Volker Weßels The discussion surrounding sustainable office and working environments has reached a new level in recent years. What was once primarily an image issue has now become a hard management parameter for companies. Alongside a significant shift in market awareness, the main drivers are new regulatory requirements, particularly in the areas of ESG and sustainability reporting. For the office furniture industry, 2026 will be a decisive year in determining how consistently it embraces this change and whether it fulfils its role as a solution partner for circular economy concepts.
CSRD, ESG & Co.: Sustainability becomes verifiable
With the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the associated European reporting standards, pressure is increasing on companies to systematically collect and disclose environmental and social indicators. This affects not only traditional industrial companies, but increasingly also service providers and the public sector. The same applies to all: investors, customers and employees expect transparent and comparable data. Even though the directive has yet to be implemented at national level, and potential delays or amendments to the European framework may temporarily reduce the direct impact on many companies, the fundamental change is unstoppable. Major customers will soon explicitly require verifiable data in their tender processes, if they are not already doing so. While certain aspects of the German Supply Chain Act remain under discussion, political debate is often influenced by backward-looking market players who continue to invest in outdated business models rather than actively shaping the transformation.
This development is relevant to the office furniture industry in two respects. On the one hand, manufacturers are increasingly being held accountable by proactive customers to provide transparency regarding supply chain emissions, materials used and product life cycles. On the other hand, their products are becoming part of their customers’ ESG logic. Anyone refurbishing or reconfiguring office space will in future need to demonstrate in greater detail the impact on resource consumption, CO₂ emissions and circularity. This shifts the focus away from isolated product labelling towards holistic concepts. What matters is not only how an office chair or desk is produced, but also how long it is used, what happens when it is relocated or repurposed, and what options exist for reuse or recycling.
R‑evolve: Transformation instead of a one-off change
The R‑evolve project demonstrates that the digital product passport goes far beyond mere compliance with reporting obligations. It can enable extended warranties, product-related updates or new service offerings, thereby creating a lasting connection between manufacturers and users. At the same time, R‑evolve shows that products can often be significantly improved in terms of sustainability through relatively small, targeted changes, such as design adaptations that facilitate repair, disassembly and a reduction in variants. Pilot projects that integrate design, data and take-back concepts function as real-world laboratories. They test governance rules for handling DPP data, simulate future tender requirements and demonstrate how take-back, inspection and reuse operate in practical applications. In this way, R‑evolve positions itself as a bridge between the political framework and business reality, with the aim of developing scalable models that measurably advance the transition towards a circular economy.
Take-back as the key to credibility
A central element of circular concepts is the organised take-back of used office furniture. For the industry, this means no longer viewing take-back merely as a downstream service, but rather as an integral part of the value proposition. This begins with sales: projects in which take-back is considered at an early stage can be designed and communicated very differently from those where it only becomes an issue shortly before the delivery of new furniture. Take-back offers build trust because they demonstrate responsibility beyond the point of delivery. At the same time, professionally organised take-back opens up new economic opportunities. High-quality products can be remarketed through second-life channels or kept in circulation for longer through rental and service models. Where reuse is not possible, clear processes and partner structures enable the highest possible quality of recycling. Digital solutions play a key role in making these take-back processes efficient and transparent. A platform that connects end customers, manufacturers, retailers and recyclers within a unified workflow can be an important enabler in this context.
2026 as a turning point
The year 2026 marks a turning point for the office furniture industry. The combination of regulatory requirements, changing customer expectations and new technological possibilities makes it clear that sustainability is no longer a marginal issue. The key question is how offices are planned, furnished, used and transformed, and what role manufacturers, retailers and industry associations play in this process. Investing now in data capabilities, circular business models and reliable take-back structures will lay the foundation for robust ESG strategies and new value creation potential. What matters is pursuing this path consistently – step by step, project by project. The office furniture industry has the necessary design expertise: it understands the requirements of modern working environments, recognises the technical possibilities, and is present within the organisations where the transformation of work and sustainability expectations becomes tangible. 2026 offers the opportunity to connect this knowledge with clear structures and to translate the circular economy in the office from aspiration into practice.
