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Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams
Best Practice Achievements
Sustainable Materials
We make a conscious effort to manage our materials selection, seeking materials we are confident are sustainable, such as legally harvested forest products, responsibly produced plantation products, and recycled content:
Recycling and Reclamation
We factor disassembly, recyclability and product reclamation into buying decisions. We offer a product reclamation/product reuse policy:
Return and Reuse
We use recycled or recyclable packing/packaging materials, offer blanket-wrap transportation arrangements for customers and have a carton return/reuse policy:
Chain of Custody
We ask for verifiable chain of custody documents (i.e. legal logging certifications) before buying products containing wood:
Decrease use of Toxic Chemicals
We have decreased our use/acceptance of known toxic chemicals for treatments, binders and finishes, replacing compounds that compromise indoor air quality and are harmful to human health:
Low Environmental Impact Textiles
We are asking our vendors for textiles that have a lower environmental impact, i.e. organic cotton in place of conventionally-grown cotton, as well as seeking other eco-friendly textiles:
Life Cycle Analysis
We are moving forward on doing a Life Cycle Analysis and/or are applying for SMaRT certification:
Local Sourcing
We extract, manufacture and distribute for consumer use within a 500 mile radius for at least a portion of our product line:
Third Party Certifications
We hold third party certifications for some of our products, or as a store, we promote and educate the consumer on the meaning of various third party certifications:
Sharing the Wealth
We take responsibility for sharing our commitment to sustainability up and down our entire supply chain, rewarding our vendors with increased business for partnering with us on sustainability issues:
Social Responsibility Code
We have a written Social Responsibility Code of Contact that is a baseline for employee relations:
Supplier Responsibility
We have written and distributed a Supplier Responsibility Code of Conduct for our vendors and conduct training at our partner facilities on the adoption of same:
Health and Safety Code Compliance
We and our partners meet or exceed all local health and safety codes and can document our health and safety working conditions in all our facilities/stores:
We Pay Living Wages
We pay a living wage rather than minimum wage and extend that around the globe:
We Sponsor Sustainability Events
We have participated in or sponsored in-store, community and/or regional educational events on sustainability and the environment:
We Inspect
We investigate and mitigate any negative environmental impacts from our operations:
Save Paper and Other Office Resources
We save paper and other office resources with a policy expressing an aversion to excess written documentation:
We Use Energy Specialists
We have had an energy specialist or utility company audit to measure our conventional energy usage and are on track to reduce it. We are replacing a portion of the energy we consume with certified renewable energy, either directly, via a program of our local utility, or via Green e-Power:
Updated Inefficient Equipment
We have replaced outdated and inefficient equipment, identified and changed wasteful resource procedures and implemented tighter operational controls:
Energy Efficient Lighting
We have increased the use of day lighting and/or are upgrading to more energy efficient lighting system:
Verified Sustainability Claims
We make only verifiable sustainability claims in adherence with FTC mandates against greenwash and in support of their Environmental Marketing Guides:
Committed to Training
We are committed to conducting training in-house and in the broader community about global climate change and our partnership with the SFC:
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On reducing energy consumption:
2019: Last year, we converted our two manufacturing plants to LED lighting which has cut our electricity usage for lighting in half. This year we will upgrade our make-up air system to natural gas and retire our old steam boiler. Both projects will improve our current energy efficiency.
2016: Since 2009, the company has reduced its power consumption for lighting by an average of 10% each year.
2014: MG+BW initiated a program to change all incandescent spot lights in our stores and showrooms to LED spots. The LED lamps are more energy efficient and last 8 to 9 times longer than the incandescent.
2012: MG+BW recently engaged a third party provider to install hardware and software to monitor the temperate in various areas of the facility and to allow for more efficient control of heating and cooling systems.
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On how we will manage our primary material or service to a more sustainable direction:
2019: Since 2016, we have reduced our VOC emissions an additional 26.9% through the reformulation of our finishing materials.
2016: We are consolidating our finished goods warehousing under one roof and hope to thus reduce our carbon footprint. In the past 5 years we have reduced our company VOC emissions by 38.6%.
2015: Through our recycling and reclamation program we have diverted 1202.3 tons of products from going into a landfill.
2014: MG+BW have eliminated ALL fire retardant chemicals from our foam and other raw materials in an effort to provide our customers with a more earth-friendly product.
2012: MG+BW will be monitoring the logging activities of its oversea casegoods vendors, in compliance with the Lacey Act.
In keeping with our commitment to continual improvement, we are planning to take the following actions this year: On education and promotion of the sustainability cause:
2019: We continue to train our sales force, our employees and our daycare children on the advantages of product sustainability and being an eco-friendly manufacturer.
2016: In house training for our employees as well as environmental awareness training for our 70+ onsite daycare children. We also continue to promote eco-awareness in our retail stores and businesses. Partnering with the Sustainable Enterprise Management class at Elon College to develop health product declaration reports for our products. Conducting an LCA on our Hunter Leather Sofa with Stanford University.
2014: MG+BW will continue to spread the "sustainability" message to its customers through our marketing channels.
2012: MG+BW will continue to spread the "sustainability" message to its customers through its website, in its advertising, and through its retail sales associates, as well as by donating a percentage of certain sales (Tipper Gore artwork) to The Climate Project.
