Furniture with personality to work well & live better
At Akaba we have adopted a business model based on the development and well-being of people. We have created our own corporate culture, defined by a transparency that sustains over time.
Sustainability
Our mission is to incorporate sustainability to our everyday decision-making processes, aiming to generate a positive impact on people and reduce our environmental footprint. Our universe progresses towards a more circular and transparent model in the constant effort to satisfy our customers. Furniture with personality to work well and live better in safe and respectful environments.
Supporting our community
Our people,
our best asset!
From the start of our business activity in 1986, at Akaba we have developed a business model based on people, on transparency, and on the implementation of the management tools and competitivety required to adapt to market needs, by continuously sharing the results with all customers in a clear manner.
Over the years, we have generated our company's own culture, a kind of "Akaba Universe" where all members of the staff work as one and feel part of the company, a far cry from the constant conflict between management and workers and outdated business standards. An Akaba business culture with a focus on unity, joint effort and a participatory management model.
Jose Angel Diez Mintegui - General Director
Our work is based on diversity and inclusion, catering for the needs of our employees in the supply chain
To develop a model of sustainable human well-being, we base our work on values such as equality, diversity and inclusion. These principles are reflected, on the one hand, in “Hitzarmen”, a corporate agreement between the company and its workers drawing on Akaba's collective commitment and effort to sustainability. Thanks to this agreement, decent and equal working conditions are guaranteed for all. On the other hand, at community level, we remain close to the most disadvantaged and excluded collectives. That's why we have been collaborating for years with associations and companies such as SOS Racismo and Sutargi.
Other aspects we take care of at Akaba are the training and personal development of our people. We work with a range of educational institutions to develop highly qualified people, and, therefore, provide a working future for the new generations. We also donate our unused fabrics to primary schools as a way of contributing to education, thus helping to achieve a more circular economy.
Finally, aiming to contribute to innovative capacity and efficient development, we have implemented a Total Quality Management Excellence model recognized by Euskalit.
We are working on continuous innovation and self-assessment to achieve timeless and circular designs; that is why all our products are designed under the ISO 14006 Ecodesign standard
At Akaba we make ecodesigned products by following a series of measures from the design of a new product to the end of its life cycle. We, therefore, put a great deal of effort into reducing the use of natural resources while keeping the waste and emissions from our production process to a minimum.
We also consider that durability is key to reducing our environmental footprint; that's why we create quality, functional, hard wearing furniture adapted to changing trends. The core of our durability lies in high level certificates of resistance and stability granting products a long life and full guarantees.
At the end of the useful life of the product, we opt for methods and materials that are easy to recover and recycle, to avoid generating unnecessary waste. We also offer a repair and reuse service for our products and components so that our furniture remains in circulation for as long as possible.
The appropriate selection of materials and production techniques is essential in the creation of attractive collaborative spaces with atmospheric quality
Based on ecodesign and a circular economy, we have launched a plan to increase the proportion of recycled and recyclable materials. Not only do we choose our materials for their visual appearance or feel, but for their durability, origin, environmental impact and life cycle. When we find a new and more sustainable material that meets our quality criteria, we do not hesitate in adding it to our design or manufacturing process.
As for our suppliers, Akaba is committed to high standards of business ethics, meaning that we choose collaborators and suppliers who share our vision and commitment to sustainability.
In addition, we are invested to the use of new technologies and resources to improve our processes and make a more efficient use of materials.
Strategic collaboration with fabric suppliers
We want the fabrics we use to respect both the environment and the health and safety of our users and eomployees. We select fabrics that carry the EU Ecolabel and suppliers who produce in compliance with ISO 14001.
Our fabrics are made from sustainable materials such as natural fibers, polyester, and environmentally friendly chemicals. We also strive to ensure that animal rights are respected when extracting the raw materials required for their manufacture.
Flexible and viscoelastic polyurethane foam
Colored flexible and viscoelastic polyurethane foam. OEKO-TEX establishes high safety standards for materials tested for harmful substances. That's why we use OEKO-TEX foam for the majority of our upholstered products.
Durable plastic
Akaba uses 100% recyclable plastic. This enables the final product to be recycled again at the end of its life cycle.
Selection of recycled and natural origin materials
We incorporate a large volume of recycled materials in the production process, such as steel, aluminium and cardboard.
We look for noble and natural materials such as wood obtained from FSC and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) certified sustainable forests.
Coatings free of harmful chemical products for people and the environment
All our coatings are lead-free and comply with EcoVadis requirements and demands.
Packaging made of 100 % recyclable materials
At Akaba, we want to make a positive impact on every phase in which we participate. From the design, followed by production, to our clients’ projects. In this last phase, we optimize the packaging in each shipment in order to reduce the waste generated (cardboard, plastic, etc.). In addition, all the materials we use in the packaging are 100 % recyclable.
Certificates
ISO 14001 is the world's leading standard for Environmental Management systems. The benefits of implementing this standard include reducing the environmental impact, reducing waste generation and energy consumption, and cutting business activity costs.
ISO 14006 is an International standard that provides guidelines to help organizations establish, document, implement, maintain and continuously improve their ecodesign management as part of an environmental management system (EMS).
An EPD is a certified environmental declaration prepared in accordance with the international standard ISO 14025. It consists of a document through which a company, according to predetermined parameters, transparently communicates the environmental performance of the product.
At Akaba, we work with suppliers who have the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certification issued by the international organization of the same name, which works to promote the responsible management of forests and plantations. FSC® certification guarantees full traceability of wood and its derivatives.
GECA (Good Environment Choice Australia) is an independent, non-profit Australian certification body that encourages producers to reduce the impact of their products, as well as consumers to purchase products made with a focus on environmental protection and social sustainability.