Material Innovation

cocoboArd is a visionary coconut-based panel, providing a sustainable alternative, with a positive social impact.

The first product from Swiss-based material science company Naturloop, Cocoboard is a natural bio composite panel made from coconut husk fibres and tannin extracts, suitable for furniture and interior architecture. The rough and textured coconut fibres provide a distinct, earthy aesthetic, available in various finishes and thicknesses.

Created by extracting coconut fibre or ‘coir’ from the husk of the coconut fruit, Cocoboard’s concept utilises the around 20 million tonnes of husks discarded annually at coconut farms. By working directly with a local supply chain team in Philippines, NaturLoop has ensured the integration of local farming communities in the value chain, involving them in the collection and transportation of the husks, while making the process easier. This in turn provides the farmers additional income streams to improve their welfare and livelihood. The social impact is not limited to Philippines, and there are plans to source coconut fibres in other regions, from Sri Lanka to Brazil. naturLoop.com

Aside from an obvious social impact, Cocoboard provides a sustainable solution. The panels are fully biodegradable, moisture-resistant and use natural adhesives to ensure low environmental footprint and non-toxic emissions.

As we all roll into 2023 it looks like more operational adjustments are needing to be made for the hybrid workforce. As a tech company we are all about a great office experience and making the office a fun place to be. Typically, we have always offered the ‘little extra’ such as breakfasts, the odd speciality lunch and, of course that staple of the tech sector, a massage.

The challenge now is one of fairness. We have got used to the fact that a significant proportion of our workforce only come in once or twice a month and so any spot benefits we offer only benefit the small hardcore of workers who come to the office regularly.

This can obviously create a dynamic we wish to avoid as it is not our intention to ‘reward’ attendance in the office, nor to create a two-tier experience for the workforce. We are very much committed to a hybrid programme with no minimums. So, what to do?

We have decided to focus on our continuous daily service levels and ensure that whatever day you come to the office you can expect a decent coffee, a healthy snack and a great office environment. I know this sounds like we have simply removed benefits, but to achieve a consistent offering is not that simple, we will need to raise our game.