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New paths to competitive advantage
Jesper Office was the first Danish furniture manufacturer to market furniture bearing
the Nordic Swan ecolabel. The enterprise produces office furniture for both the domestic
and foreign markets.
It was not the expectation of winning more customers that made Jesper Office invest in
ecolabelling.
"Today there are very few customers who choose furniture solely because it is
ecolabelled," says Bjarne Schmidt, Managing Director of Jesper Office.
Becoming a necessity
Bjarne Schmidt is nevertheless pleased that the enterprise chose to spend time, energy
and money on ecolabelling.
In part it is a question of company ethics. They want to make something they can vouch
for, and which also means something to the employees. It is also a question of focusing on
something that is in step with development. And finally, it helps provide the customers
with a good experience.
The flower and the swan
The Flower is the EU ecolabel and was introduced in 1992. The Nordic
Swan ecolabel has existed since 1989. All products have an impact on the environment
throughout their life cycle from the time they are produced, to the time they eventually
end up as waste. A product labelled with the Flower or the Swan complies with a number of
environmental requirements and is of a quality that is no poorer than that of other
corresponding goods.
There are over 2,000 products on the Danish market bearing the Swan or
Flower ecolabels. The number of ecolabelled products and product groups continues to
increase.
Read more at: www.europa.eu.int/comm/ environment/ecolabel and
www.svanen.nu |
"If one wants to develop a profitable business with loyal customers, it is obvious
that the environmental aspects also play a role at management level. Together with design,
quality, supply safety and much more, they help provide the customers with a good
experience. They should feel that we have thought things through, and one does not choose
furniture based on a single argument," says Bjarne Schmidt.
Bjarne Schmidt does not think that a high environmental profile will continue to remain
a matter of choice for furniture manufacturers - he believes that it is becoming a
necessity.
Jesper Office A/S, Ulfborg, 175 employees.
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