Pure Facts Bene Environmental Policy in Facts and Figures.
This brochure was produced in a sustainable manner, with FSC-certified paper, solvent-free ink and without the use of chlorine. 2 
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Bene is operating sustainably. Bene turns offices into high-quality working spaces. Solutions from Bene always follow a holistic approach. This is why our work towards a higher quality of life does not stop at the office door. In fact, the entire Bene team recognises its broad responsibility for our environment. Consequently, sustainability is a basic and very real principle of our work. 4 
Efficient use of natural resources and the protection of the environment are major components of our corporate success. Read on the following pages about the positive environmental assessment of Bene which successfully contributes to our sustainable work. For our team, our customers, our partners and for coming generations. Editorial  5
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Nature. Operating economically comes naturally, at Bene.
It means achieving more benefit with less input: Nature has taught us this lesson. Because the original doctrine of budgeting is ecology. Economics have just added the numbers. Bene has two words for it:
pure efficiency. We associate ourselves with this. 8 
Economics with ecology  9
Prevention Reduction Recycling Disposal
The Bene environmental principle:
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Economics with ecology 11
Ecological thinking and acting is a tradition at Bene. We commit to managing natural resources as sparingly as possible and to implementing environmentally friendly products in the manufacturing of our products. Bene believes that ecology is an indispensable element of any responsible and sustainable corporate strategy. We consider existing regulations a bare minimum. Our aim is to introduce a superior and more sustainable ecological standard within the entire Bene group.
Thresholds for emissions at a glance: Emissions
Bene*
Biomass boiler heating system Dust content, mg/m³ CO mg/m³ NO² mg/m³ Total carbon, mg/m³
108 170 474 8
150 250 500 50
Varnishing VOC diffuse emissions, % Total carbon, mg/m³
18.8 10
25 75
< 0.1
0.1 0.1
Production Formaldehyde, ppm (E1) Pure dust content in air, mg/m³
0.02
Noise < 40 Night-time operation, dB
Threshold
40
* Measurements carried out by accredited institutions.
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Economics with ecology 13
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Future has tradition. Milestones of a success story written with innovations. 16â&#x20AC;&#x192;
Innovations for sustainabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 17
Bene was founded in 1790 and switched to the industrial production of office furniture in 1951. Bene is the market leader in Austria. Production and head office are located in Waidhofen/Ybbs. Internationally aligned expansion since the 1980s has resulted in a strong presence in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Bene now has 76 sales operations in 30 countries.
In parallel to the expansion of factory floor space from 9 000 m² to 40 000 m², standards pertaining to safety and the environment were improved dramatically. 2006 saw Bene convert into a public limited company and being certified to ISO 9001 and 14001. Independent subsidiary Bene Consulting provides advisory services and office property management for efficient office real estate.
1987 saw Bene introduce environmental criteria in all company divisions. In 1998, the varnishing process was switched to water-soluble varnishes and in 2002, board cuts were optimised for the purposes of resource preservation.
With a workforce of around 1 430, the Bene group posted a turnover of EUR 252.5 million in financial year 2007/8.
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Innovations for sustainability 19
The headquarters: Office building and adjacent production hall, one of the most modern office furniture factories in Europe.
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Innovations for sustainabilityâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 21
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Pure Source. Monitored sustainability from tree to office.
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For Bene, environmental consciousness begins at the design stage and in the selection of raw materials. With a share of 68 % the natural material wood is held in particularly high regard. Bene only uses chipboard from woods from Central European forests. The Waidhofen/Ybbs site is located near the most densely forested region in Austria. This shortens transportation distances and lowers the emission of toxic substances on delivery. Resources and raw materials 25
Compared to industry standards the quantity of wood turned into office furniture annually by Bene will save the output of 21 741 tons of CO² for the next 15 to 20 years. This corresponds to the CO² emissions of about 145 million kilometres driven by cars or around 5 000 cars with an annual mileage of 29 000 km each (basis for calculation: 150 g CO² / km). The high environmental standards from Bene also apply to suppliers. For raw and semi-finished parts, detailed requirements with regards their material and substance composition exist. Material usage, related to turnover, has been optimised considerably using technically complex processes.
Material input (approx. 27 000 t)
Material input structure (woods and compact boards as percentages of the total input) 0.3 % 2.1 %
0.3 %
0.3 %
2.5 %
68.8 %
2.7 %
67.9 %
66.7 %
2.7 % compact boards 3.5 % glass
0.4 %
0.4 %
2.7 %
2.7 %
68.0 %
67.5 %
2006/07
2007/08
2.2 % packaging
3.0 % aluminium 6.1 % plastics 2003/04
2005/06
chipboard and MDF
14.1 % steel 67.9 % woods
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2004/05
veneers and solid woods others: 0.4 % glue, lacquer 0.2 % fabric, leather
compact boards
Resources and raw materials 27
Cards on the table. “Sustainability” brought to the table: Natural raw materials as a basis for communication and ideas.
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Design for environmental protection 29
Environmental protection begins with the right design.
With the T-platform, we are laying our cards on the table. Environmental protection begins with the right design. Our modular table system demonstrates this. The T-platform also features a high level of systemic intelligence and variability. The modular design allows innumerable workplace layouts and also ensures prolonged usage. This has not only economic benefitâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it also preserves raw materials and resources. Furthermore, T-platform desks can be dismantled into individual parts at the end of their useful life. Therefore, 100% recycalbility/disposal of these seperate waste streams is guaranteed. 30â&#x20AC;&#x192;
Wood in the form of chipboard makes up the largest percentage of the material we use and can be recycled or used thermally as biomass. Iron, steel and aluminium are completely recycled. Plastics are also recycled or disposed. Our T-platform unites environmental protection with a high degree of userfriendliness and long service life. The same applies to all other Bene products.
Design for environmental protectionâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 31
add-on element plexiglass
organisation rail
screen magnetic screen
shelf attachment top
cable flap paper tray clamps
Percentage of materials by weight 5.1 % plastics
37.9 % iron, steel
longitudinal frame
54.4 % woods: chipboards, veneer, compact boards
T7 4-leg base
sleeve tube
levelling
2.2 % aluminium 32
Design for environmental protection 33
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Pure technology. Canting
Great degree of efficiency for a small CO² footprint. Board storage
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The production of our T-platform is also pure technology. By cutting, milling, sawing, chipping, drilling and planing, parts visibly take shape in an environmentally friendly manner. Expertise and state-of-the-art technology count in production. Production without emissions 39
Employee knowledge developed over decades makes processes in all areas more efficient. Use of the latest techniques and systems reduces resources and energy consumption. A few examples: When cutting from whole boards, material usage is optimised with the aid of computers. Cut optimisation is also performed for metals: About 75 % of residual wood is returned to the manufacturer for the purpose of recycling. Canting
The remaining 25 % is burnt in the biomass boiler and covers approx. 90 % of the factory’s own heat requirement. Heating oil makes up a mere 10 % of the heat requirement since it is only required when outside temperatures are low.
Heat consumption in kWh per EUR 1 000 of turnover Boring and milling
30.9
2003/04 40
28.1
2004/05
23.1
22.0
20.1
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
This is good for the CO² balance because we save 1 500 tons of CO² emissions annually. The heating system is fitted with state-of-the-art flue gas cleaning systems. Here too, emission values lie well below mandatory thresholds stipulated. Production without emissions 41
Packing
Sawing systems
Assembly
Picking
Metalworking
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Production without emissions 43
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Pure air.
Bene does not just ensure good air in offices.
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Solution without solventsâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 47
Gluing, bonding, veneering:
Today, pure air is prevailes where previously the smells of materials and work processes filled the air. The benefits of lower emission levels and new surface treatment are encapsulated in the T-platform. As stipulated by a European standard, only Class E1 boards low in formaldehyde can be used in Bene office furniture. This standard states down that wooden boards may not contribute more than 0.1 ppm formaldehyde to interior room exposure. Environmentally friendly products low in formaldehyde (< 0.2 % formaldehyde) are also used for glues. The use of spray pistols with low atomised spray and the optimum conditioning of the varnish materials prevent varnish dust. 48
Furthermore, Bene furniture surfaces do not contain any CMR substances (carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproduction toxic). Solution without solvents 49
Varnishing.
Solvents avoided (in tons) Solvent quantities avoided through switching
Solvent quantity, water-based varnishes 4.5 3.6
2.9
2.6 44.2 36.4
1998 saw the switch of the varnishing process to watersoluble, UV-hardening varnishes and stains with more than 95 % varnish recovery. Top quality is not only attained for surfaces and veneers. Since then, emission values for Bene furniture surfaces have also been well below the required guidelines for VOCs (volatile organic compounds; solvents). By using water varnishes, Bene saves around 90 % of solvents. Bene is varnishing with automatic spray guns connected to a varnish recovery system. The excess varnish dust is removed from the transport belt with a ring doctor blade and prepared for re-use using cleaning and filter stations. This corresponds to an annual quantity of approx. 40 tons. 50
28.3
2004
26.9
2005
2006
2007
An examination by the WKI Fraunhofer Institute in Braunschweig (Germany) found that the recommended VOC value was attained as early as 31 hours after varnishing. After 16 days, the threshold has fallen below by up to 96 % . Solution without solvents 51
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Cleanly packaged. Bene proactively tackles the issue of climate protection and packages all deliveries in an environmentally friendly way. 54â&#x20AC;&#x192;
Ecological packagingâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 55
Time to pack:
View into the production hall. After passing through the entire production process, packaged Bene products await transportation.
For the T-platform, as with all other Bene products, the stringent Austrian Packaging Ordinance applies: All packaging material is returned after assembly at the customer site and sorted separately into cardboard, foil, plastics and wood waste streams. Ecological expertise counts even in packaging. The packaging materials should allow any volatile substances to escape. Depending on the requirement, Bene delivers by rail, ship, using freight forwarders or with our own vehicle fleet. For transport by rail, Bene has a separate loading point in Waidhofen/Ybbs. The cooperation with freight forwarders minimises empty runs. The environment even takes priority in the renewal of the vehicle fleet as only commercial vehicles in Emissions Class Euro 5 are purchased. 56â&#x20AC;&#x192;
Ecological packagingâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 57
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Pure sorting. What is waste to others is for us a major part of the natural circle for raw materials. 60â&#x20AC;&#x192;
Everything must come to an end. Despite prolonged service life and durability, even the T-platform must clear its desk at some point. Even here it is kind to the environment because its components, as with most Bene products, can be sorted into separate waste streams and are easily recycled or disposed of accordingly. Recycling and preventionâ&#x20AC;&#x192; 61
The Bene environment management system ensures that waste prevention starts in the design stage and in procurement—only environmentally friendly materials are used. Problematic chemical substances, such as halogenated solvents, PVC, heavy metal pigments and substances with a carcinogenic, mutagenic or reproduction toxic effect, are avoided. Environmentally friendly waste recycling starts with the optimum cutting of wood and metals during production. Wood is fed back or recycled thermally, metal swarf is separated into its own waste stream. With maintenance, Bene prolonges the life cycle of its furniture. In terms of product longevity and waste reduction, replacement parts can be supplied up to ten years after the initial order.
Potential recyclables make up the majority of waste volume. Waste sorted into separate waste streams is passed over to professional waste specialists. Only about 0.2 % of waste is hazardous waste.
Waste quantities in relation to turnover Non-hazardous waste —recyclables
Non-hazardous waste
Hazardous waste
68.6 %
Gross turnover of BENE AG
69.9 %
69.7 %
69.3 %
35.1 %
30.1 %
30.6 %
31.2 %
29.9 %
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
64.5 %
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Recycling and prevention 63
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Clean future. Delays are not on our agenda—at Bene tomorrow begins today.
The Bene QSU management system (quality, safety and environment) has been safeguarding a pure future for many years. All data pertaining to the environment is recorded and analysed periodically. A nominated environment appointee is linked into the value-add processes who continually analyses improvement potential and reports to the Board. All product groups carry the GS mark (approved safety). 66
The mark is awarded by an independent testing body for the protection of consumers and occupational health & safety. In 2006, Bene was certified to ISO 14001: 2005, “Environmental Management Systems”. ISO (International Standards Organisation) is a standard recognised across the globe. We have also set ourselves ambitious challenges for the coming financial years: The future is today 67
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Certification of selected Bene products in accordance with current environment standards such as “Austrian ecolabels” and “LGA schadstoffgeprüft” (as specified by the state trade supervisory office). Further optimisation in the cutting of chipboard, compact boards and aluminium profiles for the purpose of reducing waste.
Increase in energy efficiency using absorption coolers in the air-conditioning of the new office building.
Gradual replacement of the truck and car fleets with vehicles fitted with state-of-the-art technology.
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Replacement of the filter systems to reduce dust exposure to far below the mandatory thresholds required and increased levels of air return during the heating period.
Implementation of new water varnishes with environmentally friendly varnish bonding agent and even lower solvent content (from currently <7 % VOC to < 3.5 % VOC).
Installation of a new biomass heating boiler with optimised performance.
Bene is not standing in the way of a pure future. The future is today 69
Bene standards and certification.
Environmental Perfomance Index 2008. 1 Switzerland
95.5
23 Hungary
2 Sweden
93.1
24 Italy
84.2
3 Norway
93.1
25 Denmark
84.0
4 Finland
91.4
26 Malaysia
84.0
5 Costa Rica
90.5
27 Albania
84.0
89.4
28 Russia
83.9
7 New Zealand
88.9
29 Chile
83.4
8 Latvia
88.8
30 Spain
83.1
9 Colombia
88.3
31 Luxembourg
83.1
10 France
87.8
32 Panama
83.1
11 Iceland
87.6
33 Dominican Republic
83.0
12 Canada
86.6
34 Ireland
82.7
13 Germany
86.3
35 Brazil
82.7
14 United Kingdom
86.3
36 Uruguay
82.3
15 Slovenia
86.3
37 Georgia
82.2
16 Lithuania
86.2
38 Argentina
81.8
17 Slovakia
86.0
39 United States
81.0
18 Portugal
85.8
40 Taiwan
80.8
19 Estonia
85.2
…
20 Croatia
84.6
105 China
65.1
21 Japan
84.5
120 India
60.3
22 Ecuador
84.4
Excerpt of the 2008 ranking.
6 Austria
For further information, please contact: Thomas Riegler, Environment and Waste Management Representative at Bene. thomas.riegler@ bene.com 70
84.2
The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) allows the comparison of environmental policies of different countries. Austria lies 6 th in the list of 149 countries assessed. The complete EPI 2008 report and a list of the decisionmakers is available from the Internet under http://epi.yale.edu. The future is today 71
Bene Head Office Austria, 3340 Waidhofen/Ybbs Schwarzwiesenstrasse 3 Phone + 43-7442-500-0 E-mail office @ bene.com Austria: Bregenz, Graz, Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Linz, Salzburg, St. Pölten, Vienna. Belgium: Brussels-Zaventem. Bulgaria: Sofia. Czech Republic: Prague. Germany: Aschaffenburg, Berlin, Bonn, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Hannover, Leipzig, Mannheim, Munich, Villingen-Schwenningen, Stuttgart. Hungary: Budapest. Ireland: Dublin. Middle East: Dubai. Poland: Warsaw. Romania: Bucharest. Russian Federation: Moscow. Serbia: Belgrad. Singapore: Singapore. Slovakia: Bratislava. Slovenia: Ljubljana. Switzerland: Zurich-Wallisellen. Ukraine: Kiev. United Kingdom: London. Trading Partners: Australia: Sydney. Bahrain: Manama. China: Hong Kong, Shanghai. Denmark: Copenhagen. France: Avignon, Cormontreuil, Lille, Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Paris, Seynod, Strasbourg, Toulouse. Germany: Bayreuth, Bremen, Donauwörth, Erlangen, Nuremberg, Regensburg, Saarbrücken, Saarlouis, Süssen, Ulm. Italy: Meran. Japan: Osaka, Tokyo. Kuwait: Kuwait. Liechtenstein: Schaan. Luxembourg: Luxembourg. Middle East: Doha. Netherlands: Haaksbergen, Rotterdam, Wilp. Spain: Barcelona. Turkey: Istanbul. www.bene.com Environmental Policy “Pure Facts” / WP0149E / 062008 / Rosebud, Inc.