Steering Committee

Gareth Banks

Position: Head of Sustainability
Company: Orangebox - https://www.orangebox.com/

Starting his career with a 1^st class honours degree in Industrial Design from Brunel University, Gareth now has over 25 years of design experience, encompassing both in-house & consultancy roles. During this time he’s been the design lead on multiple new product developments for Orangebox and is and a passionate advocate for environmentally led design. He’s recently accepted a new role as Head of Sustainability where his remit will expand to guide the company’s journey towards significant decarbonisation. Looking forward his aim is to encourage Orangebox, its customers, distributors & suppliers to adopt a truly holistic approach to product life-cycles as we all adapt towards a more Circular Economy.

Fiona Edwards

Position: Head of Sustainability
Company: JPA Workspaces - https://www.jpa-workspaces.com

Fiona is passionate about reducing the carbon cost of furnishing projects, reducing the huge volumes of furniture waste in our industry and particularly as a nature lover, associated impacts on biodiversity and finite resources.

Over the last decade, she has worked with the team at JPA Workspaces to develop and report unique industry solutions and services that address these challenges head-on.

Under her guidance, JPA joined the Race to Zero in 2022, published its first ESG review in 2023, and achieved Ecovadis Gold medal status in 2024. Career highlights include steering the business to a King's Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development in 2023 and achieving Chartered Environmentalist and MIEMA status in 2024.

She loves to chat about all things sustainable and can be contacted at f.edwards@jpa-workspaces.com

John Hubbard

Position: Technical Consultant
Company: FIRA International - https://www.fira-international.com

With over 30 years of experience in research, testing, standards, legislation, and materials, John is part of the FIRA International consultancy team. He provides training and support to customers on chemical and sustainability issues that will impact the furniture industry in the future, including REACH, Biocidal Products Regulation, UKTR, as well as considerations for indoor air quality, including VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) and formaldehyde emissions.

John has been heavily involved in the development standards and has sat on committees dealing with textiles, leathers and chemicals in products. He is a former President of the Society of Leather Technologists and Chemists (SLTC) and has travelled worldwide providing training. Additionally, he has worked on development projects in Vietnam and Africa to address issues with technical barriers to trade linked to materials and chemical testing.

John is also an IRCA registered auditor and provides the technical lead for the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme.

“FISP has been developed for the industry by the industry and is an important tool for sharing best practice and driving sustainability improvements across the sector.”

Joanna Knight

Position: Council Member
Company: Furniture Industry Research Association (FIRA) - https://www.fira.co.uk

Joanna has over 30 years of experience in the furniture and furnishing sector. In 2001, she was a founder director of a company specialising in the supply and lifecycle management of furniture and equipment. She is now a sustainability consultant, published writer and speaker supporting a diverse range of clients to implement effective and forward-thinking environmental and social value initiatives.

She is also co-founder of the Sustainable Design Collective, a think tank group; chair of the Climate Change and Sustainability Committee at The Furniture Makers’ Company; and Non-executive Director at FIRA.

Trevor Nixon

Position: Head of Environment, Health & Safety US and Retail UK
Company: Wren Kitchens - https://www.wrenkitchens.com

My speciality is to develop Management Systems and integrate them into the workplace causing as little disruption as possible. My skill set allows me to tailor the H.S.E.Q framework to suit the evolutionary state of the business; whether the business need is to enhance and develop to the next level and apply a vision; to maintain current systems or protocols; or to initiate a new or revised system. As a management system writer, implementer & trainer, this allows me to write and promote a system "to change a company mindset", which naturally instigates behavioural changes and therefore increases safety awareness, promoting a positive safety culture.

Andy Price

Position: Director – Public Sector
Company: Hunts Office Furniture - https://www.huntsoffice.co.uk/

I’ve worked within the industry for 37 years, both with manufacturers and dealers. I have specialised in the Public Sector marketplace, working on all the local and national frameworks. Currently, with Hunts, I am leading them into the Public Sector arena and winning places of frameworks as well as ad-hoc off-contract requirements.

Paul Vaughan

Position: Technical Services Consultant
Company: British Furniture Manufacturers Trade Association (BFM) - http://www.bfm.org.uk/

Paul has over a decade of experience in a technical capacity. Split between two leading Technical Service Providers in FIRA and SATRA, and the last 5 years in a product technical role at the leading domestic sofa retailer DFS. With a wide range of industry knowledge and understanding, Paul is a Technical Services Consultant to the BFM supporting the association. With a passion for understanding and delivering change, Paul is determined to become a leading industry expert in the years to come.