Helping care companies with the growing need to be sustainable by improving efficiency in the supply chain has been a mission for Kerry Southern-Reason, chief executive of the Care Home Interiors Group. Here, she speaks about how her latest company, Care Home Rental Furniture, is doing just that

Many care providers are discovering that funders require more-sustainable fit-out strategies for a chance of securing funding

Waste is a huge problem; we only have to turn the news on to see the devasting sights of waves of plastic washing up on beaches right around the world.

However, closer to home, our obsession with the throw-away culture is contributing to tonnes and tonnes of unnecessary waste entering landfill. From waste food, packaging, clothing – you name it.

Shocking statistics reveal that an average of 22 million pieces of furniture are discarded per year in the UK, much of which goes straight to landfill.

And annual statistics produced by the Wood Recyclers’ Association show that the amount of waste wood processed in the UK rose from 4.17 million tonnes in 2021 to 4.31 million tonnes in 2022.

In the care home sector, we have to try and do our bit and adopt more-sustainable and environmentally-friendly supply chain practices to stop this.

A vicious circle

Care homes face a pressing need to offer their services in top-notch facilities.

But worn-out fabrics, chipped and scratched furniture, and overall dated interiors will not cut it in this increasingly-competitive market.

Even worse, once a care home has got to this dishevelled level, a dip in occupancy tends to follow, and once that happens it becomes very hard to secure the necessary funding to invest in its refurbishment.

In fact, many care providers are discovering that funders require more-sustainable fit-out strategies for a chance of securing funding. Between a rock and hard place sustainable practices become a pipe dream for most as they balance limited resources with offering the best service in the conditions they have.

New care home constructions have the luxury of prioritising eco-friendly designs and materials.

Incorporating efficient floorplans, optimising insulation and sustainable energy features such as solar panels and motion sensor LED lighting, can lower energy consumption and costs.

Additionally, sustainable building practices can enhance the overall wellbeing of residents by creating healthier living environments with improved air quality and natural light​.

Timeless designs

Whether starting from a blank canvas or retrofitting, we have focused on being more supportive of sustainability goals.

Mindful of the cost pressures operators face, we have developed a service that can reduce direct costs while enabling greater efficiency of resources via a renting model.

Our rental system from Care Home Renal Furniture not only allows care homes to upgrade without the high costs associated with refurbishment, but also helps reduce their environmental footprint.

With this model, care homes benefit from timeless designs that never date, and our furniture is manufactured in the UK and FSC certified, so also benefits from a waste-avoidance approach through our ‘repair and reuse’ approach.

With its 30-year lifecycle, the furniture is tough and robust, more so than general domestic furniture, and is offered with a five-year refurbishment service where a technician will remove and repair scratches, chips, dints, and any other defects.

The additional bonus of leasing is it doesn’t affect EBITDAR (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortisation, and restructuring or rent costs) due to new accounting reporting of leases.

The furniture is refurbished in our UK solar-powered workrooms, stripped back to its bare bones, resprayed, and offered back into the market for use.

This approach not only provides modern and fit-for-purpose furniture, but also embodies the very essence of re-using and recycling.

And it dismisses the concept of single-use furniture and represents good value for money above anything else.

Embracing good practice

Environmentally-friendly supply chain management can be achieved in many ways. But this method ensures products are sourced from suppliers that meet a strict eco criteria, reducing energy use and minimising waste.

By embracing these practices, care homes can make significant steps in reducing their environmental impact while improving the quality of the environment they provide care in.

Implementing a greener purchasing strategy, optimising supply chains, and adopting a holistic approach to caring for the environment are essential steps toward a more-financially-sustainable future for the care sector.

For those who live in care homes, don’t they deserve to live in a home that’s well furnished?

This model ensures a comfortable space that is consistently updated to meet modern standards, contributing to a better quality of life.