Innovating office environments for over 113 years

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1930

CEO Walter Idema personally visits employees' homes to ensure they have adequate heating during the Great Depression
1930s
CEO Walter Idema personally visits employees' homes to ensure they have adequate heating during the Great Depression
Employment Levels Maintained Despite Depression
1933
Employment Levels Maintained Despite Depression

1940

Retirement Benefits Offered
1944
Retirement Benefits Offered

1950

Steelcase Foundation Formed
December 27, 1951
Steelcase Foundation Formed
Community Chest Record Set
1953
Community Chest Record Set
Steelcase Sponsors Junior Achievement
1958
Steelcase Sponsors Junior Achievement

1960

Original Factory Donated to The Salvation Army
September 1, 1960
Original Factory Donated to The Salvation Army
Acrylic Paints Introduced
July 1961
Acrylic Paints Introduced
1969
First Environmental Engineer Hired

1970

Fabric Cutting Technology Better for the Environment
1971
Fabric Cutting Technology Better for the Environment
Lighting Evaluation Laboratory Opens
1976
Lighting Evaluation Laboratory Opens
President Ford Speaks at United Way Luncheon
1977
President Ford Speaks at United Way Luncheon
1979
Began Converting Paint to High-solids

1980

1980
Waste to Energy Facility
National Environmental Award
1983
National Environmental Award
Steelcase Joins Corporate Angel Network
1985
Steelcase Joins Corporate Angel Network
Meyer May House Opens
1987
Meyer May House Opens
1988
Economicology: The Eleventh Commandment
$1 Million Gifted to GR Public Museum
1988
$1 Million Gifted to GR Public Museum
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1990

First to Filter Effluent from Paint Tanks
1991
First to Filter Effluent from Paint Tanks
Details® "Wastebasket" Introduced
1991
Details® "Wastebasket" Introduced
1993
Replacing Non-Electrostatic Paint Applicators
1994
Adopted the Montreal Protocol
1995
Joined Air and Waste Management Association
1997
Zinc Plating Process Replaced
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2000

Steelcase University Learning Center Opens
2000
Steelcase University Learning Center Opens
DesignTex® Technology Wins Awards
2000
DesignTex® Technology Wins Awards
Lean Manufacturing Efforts Begin
2001
Lean Manufacturing Efforts Begin
2001
Launched our renewable energy purchasing efforts
Attwood Assists After Terrorist Attacks
September 11, 2001
Attwood Assists After Terrorist Attacks
First U.S. LEED-Certified Manufacturing Plant Opens
October 2001
First U.S. LEED-Certified Manufacturing Plant Opens
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2010

Steelcase announces PVC-Free edge banding standard
2010
Steelcase announces PVC-Free edge banding standard
Steelcase receives the S. General Services Administration Evergreen Award
2010
Steelcase receives the S. General Services Administration Evergreen Award
EPA's Climate Leaders features Steelcase in research paper
2010
EPA's Climate Leaders features Steelcase in research paper
EcoCradle Packaging
June 2010
EcoCradle Packaging
Steelcase first reports its greenhouse gas emissions to CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)
2011
Steelcase first reports its greenhouse gas emissions to CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project)
Community Support
2011
Community Support
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2020

Science-based targets approved by Science Based Targets Initiative
2020
Science-based targets approved by Science Based Targets Initiative
Steelcase takes industry lead in sustainability standard with 281 BIFMA LEVEL® Certified Products
March 31, 2022
Steelcase takes industry lead in sustainability standard with 281 BIFMA LEVEL® Certified Products
Steelcase is recognized for outstanding environmental sustainability practices
June 8, 2022
Steelcase is recognized for outstanding environmental sustainability practices
Steelcase Series1 First in Carbon Neutral
June 20, 2022
Steelcase Series1 First in Carbon Neutral
Steelcase receives a Gold Rating from EcoVadis and earns a perfect score on the environmental scorecard
July 7, 2023
Steelcase receives a Gold Rating from EcoVadis and earns a perfect score on the environmental scorecard
Steelcase partners with Ecomedes to make sustainable product sourcing easier
September 18, 2023
Steelcase partners with Ecomedes to make sustainable product sourcing easier
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We opened our doors in 1912 after 11 business men agreed to invest in Peter M. Wege's dream of opening a steel office furniture company in a city renowned for wood furniture. Since then we've experienced many changes, including our name, but our business vision of always looking toward the future has remained the same.

Here we'd like to share with you a few hundred of the thousands of noteworthy historical moments from our 113-year plus legacy.

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