CHICAGO, IL (June 11, 2012) – The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) has reported that 41 commercial and institutional furniture manufacturers now have more than 1,800 furniture products level program certified.

“BIFMA is pleased to announce that the level sustainability certification program for furniture has exceeded the 40 manufacturer mark on the rapidly growing list of companies who produce level certified products. level provides interior designers, architects, facility managers, and others across all industries with an easy method to identify increasingly sustainable products,” said Tom Reardon, BIFMA Executive Director. “We are extremely pleased to see the efforts that these 41 manufacturing companies have made”.

Developed in accordance with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) procedures, level is the label awarded to office furniture products that meet multiple criteria of the stringent, multi-attribute ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard. Earning the level mark requires validation by an approved third-party certification body.

level establishes measurable performance criteria to address environmental and social aspects of product manufacturing throughout the supply chain, including the areas of Materials, Energy and Atmosphere, Human and Ecosystem Health, and Social Responsibility. Choosing level certified products assures that the product is produced in an environmentally and socially conscious manner and comes from a responsible manufacturer.

Presently the program includes three conformance tiers, level 1, 2, and 3, each requiring specific prerequisites and conformance to optional credits. level 3 is the highest conformance tier under the current ANSI/BIFMA program. The level certification program allows facility managers, architects and designers to evaluate products using a ‘level’ playing field, based upon the product and manufacturer’s environmental and social impact.

A complete list of certified products can be found at www.levelcertified.org