The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association is collaborating with NSF International to develop a product category rule for the seating industry.

The rule provides a science-based and internationally recognized method for reporting the environmental impact of seating products throughout their entire life cycle.

Product category rules define how to conduct a life cycle assessment for a particular product group and what to include in the resulting report, called an environmental product declaration. Life cycle assessments measure inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan, from cradle to grave. The declaration is the third-party-verified report that can function like a nutrition label to explain the data generated from a life cycle assessment, according to the association.

“We are pleased to partner with NSF International in developing PCRs for the seating industry. NSF is an expert in developing rigorous and science-based PCRs that will help move the industry toward a more sustainable future,” association executive director Thomas Reardon said in a statement. “These seating PCRs are the first in a series that will be developed for commercial furniture products.”