H Living Net-Zero Commitment Announcement

Foreword from our CEO

At H Living, we take extra detail in designing a functional quality product for our customers, which means that we are always thinking about what we can do to improve. The foundation of this, is knowing where our products are made and how, so that we can ensure quality is upheld and continually improved. As we notice the rising concerns related to sustainability, we believe that we must make commitments to the environment so that we can go the extra mile to uphold quality, for our customers and for our planet. We are already in the process of implementing ISO9001 to display commitment to quality, as well as recycling excess material offcuts back to our suppliers.

However, we acknowledge that more needs to be done. That’s why I am thrilled to announce that we are committing to achieving net-zero emissions in line with the global leading net-zero standard – Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Our company was founded with a vision of championing better mattresses, and this step is a natural evolution in our pursuit of becoming an advocate for increased quality in production standards. I am immensely proud of our past achievements, and I believe that our future holds even greater promise.

Our Ambitions

According to The Paris Agreement, we must collectively achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 at the latest to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Unfortunately, we are dangerously close to this threshold, as the latest climate science assessment report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has been described as a “code red for humanity”. The mattress sector is not exempt from this – we must carefully consider how our materials, manufacturing, operations, as well as other aspects of our business strategy and choices could impact the climate. If we make rapid and deep cuts to emissions (halving global emissions before 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions before 2050), as a planet, we can still meet our net-zero target.

As a supplier to some of the largest bed retailers in the country, we recognise we are a crucial driver in the decarbonisation of our industry. By aligning with net-zero, mattress suppliers could reduce their carbon footprint and work towards a more sustainable future for all. For any organisation, setting objectives nearly three decades in advance is a challenge. At such a long time horizon, it is difficult to have much, if any, certainty of how we or the industry will grow and change. However, in the near-term we have more clarity. In reflection of this, we have selected near-term targets that match our ambition, aligning with the progressive requirements of the NBF Pledge for Our Planet and meeting the requirements of SBTi.

Our Vision

Our industry is expected to undergo significant changes due to factors such as climate and biodiversity crises, technological advancements, and societal changes. At H Living, we want to make a positive difference for our planet and our customers. In order to achieve net-zero, H Living have developed emission reduction targets and a shared long-term vision for our company’s operations by 2050.

It is difficult to predict how our industry will adapt or be impacted by these factors. However, we believe that our sector will develop to embrace more circular practices, using eco-design and innovative business models to create new opportunities for repair, refurbishment, and reuse of products. We aim to close resource loops to ensure a steady supply of recycled materials, and work with consumers as well as suppliers to minimise the environmental and social impacts of mattresses and furniture throughout their lifecycle. These will be underpinned by five pillars: responsible sourcing, supply chain collaboration, material and product transparency, thoughtful design and conscious manufacturing and operations.

Our vision for H Living is to be industry pioneers; self-sufficient and resilient in our operations, using energy generated through our own infrastructure and resources from our own closed-loop material supply. We will work with policy makers, trade associations, customers, suppliers, and competitors to drive ourselves and the industry forward. Our ambition is to create products that benefit our customers, staff, and the environment whilst continuously seeking to drive further positive change.

Our Plan

Our vision of achieving net-zero emissions is embedded within an ongoing process of continuous improvement, with some goals being easier to achieve than others. This marks both a great opportunity and a challenge. In accordance with this, we have identified several actions that we can take in the short term to work towards this vision and meet our emission reduction targets. In particular, we understand the importance of supply chain transparency in achieving our goals, and we have developed a plan to demonstrate our commitments to sourcing more responsibly and sustainably. These actions form the first stage of our full net-zero strategy.

This plan outlines our immediate next steps in our net-zero journey, with a focus on achieving quick wins in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions through responsible sourcing decisions, finding new opportunities for collaboration, and gathering essential information to inform our full net-zero strategy. Our next steps and goals are built upon our five pillars, listed below. To achieve these we will take the following actions:

Responsible sourcing

We care about more than just the products we create. That’s why we’re committed to sourcing raw materials in a way that benefits everyone – from the farmers who grow them to the communities that rely on them, and the planet we all call home.
For products that we import, we will increase our supply chain engagement to advocate for responsible sourcing of materials and will obtain as much information as possible on the material sources.
The choices we make on material and product sourcing will be carefully considered for their environmental, societal and economic impacts.
We will explore opportunities of developing a procurement plan to outline a process for choosing new products and materials, which has responsible sourcing at its core.
Embed the new SBTi emission reduction targets into H Living’s management structure to ensure accountability for delivery.

Supply chain collaboration

A key focus of the programme is supporting our suppliers to understand how to target, measure, and monitor their environmental impacts to reduce carbon.
Engage more actively with industry stakeholders and policy makers to share our expertise and push for greater circularity and decarbonisation initiatives.
Support our supply chain partners to measure and reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Work with customers and industry stakeholders to better understand the end-of-life treatment of our products within recycling and beyond – with the aim of trialling solutions for improving these outcomes. Examples of which might include behavioural nudges or product take-back schemes.
Explore opportunities for industry collaboration on solutions to shared problems such as mattress end-of-life treatment. An example of this might be the joint creation of centralised recycling and product repair facilities.

Material and product transparency

Work to assess the full lifecycle impact of our products, with the intention of integrating this information into future product design and green procurement processes.
In addition, we will consult with experts to ensure that we use the correct language about any environmental credentials to avoid greenwashing.

Thoughtful design

Whilst the design stage of a product often has a low emissions count, it has the largest potential to influence environmental impact across other lifecycle stages. This means that sustainability must be taken into account from the design stage of our products.
In line with the above, we will direct greater research & development focus on eco-design solutions for new products and emerging technologies.
We will further ensure that our design and procurement staff are skilled in understanding eco-design and implementing eco-design practices.

Conscious manufacturing and operations

In line with our own carbon accounting, we will strive to reduce our carbon emissions in our manufacturing and operations. We will be undertaking a net-zero readiness plan to outline how we can manage and prepare our operations, data gathering and training for net-zero.
Identify opportunities for reducing the impact of onsite energy consumption via increased energy efficiency, the electrification of existing infrastructure (e.g. the planned replacement of our natural gas boilers on our Thornhill Road worksite), and the installation of on-site renewable energy generation capacity.
Pioneer new opportunities for creating our own circular resource loops from both waste generated in operations and end-of-life products.
Explore the use of smart technologies to create more efficient and transparent manufacturing operations.
Consider how we can optimise our deliveries and logistics for more efficient and sustainable travel.
Develop an internal data management system for annual tracking and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions.