KI Recognized for Sustainability Efforts in Furniture Manufacturing

KI Attains Green Master Status from Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council

KI is pleased to announce that it has earned “Green Master” status for 2019 from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council.

“We’re honored to receive this distinction, which shows just how central sustainability is to our pursuit of business excellence,” said Brian Krenke, CEO of KI. “We at KI have long been stewards of the environment, thanks to our commitment to sustainable manufacturing and design.”

The Green Masters Program employs an objective, points-based rubric to evaluate Wisconsin businesses’ work on nine pillars of environmental sustainability, including water use, waste management, and energy consumption. The program offers three levels of participation: Green Apprentice, Green Professional, and Green Master.

KI joined the program at the top-tier Green Master level in 2012. Each year at the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council Conference, the top 20 percent of participating companies are recognized as Green Masters.

KI logged a significant number of environmental achievements last year. The company diverted 5.7 million pounds of material from manufacturing facilities to recycling centers, instead of landfills. It reduced carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of 1.5 million vehicle miles. KI is well on its way to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020.

Last year, KI employees planted nearly 1,500 trees. Employees purchased more than 1,900 LED light bulbs for personal use — and thereby reduced carbon emissions by 180,000 pounds.

“The Green Masters Program is a tool for businesses to assess and grow their sustainability programs, to benchmark against their industry and to receive a third-party certification recognizing their achievements in sustainability,” said Jessy Servi Ortiz, WSBC’s managing director.

About KI

KI manufactures innovative furniture and moveable wall system solutions for education, healthcare, government and corporate markets. The employee-owned company is headquartered in Green Bay, Wis. and operates sales offices and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe and Asia. KI tailors products and service solutions to the specific needs of each customer through its unique design and manufacturing philosophy. For more information, visit www.ki.com.

About Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council

The Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council’s (WSBC) mission is to advance sustainable principles and practices forward through the power of business. We support businesses and sustainability professionals through an array of programming, education, resources and tools and are a catalyst for businesses looking to integrate sustainability into the fabric of their organization and be a force for good. We are a network of businesses integrating sustainability into business operations at a time when the business case for sustainability (defined in terms of people, planet and profit) has never been stronger. Find us on the web at www.wisconsinsustainability.com.