Office Furniture Sustainability - Building a Circular Economy

IN THE EPISODE

In this episode, Bard MBA in Sustainability student Deanna Diaz interviews Dale Ewing, Founder & CEO of Installnet, and John Friedman, sustainability expert and author, about transforming the office furniture industry. They discuss how 9 million tons of furniture end up in landfills annually and share Installnet's Ecoserv program for sustainable decommissioning. The conversation explores the limitations of current environmental impact models, the need for better metrics, and the business case for sustainability despite political headwinds. Dale and John emphasize that furniture reuse creates both environmental benefits and social impact through community donations, highlighting that "what gets measured inaccurately gets mismanaged.”

Bard’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability cultivate leaders who break through existing systems, innovating solutions to critical social, environmental and economic challenges. 2023 marked the 20th anniversary of the first graduating class from M.S. in Environmental Policy degree at Bard CEP and the 10th graduating class from the Bard MBA in Sustainability program. The 2024 graduating MS EP, MS CSP, MEd and MBA classes brought the Bard GPS alumni community to over 500!

MEET THE SPEAKERS

Dale Ewing:

Dale founded Installnet, a commercial furniture solutions company, in 1996 to create opportunities that help people and communities thrive. The company has grown into the largest network of independent furniture installers in North America.

Installnet includes 350 installation companies serving more than 100 markets, with programs ranging from premium project management services to a self-serve platform, Installhub.

Recognizing the need to move to a circular economy and divert furniture, fixtures and equipment from landfills, Dale developed Ecoserv in 2012, an award-winning circular decommission program. Since the program began it has diverted more than 50 million pounds of waste from landfills. Some of the items were sold for reuse or recycled. Others were donated to Ecoserv’s network of almost 4,000 community groups ranging from domestic violence shelters to public safety organizations and veterans’ groups in all 50 states and Canada.

John Friedman:

With an international career spanning three decades, John Friedman is an award-winning communications and ESG/sustainability leader who has helped global companies integrate their operational, financial and cultural initiatives into sustainable and responsible business practices. He has also been instrumental in helping companies of all sizes rise to the top of the sustainability rankings for their respective sectors; specializing in food and beverage, hospitality, consumer goods, manufacturing, facilities management and energy. 

Friedman has extensive experience helping organizations effectively define and communicate their sustainability efforts, especially as it relates to supporting their business strategy, effectively engaging employees, providing measurable, tangible results and communicating with stakeholders.

A well-respected voice in the ESG community, Friedman often presents at colleges and universities as well as meetings and conferences, including Sustainable Brands, 3BLForum, Just Means and Business for Social Responsibility. He has also authored several books on sustainability and is quoted frequently in national news outlets. One of his books, Managing Sustainability: First Steps to First Class, is available on Amazon.

Deanna Diaz:

Deanna Diaz is a Bard MBA in Sustainability candidate and a member of the Lead the Change marketing team. She is passionate about waste reduction, circularity, and advancing community-centered sustainability solutions

Deanna has contributed to impactful thought leadership through her work with Installnet’s Ecoserv Program, co-authoring two articles on sustainable office decommissioning. One explores overlooked benefits of furniture reuse and advocates for industry-wide adoption of Life Cycle Assessments. The other is a white paper calling for standardized reporting and systemic change in how office furniture waste is managed.

At CapShift, Deanna supports impact investing through marketing strategy, SEO, and storytelling, helping grow the company’s digital presence. Her experience spans social media growth, podcast production, and educational content creation. She brings a unique blend of creativity, research, and systems thinking to her work.

Renay Loper:

Renay is a Clinical Faculty in Organizational Leadership for the Bard MBA in Sustainability, where she focuses on justice-centered transformation in the workplace. Previously, she was the Vice President of Program Innovation at PYXERA Global where she served on the Executive Leadership Team, led five country offices, drove the development of new business and programs, co-led the organization's work on inclusive circular cities, and advised corporate clients on their social impact strategies. Renay also led the organization’s ARC (Antiracist Collective) initiatives, which included internal and external efforts toward dismantling unjust systems. To this end, Renay created Rhetoric to Action, a series of conversations to bridge sectors toward collective action around social and racial justice.

Prior to PYXERA Global, Renay led the grassroots exchange and education grant portfolio at the Japan Foundation Center for Global Partnership, and has served in a variety of leadership roles in higher education, nonprofit, and business prior to that. Renay is an avid speaker and facilitator, has authored and edited numerous publications, including a resource journal, Student Affairs Professionals Cultivating Campus Climates Inclusive of International Students (Jossey Bass). Renay serves on the board of directors of nonprofits including Community Change, Harpswell Foundation, and Girl Rising.