Small Steps, One Chair at a Time: 2024 Furniture Scorecard

In today's world, with the climate crisis and climate anxiety on the rise, it's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. However, one powerful way to make a difference is making more informed decisions about everyday purchases. Small steps can add up, and one area where our choices can have a big impact is in the furniture we buy.

The furniture industry is the third-largest wood consumer, and if done irresponsibly, it poses a serious threat to forests, biodiversity, and the communities that rely on these ecosystems for their livelihoods. But there's good news: the tides are turning, and each year more companies commit to sustainable practices that protect our forests.

So don't despair, we'll show you how you can make a difference.

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We Do All the Research, You Make the Choice!

For the seventh year in a row, the National Wildlife Federation and the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) have come together to bring you the Wood Furniture Scorecard. The 2024 Scorecard is your go-to guide for identifying furniture companies making real strides for the planet. As the furniture industry evolves, the scorecard remains a critical benchmark for retailers committed to reducing deforestation and promoting responsible forest management in their supply chains.

This year, we scored 119 North American furniture retailers based on their wood sourcing policies, goals, and practices to find out who the best performers in the furniture sector are. Do you want to know how we did it? Keep reading!

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Our Not-So-Secret Magic Recipe: The Methodology Behind the Scoring

The scorecard assesses furniture retailers on their wood sourcing policies and the types of wood used in the furniture they sell. The methodology focuses on a set of criteria organized into three categories: responsible wood sourcing policy, responsible sourcing practices and performance, and additional actions, which include efforts such as third-party certifications and the establishment of targets.

The scorecard ranks furniture companies based on publicly available information, including corporate websites and supply chain transparency. But we don't stop there-the Scoring Team also reaches out to each retailer directly to make sure we have all the relevant information for a fair evaluation. During this outreach, we provide recommendations and resources to help companies develop strong wood-sourcing policies, including the key steps needed to tackle deforestation and forest degradation.

The scorecard is updated every year to motivate companies to keep pushing forward. This year, additional points were awarded for setting and publicly reporting on targets. Prioritizing these goals openly is key, as it holds companies accountable and gives them the leverage and talking points they need when working with vendors.

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The Companies that Earned the Tree Crown

The 2024 Wood Furniture Scorecard highlights several top-scoring retailers, including Model No., Cisco Home, Room & Board, Model No, FORMR, Sabai Design, IKEA, Minted Space and Walter E. Smith Furniture. These companies stand out for their business models, transparent wood sourcing policies, and active collaboration with the scoring team, showcasing their leadership in sustainability. They have proven their commitment to using responsibly sourced or reclaimed wood while supporting sustainable forestry practices.

This year's "high scorers" include Sea Green Designs, Urban Natural, Williams Sonoma, Target, Hoot Judkins, Fiv-O, The Arrangement, Blu Dot, and La-Z-Boy. Each of these companies has made significant strides in tracking and improving the sustainability of their wood sourcing. Their efforts reflect a growing trend within the industry as more retailers acknowledge their crucial role in protecting forests and biodiversity.

The Wood Furniture Scorecard also acknowledges one retailer as "Most Improved". This year the award goes to Ethan Allen, recognizing their significant improvement of at least 10 points over their previous scores.

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Your Purchase Matters!

Next time you're in the market for new furniture, take a moment to consult the 2024 Wood Furniture Scorecard. Look also for products accredited with the FSC label or other certifications that support responsible forest management. Your choice can make a meaningful contribution to the forests, biodiversity, and communities that rely on them!

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