Think Furniture x Ahrend: Circular Economy and Re-Use

Event Brief:

This session explores how organisations can transition from a traditional “take-make-dispose” model to a circular approach for workplace furniture. Hosted in collaboration with Ahrend, the event will highlight how circular services can extend the life of office furniture, reduce waste, and support more sustainable workplace strategies.

At the centre of the discussion is Ahrend’s Circular Hub, a specialised facility that collects, assesses, refurbishes, and reintroduces used office furniture into the market. Through services such as furniture take-back, refurbishment, and reuse programmes, the Circular Hub enables organisations to retain the value of high-quality furniture while significantly lowering their environmental impact.

The session will demonstrate how refurbishment and reuse keep valuable materials in circulation and can reduce CO₂ emissions compared with manufacturing new furniture. Attendees will gain practical insight into how circular thinking can be embedded into workplace design, procurement, and long-term facilities management.

What will be covered:

* How the circular economy applies to workplace furniture
* An overview of Ahrend’s Circular Hub and refurbishment process
* Furniture take-back, reuse, and responsible recycling services
* The environmental impact of refurbishment vs. buying new
* Integrating circular thinking into workplace design and procurement
* Strategies for extending product life through repair and remanufacturing
* Practical steps organisations can take to reduce furniture waste

This session is aimed at workplace designers, facilities managers, and sustainability leaders looking for practical ways to reduce waste and carbon impact through circular workplace solutions.