Research, Reports & Publications

Herman Miller's 2010 Better World Report

Jan 6, 2011 1:33 PM ET
Campaign: 2010 Better World Report

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) January 6, 2011 - Herman Miller “Better World” Report Highlights Supplier Diversity Gains, Among Multiple Achievements

Total spend with minority-owned suppliers higher than the DiversityInc Top 10 average; other milestones covered in the company’s 2010 CSR Report    In a 2010 performance that has a David-and-Goliath aspect to it, Herman Miller reached 14.5 percent spending with minority-owned businesses. On a percentage basis, that puts Herman Miller in the same league as the DiversityInc Top 10 companies, a notable collection of some of America’s largest and best known companies, which averaged 13 percent of their direct contractor spending with minority-owned businesses.   “That fact,” says Brian Walker, CEO of Herman Miller, “and many others like it are featured in our 2010 Better World Report. It’s our annual report on our performance against a comprehensive range of corporate social responsibility goals.”   Walker notes that the supplier diversity performance isn’t unusual. Herman Miller has had a program focusing on diverse suppliers for over 20 years, long before it became a business consideration for many. “But we’re not dwelling on our success,” says Walker. “We have an ambitious 16.5 percent goal for this fiscal year. It’s within reach because we don’t just believe a diverse community makes for a stronger company, we act on it.”   The 2010 report charts Herman Miller’s progress on its journey to “build a better world around you” in the areas of community service, environmental advocacy, inclusiveness and diversity and health and well-being. Here are key milestones the company achieved in each of these areas:   Environmental Advocacy:

  • 100% green electrical energy credits for operations worldwide

  • Surpassed operational footprint goal with 91% overall reduction

  • 7th consecutive year appearing in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Community Service:

  • Herman Miller employees logged 13,640 volunteer hours, exceeding 10,000 goal

  • Volunteers built a LEED rated Habitat for Humanity home in Michigan

Inclusiveness & Diversity:

  • Received a 100% score in the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Corporate Equality Index”

  • Celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Supplier Diversity program, recording 14.5% of total spend with minority-owned suppliers

Health & Well-being:

  • 3rd consecutive year on FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For

  For more information on Herman Miller’s performance against its Better World goals, visit http://hermanmiller.com/betterworldreport. The full report, or a 1-page summary, can be downloaded. Additional GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) data is also available.      About Herman Miller
Herman Miller works for a better world around you by designing and developing award-winning furniture and related services and technologies that improve your environment, whether it’s an office, hospital, school, home, an entire building, or the world at large. In fiscal 2010, the company generated $1.3 billion in revenue. More than 100 years of innovative business practices and a commitment to social responsibility have established Herman Miller as a recognized global company. In 2010, the company was again cited by FORTUNE as both the “Most Admired” in its industry and among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” in America, while FastCompany named Herman Miller among its 2010 “Innovation All-Stars.” Herman Miller trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol MLHR.   HERM11063