Products & Services

Our use of design software, innovative concepts, knowledge of material properties, and refurbishment services enables us to help you create a seat with less environmental impact.

Where possible, we encourage our clients to consider refurbishing instead of replacing, and our expertise in this area allows us to make sound decisions on the materials and parts that can be reused safely, and stylishly. We also take a holistic view while designing seating layout to help our clients create multifunctional spaces where suitable. This increases usability, reduces redundant furniture and space. Using less m², means saving not only money but also reducing the environmental footprint.

All designs are created to ergonomic standards to ensure that we are providing the best furniture for our customers’ health.

A new fabric/finish can often have the same impact to the space as completely replacing the seating. Race Furniture are experts in considerate refurbishment and seat design and will always encourage our clients to consider refurbishment as an option.

We will carry out a survey of the existing seating to determine which parts can be reused – often the framework of the seating is still fit for purpose. Whereas the upholstery and wood finishes are more susceptible to wear and tear and will be the areas needing attention.

We always make sure we consider the end-of-life of the product at the start of design, meaning our products are designed for disassembly to aid separation to either be disposed of responsibly or remanufactured.

At Race Furniture, we recognise the importance of knowing the origin of the materials. We use our design software to compare design and material options and create designs with less environmental impact. We consider:

• Recycled content of input materials
• Recyclability of input materials
• Weight of materials which can reduce transportation carbon emissions
• CO2 emissions of input materials i.e., Recycled steel over Virgin steel

The data can then be used to calculate the percentage of the entire product (e.g., by mass or volume) which is recycled or recyclable.

Our goal is to provide environmental data for our complete product list detailing the material breakdown, recycled content, and recyclability at end-of-life; aiming all for all products to be at least 95% recyclable to aid the circular economy.

Our team are continually researching new materials and methods to make our products more sustainable throughout their lifecycle. For example, we focus on using components and materials that do not contain chemicals harmful to human health or the environment, adhering to low VOC emissions where we possibly can. All new products coming to market will have assembly and disassembly in mind, considering the end-of-life at the beginning to ensure responsible disposal.

Our Supplier Code of Conduct is based on the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, including Human rights, Labour standards, Corruption, and the Environment. We want to communicate to our suppliers the level of international standards that we expect them to adhere to. In addition to this, we conduct annual supplier questionnaires which expand on our Code of Conduct and incorporate more in-depth questions. These questions concern their responsibilities as an employer, as a manufacturer and their relationship with their suppliers, looking to ensure standards from our Code of Conduct are adhered to further down the supply chain.

Race Furniture, as part of Ocee International, aim to reduce our negative output to society and the environment. In accordance with ISO14001 to manage these outputs, we must monitor our usage and set annual reduction targets. Our main resource KPIs for the next five years are listed below:

• To ensure 0% of waste from manufacturing across the group is sent to landfill
• By 2022 to be solely provided by renewable energy for manufacturing sites and showrooms
• To offset our CO2 emissions annually to at least Scope 2, but to consider out international flight consumption in addition

Currently, at two of the three company sites, we send 0% of waste to landfill. Where possible we will recycle all materials down relevant channels. Where this is not possible, we send waste to be incinerated where the heat from the process is converted to energy that is sold back to the grid.

At two of the three companies, we have partial provision of green energy with the ambition the increase this to all company sites, including showrooms. In the meantime, as a group, we have committed to offsetting our non-renewable energy usage, including our international flight consumption. In 2019, we planted 472 trees in the UK to offset our CO2 emissions making our manufacturing sites Carbon Neutral to Scope 2, with a company which focused on tree planting in inner cities for social and environmental benefits. In 2020 we have decided to increase our scope to include all showrooms. We have also chosen a slightly different route to offset our emissions, focusing on rewilding programmes in countries which we believe are in higher need.

We are a purpose-led, values-driven, and people-centred employer who has a passion for people and treats everyone with dignity and respect. With a family-oriented, collaborative, agile, fun, inclusive, flexible, and rewarding culture, we acknowledge that to sustain economic growth; we must invest in our people and the environment.

• Our international group encapsulates a broad range of employees who all have diverse backgrounds and experiences, bringing unique collaborations together
• Our work environment focuses on protecting the health, safety, and welfare of all who work both for and with our business
• We appreciate and recognise the important contribution of everyone and ensure that we offer opportunities for learning, development, and growth
• The physical, mental, and financial wellbeing of our employees is extremely important to us, and we enable the wellbeing of individuals and their families through compensation, benefits, policies, and practices
• We get involved in community and charity activities and establish clear standards for ethical behaviour and integrity within Ocee International

At Race Furniture, as part of Ocee International, our focus to embrace change will help us to grow and strengthen as a business.

Race Furniture want to guarantee transparency. Incorporating principles from the UN Global Compact into our practice ensures we only involve ourselves in decent business; working to prevent issues of human rights, labour conditions, the environment and anti-bribery. Please click on the link to read our international group policies on the following:

• Modern slavery and Human trafficking
• Anti-bribery, Fraud and Anti-collusion
• Equal opportunities and Diversity
• Sustainability
• Sustainable and Ethical Procurement
• Anti-harassment and Bullying
• GDPR
• Whistle-blower

Explore our CSR Policy