Established in 1983 by CEO Bob King, Humanscale is widely-respected as a global leader in the design and manufacture of ergonomic products. The company, which is headquartered in New York, first made its mark in the industry in the 1990s with the introduction of revolutionary articulating keyboard systems. This was cemented in 1999 with the launch of the Freedom chair, created by renowned ergonomics designer, Niels Diffrient. This executive task chair melded exceptional functionality with minimal manual controls – setting the tone for a further series of Diffrient seating designs.
Today, Humanscale operates in more than 28 countries, with an award-winning portfolio of office solutions spanning self-adjusting seating, sit/stand desks, monitor arms and task lighting.
Sustainability is truly entrenched in Humanscale’s creative process. Above all, the company designs for longevity, and this is front and centre from concepting through to manufacture. Bringing the stunning simplicity and functionality that characterises the Diffrient designs through to the present day, Humanscale uses as few parts as possible, rejecting the waste of complex mechanics and components.
In addition to carrying out rigorous analysis and testing to ensure the maximum longevity for its products, Humanscale designs products that are ideally suited to being upgraded, refurbished or repurposed with minimal effort, even after their warranty period has expired.
Indeed, Humanscale’s own factories are TRUE® Zero Waste certified and are third-party audited to ensure waste diverts at least 90% from landfills, the environment, and incineration.
Humanscale’s overall ambition when it comes to sustainability is to create a net positive environmental impact, as opposed to just aiming for net zero. An impressive 70% of the products it sells are certified net positive.
In order to fulfil this goal, Humanscale has divided its targets into six crucial areas: climate & energy, water, circularity, wildlife preservation, and social responsibility.
Given the announcement in April of this year that Humanscale had earned B Corp Certification, it is clear the company’s dedication in this arena is paying off. The company was able to meet B Lab’s rigorous standards for social and environmental impact; making a legal commitment to stakeholder governance, and demonstrating accountability and transparency by disclosing this record of performance in a public B Corp profile.
“At Humanscale, we believe that it’s our responsibility to ensure that both people and the planet are better off because we’re here,” concludes Bob King, Founder and CEO of Humanscale.
“We have led the industry in embracing systemic change for multiple decades, from implementing transparency labels on our products and eliminating many of the commonly used Red-List chemicals, to launching the world’s first task chair made from reclaimed fishing nets. By putting in the hard work and making tough decisions, we hope to lead the rest of our industry to be more responsible.”
