Stanley Furniture Wins Two New Environmental Awards For Stewardship

Furniture World Magazine

Continuing a tradition of environmental stewardship within the wood furniture industry, Stanley Furniture Company, Inc., has received two new environmental awards in recognition of its outstanding environmental track record, its continuous commitment to environmental compliance and its strong environmental management system. This brings the number of environmental awards received by Stanley Furniture in the past year to five, further distinguishing the company as a leader within the industry. In a banner week, Stanley Furniture first received the American Furniture Manufacturing Association's (AFMA) “2004 Environmental Excellence Award” at the AFMA's annual conference on environment, safety, and human resources. According to Bill Perdue, AFMA vice president of Environment, Safety, Health/Human Resources and Standards of the American Furniture Manufacturers Association, “We were very pleased to present Stanley Furniture with this award in recognition of its exceptional environmental leadership within the industry and its ongoing commitment to preserving the environment.” A few days later, in recognition of its outstanding environmental achievements, Stanley Furniture's Martinsville plant received the “2004 Governor's Environmental Excellence Award - Gold,” from the Virginia Manufacturing Association and the office of the Governor at the 9th Annual Governor's Environmental Excellence Awards for Manufacturers in Richmond. “What really sets us apart from other companies, is that its commitment to the environment stems from a deeply held belief that it's the right thing to do, not because it's mandated by law,” says Dave Maddox, Stanley Furniture director of Environmental Engineering. “This award recognizes Stanley Furniture's amazing environmental track record and stands as an inspiration for other companies to follow their example.” According to Stanley Furniture President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Scheffer, the company has worked to instill a culture of environmental sensitivity and responsibility among its employees. Says Scheffer, “Everyone at Stanley Furniture believes that we have a responsibility to protect not just our community, but also our environment, from unnecessary pollution.” A TRADITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE The two new awards are the most recent accolades for Stanley Furniture, which has long been recognized as a leader in environmental protection. Four years ago, Stanley Furniture piloted a comprehensive environmental management system and began a major recycling program at its Martinsville facility. Last year, the company's Martinsville plant joined just over 300 facilities throughout the nation who have been named a member of the EPA's prestigious National Environmental Performance Track program. Member companies have been identified by the EPA as consistently exceeding environmental regulation requirements by demonstrating successful ways to reduce and prevent pollution, while improving productivity. The national Performance Track designation coincided with recognition of the Martinsville facility as an Exemplary Environmental Enterprise (E3) in the Virginia Environmental Excellence Program (VEEP), for companies with a fully implemented environmental management system, pollution prevention programs and demonstrated performance. In 2002, Stanley Furniture became the first furniture manufacturing company in the nation to successfully implement a proactive environmental program, EFEC (Enhancing Furniture's Environmental Culture), created by the American Furniture Manufacturer's Association. One of the largest furniture manufacturers in the United States, Stanley Furniture Co., Inc. is widely recognized as a style and design leader. The company has received ten coveted Pinnacle Awards for fine quality residential wood furniture, ranging from traditional to contemporary. Stanley Collections are presented as dining room, bedroom, home entertainment and accent tables, and home office. Young America® is the industry leader in youth furniture. Founded in 1924, Stanley Furniture has a strong tradition of superior product supported by excellent quality and service. The shipment of orders to retail stores is among the fastest in the industry. Production facilities are located in Stanleytown and Martinsville, Va., as well as Robbinsville and Lexington, N.C. Stanley's upper-medium priced furniture is sold to furniture specialty stores, department stores and furniture store chains. Stanley Furniture common stock is traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol STLY. For additional information, visit stanleyfurniture.com.