When a client asks how sustainable a supply chain really is, the answer carries more weight if somebody independent has checked it. That is why we are assessed by EcoVadis rather than relying on our own account of ourselves.
Ratings are easy to display and harder to explain. This is what the assessment measures, what we had to evidence, and what it has meant on real projects.
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Current rating: EcoVadis Platinum, awarded June 2025 — the top 1% of the 150,000 businesses assessed worldwide over the preceding twelve months, and ahead of any other furniture dealership. We were reassessed in 2026 and this page is updated when a new result is issued. |
EcoVadis is an independent sustainability rating used by companies to assess their own performance and that of their supply chains. It scores four areas: environmental impact, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. A company has to score well across all four — strength in one area does not compensate for weakness in another.
Ratings are awarded by percentile rather than against a fixed threshold, which makes them competitive and comparable:
Because the bands are relative, a rating does not stand still. Holding Platinum means improving at least as fast as everyone else being assessed.
We are already FISP certified and, as of Jan 2026 FISP-S and we had this is a rigorous process and is fantastic for our industry but is limited to our industry. We were looking for something that could assess us against a larger set of businesses to ensure we are always driving forward in this area.
EcoVadis gives an externally verified, internationally recognised rating that clients can accept without further diligence. It is also considerably more affordable than certifications such as B Corp, which matters for a business of our size. For us, it was the natural progression from an internal review to a formal standard that companies across the world already recognise.
The assessment demands documented evidence in every category, not statements of intent. Led by Fiona Edwards, our Head of Sustainability, we compiled and submitted policies, reports and measured outcomes across all four themes.
The scorecard that comes back is granular, and it includes an improvement plan. That is arguably more valuable than the rating itself, because it identifies exactly where the remaining weaknesses are.
A rating is a proxy. These are the outcomes behind it.
A new film and television facility in Borehamwood with 13 sound stages across 27.5 acres. The brief was to reduce the volume of furniture bought new by sourcing high-quality pre-owned and end-of-line items instead.
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“As part of our sustainability credentials and being keen to partner with local suppliers we have been delighted to partner with JPA Workspaces for the supply of all our office furniture at Sky Studios Elstree production and administration buildings. The team have been very helpful, patient and collaborative in helping us secure the sustainable furniture we needed to help achieve our environmental goals.” Matthew Homewood, Head of Projects, Sky Spaces |
Rather than clear and replace, we worked with BRE Group to establish which existing items could be kept and reworked into new floorplans for 120 users.
Where a client cannot reuse furniture, we recycle or rehome it. Redundant furniture from the British Library went to local community organisations rather than to waste. For the Lord Lieutenant’s Charity Hub near Leavesden, we furnished 3,000 square feet for eight Hertfordshire charities on a zero budget, using surplus donated by Vanarama and GSK.
The assessment came with a work plan, and these are the commitments attached to it.
We are working towards net zero carbon emissions by 2040, with carbon reporting in place. We have already reduced our scope 1 and 2 by 80% since baseline, and our current focus is Scope 3 — the hardest and, for a furniture business, the largest part of the footprint.
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“All our waste streams are recyclable with zero to landfill, so nothing goes into the ground. We have specialised service teams that help clients use their furniture for twice as long — reupholstery, repairs, spare parts. Every piece goes beyond its normal life into a second, third or fourth life. Where clients cannot reuse furniture, we recycle or rehome it with community organisations. We focus primarily on UN SDG 12, responsible consumption and production.” Fiona Edwards, Head of Sustainability, JPA Workspaces |
Cheap products often reach market through cheap labour, and modern slavery and forced labour remain prevalent in furniture supply chains. We have streamlined recruitment so that every person we hire has the right and the freedom to work with us, verifying that they come to us willingly and that remuneration reaches the right place. Where we outsource installation labour, suppliers complete a self-declaration and audit questionnaire covering health and safety, risk management, EDI policies and core labour rights.
We continuously assess our furniture suppliers on where and how items are made, how labour is handled across every tier of their supply chains, and how materials are sourced. We also work with them directly to ensure a carbon reduction plan is in place.
Ethical trading, competitive internal hiring, responsible information management and full GDPR compliance, including transparency about what data we collect and systems to handle any breach.
Three practical things.
A rating is not a finish line. The bands are relative, so it has to be earned again each year against everyone else being assessed. But it does mean that when we describe what a project saved, the method behind the number has been independently checked.
If you would like to talk through what reuse could save on a specific project, get in touch.