The Environmental Benefits of HÅG Seating

By: Emily Clarke, Group Health, Safety & Sustainability Manager

As a Health, Safety and Sustainability Manager for a large multinational organisation, my role isn’t just about ticking compliance boxes—it’s about protecting people, enhancing wellbeing, and ensuring that our operations align with our company’s environmental and ethical commitments. One of the most overlooked ways we do this is through our choice of office furniture, particularly seating.

I want to highlight the often-underappreciated environmental benefits of HÅG seating, and explain why our business has chosen to invest in these chairs across multiple office locations.

Why Office Chairs Matter for Sustainability

Let’s start with a simple truth: office chairs are everywhere. In modern workspaces, they're among the most frequently purchased and used items, and yet they’re often treated as disposable. Too many companies still buy cheap, poorly made chairs that break down quickly and end up in landfill.

This throwaway culture has a significant environmental impact—from raw material extraction and manufacturing emissions to packaging, transport, and waste. As organisations adopt more ambitious ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) goals, it’s time we looked at office furniture as a critical part of sustainability strategies.

Enter HÅG: Scandinavian Design with a Green Conscience

HÅG, part of the Flokk family of brands, is a Scandinavian manufacturer known for its commitment to sustainability, ergonomic excellence, and design innovation. At first glance, people associate HÅG chairs—such as the Capisco or SoFi—with their distinctive look and health-promoting features. But dig deeper, and you’ll find a company that leads the way in environmentally responsible manufacturing.

Here are just a few reasons why HÅG chairs are a sustainable investment:

1. Recycled and Recyclable Materials

Many HÅG chairs are made with up to 50% recycled materials, including plastics and metals. For example, the HÅG Capisco uses post-consumer plastic and recycled aluminium components. At the end of their life, HÅG chairs are over 95% recyclable.

That means fewer raw resources consumed at the start—and less waste at the end.

"We chose HÅG because they align with our circular economy goals. Their chairs are designed with disassembly in mind, making future recycling straightforward.”
— Sustainability Lead, UK HQ

2. Low Carbon Footprint Production

HÅG’s production facilities are powered by 100% renewable energy and maintain ISO 14001-certified environmental management systems. The company is transparent about its emissions, publishing full Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for many of its models. This is a level of accountability we don’t often see in the office furniture industry.

For us, this meant we could confidently report on the carbon impact of our purchasing decisions in our annual ESG reporting.

3. Longevity and Modularity

A major challenge in corporate sustainability is planned obsolescence. Many office chairs are built to last five years at most. HÅG chairs, by contrast, are designed for decades of use—with modular components that can be replaced or repaired rather than replaced wholesale.

This directly supports our waste reduction targets and reduces the carbon emissions associated with frequent repurchasing. The total cost of ownership is lower over time, and the environmental cost is significantly reduced.

4. Third-Party Environmental Certifications

HÅG chairs carry EU Ecolabel and GREENGUARD certifications, confirming that they meet stringent environmental and chemical emissions standards. For a large employer with a duty of care toward indoor air quality, this gives us further confidence.

These certifications also support our work in green building certifications like BREEAM and LEED, helping to make our workspaces healthier and more sustainable.

5. Transparency and Lifecycle Thinking

One of the things I admire most about HÅG is their commitment to transparency. Each product’s full lifecycle—from material sourcing to production and end-of-life options—is clearly documented. This allows procurement, facilities, and sustainability teams to make data-driven decisions about product selection.

Employee Health and Planetary Health Go Hand-in-Hand

While this blog is focused on environmental benefits, I can’t ignore the fact that HÅG’s ergonomic design reduces strain, improves posture, and encourages dynamic sitting. For us, employee wellbeing and sustainability are two sides of the same coin. Chairs that last longer, feel better, and reduce health issues are a smart investment in every way.

Too often, sustainability conversations centre on travel, packaging, or energy. But every item we bring into our workplaces makes a difference—including the chairs our employees sit on for eight hours a day.

By choosing HÅG seating, we’ve not only made a commitment to health and ergonomics—we’ve also aligned our procurement practices with our sustainability goals. In doing so, we’ve reduced our waste, lowered our emissions, and contributed to a more circular and responsible economy.

It’s a small shift that’s having a big impact.