Over 60% of our products are registered ‘Buy NZ Made’.
By designing, sourcing and manufacturing products in New Zealand we can:
Big wins for sustainability! The numbers are in, and we’re incredibly proud to share that in 2024:
Accent are commited to sourcing only high quality products which meet international standards. We proudly hold ISO certification for the design, manufacture and supply of commercial workspace furniture
ISO 9001:2015 is a globally recognized quality management standard focused on customer satisfaction, strong leadership, process efficiency, and continuous improvement. It ensures businesses consistently deliver high-quality products and services, leading to greater reliability and customer trust.
ISO 14001:2015 is an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems (EMS). It helps organizations improve their environmental performance by providing a structured framework for identifying impacts, setting objectives, implementing controls, and monitoring progress.
ISO 45001 is an international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems. It helps organizations identify and manage workplace risks, improve safety, and ensure continuous OH&S improvement.
Our Summit II Electric & Fixed Height Desks and Duo II Bases are designed for durability, safety, and sustainability. Certified to BIFMA standards, they meet the highest benchmarks for quality and reliability in workplace furniture.
Accent recognises that our manufacturing activities have an impact on the environment arising from our consumption of raw materials, energy and water, and from our generation of waste and emissions to land, air and water.
In order to minimise that environmental impact, we are committed to:
Waste Management
Definitions
Process
Product stewardship at Accent means taking full responsibility for the products we buy, manufacture, and sell—ensuring they don’t end up in landfill. We design and build products to last, while also implementing systems that support reuse and recycling when they reach the end of their lifespan.
Our initiatives include repair services to extend product longevity and take-back schemes that recover valuable materials for continuous reuse.
By choosing Accent, customers are partnering with a company that provides sustainable end-of-life solutions—ensuring products remain part of the circular economy rather than becoming waste.
The Accent product development team designs all our products in-house, ensuring every piece meets our high standards for quality, sustainability, and longevity. At the core of our design process, we focus on four key areas:
We prioritize durability and timeless design. By maintaining a standard range of neutral colors, our furniture remains relevant for years, reducing the likelihood of premature disposal. In fact, we actively discourage the use of fleeting fashion trends, particularly in desking. Our classic designs are built to last, both in aesthetics and construction, ensuring they won’t become obsolete in a few years.
We exclusively use NZ-made board and raw wood for all our standard manufactured products. Our primary melamine suppliers, Laminex and Prime Panels, hold ISO or equivalent quality, sustainability, and environmental certifications. Where possible, we source materials from local suppliers, minimizing reliance on imports. When overseas sourcing is necessary, we ensure all suppliers meet ISO accreditation or equivalent sustainability standards. Additionally, we optimize product dimensions during the design phase to reduce material waste.
Every product undergoes pre-assembly and rigorous testing before launch to confirm material suitability and construction integrity. We back our products with a 15-year warranty (with a few exceptions) and design them to last well beyond that timeframe.
We design our products with efficient transportation in mind, aiming to minimize packaging. When packaging is necessary, we ensure it is 100% recyclable whenever possible.
By embedding these principles into our design process, we create furniture that is built to last, responsibly sourced, and environmentally conscious.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests.
Environmental Choice provides a credible and independent standard to guide people who want to purchase and use products that are proven to be better for the environment.
With a Track my Tree code for your native veneer, you can be confident there is a documented chain of custody from the source right through to our veneer press. This also includes a valid MPI permit for harvesting and GPS location information.
Our NZ manufactured aluminum extrusion is 100% Recyclable.
Over 75% of all aluminium produced is still in use today. The most durable, diverse product is also the lowest cost-effective material for recycling
By importing only full containers with extended intervals between shipments, we minimise transport frequency and its associated environmental impact.
To further reduce transportation costs and emissions, we operate our own trucks throughout the North Island, allowing us to optimise delivery schedules and maximise efficiency.
For deliveries to other regions across New Zealand, we consolidate shipments into a single weekly collection, maximizing load efficiency and reducing unnecessary trips.
To enhance efficiency and sustainability, we implement Lean Manufacturing principles, which focus on reducing waste, cutting costs, and optimizing production processes.
Our Achievements:
✅ Energy Efficiency – Upgraded all lighting in our manufacturing plants to LED, significantly reducing energy consumption.
✅ Sustainable Packaging – Eliminated polystyrene from our packaging and removed EPE (expanded polyethylene) from imported packaging.
✅ Recycling Initiatives – Implemented a recycling program for plastic strapping, ensuring it doesn’t go to landfill.
✅ Reducing Single-Use Plastics – Removed all plastic cutlery from our lunchroom to minimize waste.
Through these initiatives, we continue to refine our processes, ensuring they are both cost-effective and environmentally responsible.
Optimised Production
Our programming and CAD team meticulously plan material usage to maximise efficiency, ensuring minimal wastage during production.
Offcut Management
Usable offcuts of board, fabric, and PVC edging are logged in our stock system for future reuse, reducing unnecessary waste.
Sustainable Packaging
We aim to minimise packaging wherever possible. By using specialised furniture carriers for all deliveries (excluding courier items), we significantly reduce the need for excessive packaging. Additionally, we are actively researching alternatives to ensure all our packaging becomes 100% recyclable.
Reconfigurable & Sustainable Design
At Accent, we design our furniture with simplicity and flexibility in mind. By minimising the number of parts and ensuring all components are reconfigurable, our products can adapt to changing needs—extending their lifespan and reducing waste.
Modular Design for Maximum Flexibility
A simple kit of parts allows easy reconfiguration of desking and storage solutions.
The Balance fixed-height desk features four leg sizes with an adjustable beam and cable tray, enabling desks to switch from back-to-back to single, inline to back-to-back, and more—by simply adding or removing components.
Both Grid 40 and Connect are fully reconfigurable, using standard-size frames and components. Additional parts can extend or modify Grid 40 to suit different layouts.
Built for Reuse & Longevity
Steel-frame fixed desks can be re-powder coated, restoring them to as-new condition for reuse in future fit-outs.
Tops can be reused or replaced, further extending the life of our furniture.
Packaging sheets and dunnage are resold for reuse, ensuring minimal waste.
By prioritising reconfigurability and durability, Accent creates office furniture that evolves with your workspace while maintaining a sustainable approach.
In-House Repairs & Maintenance Support
At Accent, we have our own in-house repair team, ensuring that any issues are resolved quickly with minimal disruption to our customers.
By implementing a regular maintenance and repair schedule, furniture remains in use longer, reducing the likelihood of premature disposal. Keeping a stock of spare parts allows us to carry out repairs efficiently, giving customers confidence that Accent products are built to last and fully supported throughout their lifespan.
Raw materials used in manufacturing:
Packaging:
If you are replacing Accent product with new Accent product we will take back any of our furniture on site that is unable to be reused. We will then either:
*Conditions Apply:
The cost of freight and any installer costs to disassemble furniture will be chargeable to the customer. Accent may arrange collection but this will be chargeable. Any desking must be disassembled ready for return. Only Accent furniture items are eligible for return under this scheme.
