We check every seam  

The world of interior design is full of possibilities. But behind every piece of furniture there is also a supply chain—involving materials, production, people, and decisions that have an impact long before the product finds its place in the room.

With over 50 years of experience in interior design, we’ve learned a great deal about what it takes to make good choices. And we’ve learned that it’s not enough to just look at the product in front of us. We also need to understand where it comes from, how it was produced, and how the supplier addresses any challenges that may arise along the way.

That is why, as early as 2018, we developed the SSR—Supplier Sustainability Review—our own approach to evaluating and monitoring our suppliers and supply chains. Since 2024, the SSR has also been an integral part of our procurement process.

This gives us a better understanding of what we buy and who we work with. This knowledge helps us ask better questions, follow up when necessary, and guide you, our customer, toward more informed choices.

Our Approach to Sustainable Supply Chains

SSR is not a one-time audit. It is an ongoing, risk-based process in which we set requirements, gather information, evaluate, and follow up with our suppliers.

Our Code of Conduct serves as the foundation for our work. New suppliers must accept it before they are registered in our internal systems. The Code of Conduct is based on the ten principles of the UN Global Compact, and our process follows the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct. From there, the work continues as an ongoing process.

Here's How We Work

1. We set standards

Our Code of Conduct and our common supplier requirements lay the foundation for our collaboration.

2. We identify risks

Among other things, we look at where production and subcontractors are located, the type of production involved, and how transparent the supplier is about its supply chain. This may involve, for example, production in countries or industries where the risks are higher, or a lack of information about origin and subcontractors.

3. We evaluate

We assess how the supplier addresses the challenges we have identified and their ability to meet our requirements. This may, for example, involve how they handle working conditions, environmental requirements, quality, traceability, and responsibility further down the supply chain.

4. We explore the topic in greater depth and follow up

Where there is a greater need for follow-up, we dig deeper. We request additional information, follow up on deviations, and require corrective actions where necessary. This may involve additional documentation, third-party audits, or other verification that the actions are actually being implemented.

5. We share our knowledge

We apply what we learn to our own purchasing decisions, in our ongoing dialogue with suppliers, and to provide our customers with a better basis for decision-making.

And then the process starts all over again. Supply chains change, new information becomes available, and responsible purchasing requires continuous monitoring.

To ensure sustainable interior design solutions that can last for many years, we annually review our purchasing volume using the SSR.

Transparency Makes a Difference

The more we know about what goes on behind the scenes, the better we can understand where we need to focus our attention.

Our monitoring is therefore based on a risk-based approach. The assessment is based, among other things, on the location of production and subcontractors, the type of production involved, and the supplier’s responses and level of maturity in its sustainability efforts. Senab_Sustainability Report_2025

A risk could be, for example, that the country of origin is unknown, that traceability further back in the supply chain is limited, or that a supplier cannot demonstrate how it monitors its own subcontractors. That doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong—but it does mean we need to know more.

If we identify actual discrepancies, we take action. We then continue the dialogue, demand corrective measures, and follow up to ensure they are implemented. Senab_Sustainability Report_2025

For us, transparency isn't about knowing everything from the start. It's about asking questions, following up, and taking action based on what we learn.

We'll take a closer look at this

  • Our Code of Conduct sets out common requirements for our suppliers. These include issues such as human rights, working conditions, ethics, the environment, and supply chain responsibility.

    It also provides us with a basis for monitoring areas where risks may be greater, such as a lack of transparency regarding working conditions or how the supplier monitors its own subcontractors.

    Read Senab's Code of Conduct here

  • To understand the risks, we need to know where and how the products are manufactured.

    The further back in the supply chain we go, the more difficult traceability can become. For example, if the country of origin is unknown, subcontractors are unidentified, or production takes place in a market where risks are generally higher, we need to intensify our monitoring.

    That is why we want to work with suppliers who themselves manage their risks systematically—and who are willing to share information about their production and subcontractors with us.

  • We also ask how our suppliers are working toward the UN's Global Goals for Sustainable Development.

    They provide us with a common language and can help us identify areas where we can grow together.

    Read more about the SDGs here

  • In our Code of Conduct and our supplier agreements, we set requirements regarding, among other things, safety, quality, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations—both for the products and for how they are manufactured.

    Here, one risk could be, for example, a lack of sufficient documentation regarding materials, chemical requirements, quality, or how production is monitored.

    Furniture facts and related certifications can provide us with external verification of some of these requirements. Combined with our own knowledge of our suppliers, this puts us in a better position to guide our customers toward products that meet the project’s requirements.

  • A piece of furniture's responsibility doesn't end when it's delivered.

    That is why we also want to work with suppliers who develop products and services designed to last longer—and together create better conditions for repair, upgrading, reuse , and other circular flows.

    Ideally, what we choose today should be something that someone will make good use of tomorrow.

  • The requirements for understanding and reporting climate impact are increasing. That is why we request, among other things, EPDs and other climate data from our suppliers.

    When climate data is lacking, it becomes more difficult to compare alternatives and understand the consequences of different choices. The better the data we have, the better we can guide our customers and track developments over time.

From Hundreds of Conversations to Better Decisions

SSR complements the ongoing dialogue we already have with our suppliers. Over time, it builds something that is hard to replace: knowledge about the suppliers, the products, and what lies behind them.

This is the knowledge we draw on when we choose who we want to work with. But also when we help our customers make their choices.

Because the goal is not to gather information just for the sake of gathering information.

The goal is to use it.

Approved by Senab

For us, the process behind our supplier selections must be transparent. “Approved by Senab” shows that we don’t just choose a product based on what you see in front of you—we’ve also put a lot of thought into the decision.

We set standards, map out the supply chain, audit, and monitor our suppliers to understand what goes into the product before we offer it to our customers.

"Approved by Senab" is not a certification or label for the product, but rather our way of highlighting that work in our communications.

And since SSR is an ongoing process, the work continues even after the supplier has become part of our offering.

We want to get even better at inspecting the seams

In 2025, we increased the resources allocated to our supplier audits. In 2026, we will also implement Factlines, a new IT system that will better enable us to gather information, manage risks in a structured manner, and track developments over time.

Our goal is for more than 90 percent of our suppliers to have accepted and signed our requirements and for our audits to cover 90 percent of our total purchasing volume.

In 2025, suppliers accounting for 88 percent of our purchasing volume had accepted our requirements, and 78 percent of the year’s purchasing volume had been audited. So there is still more work to be done—and that is exactly why we are continuing our efforts.

Knowledge that makes it easier to make the right choice

For us, everything is connected—when an interior needs to be redesigned, we like to start by looking at what’s already there and what can be reused. Then we add what’s needed. And when new is the right choice, we need to understand what we’re choosing—from the supplier and the manufacturing process to the quality, environmental impact, and potential for a long lifespan.

That's where SSR comes in. The more we know, the better we can guide you. And the better equipped you'll be to make a decision that stands the test of time.

With SSR, you can trust that we at Senab are doing what we can to contribute to a sustainable future - where people, the planet and the economy will feel good. Together we see the seams and create conditions so that more people can take responsibility for a better world of interior design.

Are you curious to know more about how we work with SSR and sustainable supply chains?

Feel free to talk more with our Sustainability Manager, Lotta Amsén