Our Certifications and Standards
Afrdi
Environmental
Greenguard
Ethics and quality
Afrdi
Environmental
Greenguard
Ethics and quality
AFRDI Certification
AFRDI Green Tick
AFRDI Green Tick certifies that products meet expectations for the ethical sourcing of materials free from harmful toxic chemicals and features sustainable design, which minimises waste and encourages the responsible use of water and energy in their manufacture.
This standard has three levels of attainment relating to the specifications they meet:
- AFRDI Green Tick ‘Silver’
- AFRDI Green Tick ‘Gold’
- AFRDI Green Tick ‘Platinum’ – Covers operational energy water and waste, corporate social responsibility, transporting and packaging.
AFRDI Blue Tick
AFRDI Blue Tick 142 rated load
- 135 kg Single Shift – For users up to and including 135 kg, for single 8-hour shift operations
- 135 kg Multi-Shift – For users up to and including 135 kg, for multi-shift operations
- 160 kg Single Shift – For users up to and including 160 kg, for single 8-hour shift operations
- 160 kg Multi-Shift – For users up to and including 160 kg, for multi-shift operations
For additional peace of mind, a selection of our chairs have AFRDI Green Tick and Blue Tick Certification. Please view the certificates below or check the individual product pages for a full list of Buro chairs that carry AFRDI certification.
View Buro Seating’s AFRDI certificates
Environmental
The main principles of our environmental strategy are:
- To design, manufacture and source products containing minimal raw materials
- To design, manufacture and source products that maximise end of life recyclability
- To reduce, reuse and recycle waste
- To develop knowledge of environmental legislation and the effects on our company operations.
FSC® Certification
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®) strives to ensure that the use of the world’s forests is environmentally appropriate and economically viable. As a leader in the call for a shift towards sustainable forest use, conservation, restoration and respect, FSC® has a market-based approach to improve forestry practices worldwide.
An FSC® certification is a voluntary certification that demonstrates that an organisation responsibly sources any wood or forest products used in its products. To receive an FSC® certification, the organisation must prove that it does not engage in unethical practices such as child labour, forced or compulsory labour, or discrimination in employment or occupation. The organisation must also respect freedom of association and the effective right to collective bargaining.
All FSC® certified organisations agree that they will not be directly or indirectly involved with unacceptable activities regarding forests, including illegal logging, violations of human rights, destruction of high conservation values, the introduction of genetically modified organisms, or violate any of the ILO Core Conventions.
There are 3 different types of FSC® labels that help identify the type of product used and ensure that the forestry product is ethically sourced.
- FSC® 100% – All the materials are sourced from forests that have been audited to confirm they are managed according to FSC®’s rigorous social and environmental standards.
- FSC® Recycled – Have been verified as being made from 100% recycled content (either post-consumer or pre-consumer reclaimed materials). Recycled products help alleviate the pressure of demand on sources of virgin material.
- FSC® Mix – Products are made using a mix of materials from FSC® certified forests, recycled materials, and/or FSC® controlled wood. Controlled wood is not from FSC® certified forests, it mitigates the risk of the material originating from unacceptable sources.
Buro Seating’s license number is C178817.
Our Product Stewardship Programme
Buro Seating’s Product Stewardship Programme demonstrates our commitment to responsible life cycle management and the core principles of product stewardship and extended producer responsibility. As a leading importer and wholesaler of seating, we understand that corporate social and environmental responsibility goes beyond the point of sale and warranty periods.
In conjunction with our manufacturing partners and resellers, we will take back all Buro supplied seating products and recycle them as per our Product Stewardship Programme, outlined in the diagram.
Start
End of Life
Customer/end user returns chair to Buro.
Chair Evaluation
Buro evaluates chair for refurbishment, re-use or recycling.
Chair Disassembly
Buro disassembles chair and components and sorts chair components for recycling and general waste.
Recycling Pick Up
Buro’s contracted recyclers pick up at arranged times.
Recycling
Buro’s recyclers commence the recycling process.
Our Environmental Initiatives
Our support of Greening Australia
Buro Seating donates to Greening Australia, supporting their mission to plant half a billion trees by 2030.
Greening Australia is committed to tackling Australia’s greatest environmental challenges in ways that work for communities, economies and nature; planting millions of native trees and plants, protecting hundreds of native species, and supporting Traditional Owners’ aspirations for restoring the country.
Our Trees that Count partnership
Buro Seating is working with Trees that Count to mitigate our CO2 footprint over the next 50 years and help protect New Zealand’s threatened biodiversity. Trees that Count is a conservation charity that plants native trees to increase biodiversity across New Zealand. Their mission is to restore and enhance the New Zealand environment for biodiversity and climate change.
Buro’s goal in 2022 is to fund the planting of over 500 native trees in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Transporting in cartons to reduce emissions
Buro Seating research shows that shipping and transporting cartons instead of fully assembled chairs helps reduce carbon emissions. Cartons take up 67% less freight volume than a fully assembled chair, meaning lower overall carbon emissions.
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Our Mondo range is shipped in cartons, ready to assemble.
GREENGUARD Certification
The products that we use to build and furnish our spaces can have a significant impact on indoor pollution levels. All products have airborne chemicals, commonly referred to as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are used to manufacture and maintain building materials, interior furnishing, cleaning products and personal care products. These VOCs can be highly toxic in large quantities.
GREENGUARD is one of the world’s most respected environmental certifications. Products that have achieved GREENGUARD certification have passed rigorous and comprehensive third-party chemical emission standards and are backed by science to have safe emission levels.
GREENGUARD Gold is a certificate for products that meet even more stringent testing requirements. The certification includes safety factors to account for sensitive individuals (such as children and the elderly) and helps ensure that a product is acceptable for use in environments such as education and healthcare facilities. In addition to limiting emissions of over 360 VOCs and total chemical emissions, GREENGUARD Gold certified products must comply with requirements of the State of California’s Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Environmental Chambers, Version 1.2 (2017) (also known as California Section 01350).
By choosing GREENGUARD certified products, you create a healthier indoor environment for your home, office or organisation and reduce chemical exposure.
Buro Seating is proud to meet this standard on many of our chairs. You can find the GREENGUARD or GREENGUARD Gold certificates for our chairs below or on the individual product page.
View Buro Seating’s GREENGUARD certification
Buro’s Social Accountability Requirements are as follows:
- Buro Seating does not engage in or support child labour or forced labour.
- All persons have the right to dignity and to be treated with respect. Harassment and abuse are not tolerated.
- All persons have the right to safe working conditions. Buro Seating continuously works to ensure the health and safety of all employees.
- All persons deserve inclusive and accessible working environments with equal opportunities. Buro Seating is committed to having a diverse workplace that does not engage in or tolerate discrimination.
- All persons have the right to freedom of association and the right to representation.
- All persons have the right to adequate compensation for their work in wages and benefits.
- All persons have the right to an agreed-upon minimum hours of work, meal breaks and days off work.
- Every effort should be taken to uphold ethical standards.
- Care is taken to acknowledge any environmental impacts and take measures to lessen and counteract any negative impacts and encourage any positive impacts.
Ethics
At Buro Seating, we strive to make responsible decisions for people and for the planet. As a prominent importer and wholesaler of seating throughout Australasia, our primary goal is to ensure that not only are our seating and services produced and delivered ethically, but how we go about sourcing those goods and services is also done responsibly. Under Buro Seating policies and company values, our seating and services must be produced and delivered under conditions that do not involve the abuse or exploitation of any persons.
Sedex Certified
Buro Seating is proud to be a Sedex Member. As an ethical trade membership organisation, they help us assess working conditions and environmental impacts and help us ensure our suppliers uphold safe and ethical practices.
Our Quality
Like you, we’re about doing the job well. That’s why most products in the Buro range are manufactured to satisfy stringent international standards, including:
- Australia/New Zealand Standard AS/NZ 4438: 1997
- Approved Code of Practice for the use of VDUs, Dept of Labour, New Zealand
- American National Standard Institute (ANSI)
- The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA)
- Australasian Furnishing Research and Development Institute (AFRDI)
Our Guarantee
All Buro branded chairs carry either a 6 or 10-year guarantee. This includes a return to base service and replacement of faulty components. This covers manufacturing faults when the chair is used for the purpose in which it was designed and intended. Any damage attributed to negligence is not covered under this guarantee. The guarantee does not cover fabric or fair wear and tear.
ISO Certifications
ISO certifications are part of Buro Seating’s commitment to quality, environment, and safety management systems.
Most Buro chairs are manufactured in a factory with one or more internationally recognised ISO certifications.
ISO is the International Organisation for Standardisation, an independent non-governmental organisation. Through its members of national standards bodies, ISO brings together experts to develop standards, based on market-relevant knowledge.
ISO Standards are voluntary to meet however ISO certifications ensure that the best practices are utilised, for the good of people and the planet.
ISO 9001: Quality Management Certification
The ISO 9001 standard exists for quality management, ensuring a manufacturer is focused on continual improvement, quality control, environment and customer satisfaction.
ISO 9001 organisations have an ongoing focus on improvement and make decisions based on analysis and evaluation of data and information. The standard highlights the importance of managing and maintaining relationships, especially with suppliers. ISO 9001 outlines principles for ensuring product quality and how to engage and empower people throughout the entire organisation to deliver quality products consistently.
All Buro Seating chairs are manufactured in ISO 9001 accredited factories, ensuring each component process is thoroughly tested and guaranteed for quality and reliability.
ISO 14001: Environmental Management Certification
The ISO 14001 environmental management standard helps manufacturers minimise how their operations negatively impact the environment. This includes identifying negative impacts, defining controls to prevent and reduce pollution, and complying with legal requirements. Certified manufacturers quantify improvement of environmental performance through efficient use of resources and reduction of waste.
ISO 14001 encourages organisations to be aware of how products and services are designed, manufactured, distributed, consumed and disposed of. The standard helps prevent environmental impacts being unintentionally shifted elsewhere in the product and service life cycle. Furthermore, the standard calls for continual improvement and revision of organisations systems to ensure the processes used boost environmental performance and improve control and management of emissions, effluents and wastes.
ISO 45001: Occupational Health and Safety Management Certification
The ISO 45001 occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system standard, highlights the importance of effective processes for identifying hazards, controlling risks, taking advantage of opportunities and the continual performance evaluation and management of the OH&S system.
The ISO 45001 states that organisations are responsible for their workers and others that can be affected by their activities. This responsibility includes promoting and protecting their physical and mental health. ISO 45001 complies with occupational health and safety legislation worldwide and requires continuous revision to ensure the system meets ever-changing industry processes and systems. By implementing the standard to their processes, organisations benefit from a reduction of workplace incidents and an increase in productivity.
An ISO 45001 certification enables a manufacturer to demonstrate a system is in place for occupational health and safety and staff physical and mental health.
Where to buy
Our team and trusted partners can help you find Australia's best ergonomic chairs. Find a reseller or showroom today to find the perfect ergonomic chairs to support you or your staff.
Find a reseller
Find a store near you for workplace or home office chairs, commercial interior fit-outs, or healthcare and aged care seating.
Shop online
Choose to shop online from a range of our trusted online Resellers that stock our products.
Find a showroom
Drop into one of our showrooms to talk with an expert, see and test our products in real life.