Etsy does it

By Alex Jordan 20 : 06 : 2016 Etsy : Sustainability : Workplace

New York – Etsy’s new office space has met the criteria for a Living Building Challenge Petal, a strict sustainability certificate for buildings.

More than 95% of the waste created during the construction of the building was kept out of landfill sites
The office runs on local solar power and around half of the furnishing are handmade locally

Etsy also completed an environmental audit of its small-scale vendors, vetting them for materials that did not meet the high standards of the Living Building Challenge.

Some 1,800 products have been vetted so far, and for the majority of Etsy vendors, the audit marks the first time they have had to be transparent about their production processes. Etsy brought makers and representatives from the Forest Stewardship Council together to discuss how to make hand-made products using responsibly sourced materials and safe and healthy finishes.

‘The industry needs that dialogue,’ says Devon Leahy, director of sustainability and social innovation at Etsy. ‘A lot of that is really based in craft, in materiality and in qualities that come with these time-honoured traditions of making.’

The Big Picture

Companies and brands are using artificial intelligence and mobile technology to cut down on energy wastage and create sustainable office spaces. To find out more, read our Workplace Summit Report 2016, which can be downloaded for free here.