” said Tim Hubbard, Director of Operations, Intertek. “Continuing our commitment to our clients and the environment, we are pleased to add the level™ Certification Program to our large suite of sustainability services.”
Manufacturers interested in displaying the level™ Certification Mark on their products, must undergo an independent, third-party certification process from Intertek, or another BIFMA approved third-party certification provider. Manufacturers who receive the level™ Certification Mark are verifying their policies and guidelines, furniture products, suppliers of materials and components, as well as manufacturing facilities have met stringent requirements for certification.
For more information visit www.intertek.com/level
Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Nicole Kimmick, Field Marketing Manager
Telephone: +1-978-263-2662
nicole.kimmick@intertek.com
About Intertek
Intertek is a leading provider of quality and safety solutions serving a wide range of industries around the world.
From auditing and inspection, to testing, quality assurance and certification, Intertek people are dedicated to adding value to customers' products and processes, supporting their success in the global marketplace.
Intertek has the expertise, resources and global reach to support its customers through its network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and over 24,000 people in more than 100 countries around the world.
About BIFMA
Established in 1973, BIFMA’s mission is to lead, advocate, inform and develop standards for the North American office and institutional furniture industry. As a not-for-profit organization BIFMA provides an effective forum for Members to cooperate and collaborate on appropriate industry issues. We develop voluntary product and industry standards that support safe, healthy and sustainable environments; publish key industry statistics; advocate for legislation and government regulation that have a direct impact on the health of the industry; and facilitate meaningful dialog and education to support our core services and the industry we serve.