Return to flip book view

Message WORKPLACEERGONOMICSFOR WELL-BEINGT H E B I R T H O F

TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction Defining ErgonomicsWho we areCore valuesThe OriginsA partnership formsColebrook Bosson Saunders launchesThe Early YearsThe vision takes shapeCreating high-quality ergonomic products Evolving office technologyWishbone: The Flat Screen Era The Global ExpansionBuilding industry relationshipsCreating a complete desking solutionExtending across the UKMaking a mark in the US - The KnollExtrapartnershipFlo: A Design TransformationThe MillerKnoll ConnectionConnecting People and TechHuman Centred DesignA modern approachManaging Resources ResponsiblySustainability commitmentEnvironmental stewardshipSustainable materialsCircular designCarbon reductionHuman health and well-beingLeading credentials and transparencyLocal and Nature Positive Initiatives Inclusion and DiversityThe Evolving WorkplaceOur PromiseAndrew Wills, Design Director and Design Team

INTRODUCTIONThe story of Colebrook Bosson Saunders highlightswhat can be achieved when people come togetherwith a common purpose. Martyn Colebrook, PeterBosson and Brenda Saunders showed the way,channelling their energies into designing and creatinghigh-quality ergonomic products for humans in workenvironments. I’m always struck by the passion of the peopleworking here. We may be a global business nowadays,with employees worldwide, but the founders' spirit isstill very much alive today.We often get caught up in the day-to-day of workinglife and rarely stop to think about what we’re doingand why we’re doing it. If anything, I wanted thiseBook to provide insights into what we consider ourpurpose at Colebrook Bosson Saunders. Since the beginning, the company has been inspiredby its environment. Designers have taken personalexperiences and used them to design award-winningproducts. Through friendships, we’ve developedbusiness partnerships that bring greater value to usand the market. And finally, through speaking withcustomers, we’ve continued to provide them with thebest workplace ergonomic solutions possible.Nowadays, our inspiration also comes from what wesee happening globally. We’ve always followedsustainable principles, maximising the use ofresources in our products and minimising waste. Butclearly, there is greater urgency nowadays for all ofus to do more, and we are fully committed to our roleand responsibility in protecting the planet.Moreover, we understand the impact we can have onthe local community around us. We proactivelysupport inclusion, diversity, equal pay, and careerdevelopment. Our programs to give back to thecommunity generate great engagement across ouroffices. Flo Monitor Arm

The mindset at Colebrook Bosson Saunders is simple.Give people opportunities, and they will thrive, evenunder challenging circumstances. We saw thepandemic impact everyone. Offices closed, andpeople had to start working from home overnight.No one knew how things would end. However, ouremployees showed their resilience and their ability tosucceed in challenging environments; they continuedto work virtually to design and prepare for the launchof our latest product, FloX.The pandemic may be over, but businesses alwaysface new challenges in an uncertain world. We’re committed to helping our customers meetthose challenges and optimise their workplaceenvironments to achieve organisational goals whileprotecting the well-being of employees. We want to ensure people have the tools to remainhealthy and productive no matter the officeenvironment. We want to help create fair and equalwork opportunities based on people's needs. And weaim to do it with all the passion and energy that hasbeen part of Colebrook Bosson Saunders since thebeginning. Andy HumphreysManaging Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

DEFININGERGONOMICSWhen the founders of Colebrook Bosson Saunderslaunched the company in 1990, their goal wasn’t tobecome a leader in workplace ergonomics — thoughthat happened. They aimed to resolve the growingproblems they saw from the marriage of people andtechnology in offices. It felt like the human body's needs had beenforgotten wherever they looked. The world, it seemed, was fixated on piling more andmore technology onto employee desks. The rationale was that the technology would makepeople more productive: it would help them workmore efficiently, making things easier. No oneseemed to look at the workers' physiologicalrequirements. That was a mistake. After working on one of the first workplaceergonomics studies in the world, the founders appliedtheir design expertise to rebalancing the workplace infavour of humans. They helped set the high standardfor ergonomics in work environments worldwide.Employers globally saw that Colebrook BossonSaunders products could help them protect the well-being of their employees and keep them incompliance with health and safety legislation. A company initially focused on the UK became aglobal enterprise within a decade. Even today, in aradically different world where the office is beingredefined, Colebrook Bosson Saunders continues tofollow the same philosophy as it did back in 1990 —maximising workplace well-being and connectingpeople with technology in the most natural waypossible.

WHOWEAREColebrook Bosson Saunders seamlessly connects people andtechnology. As international designers, manufacturers anddistributors of award-winning ergonomic products, the companyseeks to improve the relationship between people and theirtechnology-enabled workplaces.Since 1990, Colebrook Bosson Saunders has developed globallyrecognised solutions for advanced workplace ergonomics.Today, our commitment is to modern, sustainable design thatadapts to changes both in technology and working environmentsis as strong as ever. The desire to remain at the cutting edge of workplaceergonomics is as powerful as ever, with everyone at ColebrookBosson Saunders committed to solving customers’ challengesand creating environments where people can be at their best.CORE VALUESThe world may have changed drastically in the last 30-plus years, but Colebrook Bosson Saunders’s values are thesame as when it was founded in 1990.I N N O V A T EThis means establishing newmethods, continually improvingon what has come before, andcreating new solutions to anincreasingly diverse range ofergonomic needs. The company pushes for newideas and new processes with theultimate goal of enhancing userexperience.C R E A T EThe organisation is passionateabout solving ergonomicchallenges and is dedicated tocreating fun and exciting workenvironments. Our creative processes don'tstart and end with a drawing.They flourish and extend,transitioning through prototypingand rigorous testing tosustainable manufacturingprocesses.C O N N E C TThe connection between peopleand technology isn't the only oneto value. The company focuses onopen communication betweencolleagues and members of ourworldwide network ofmanufacturers, dealers, anddistributors. As a result ofnurturing these relationships, itsproducts have been installed insome of the highest-profileinternational design projects inthe world.

OURORIGINSColebrook Bosson Saunders may be a British company, but itcan trace its roots back to Italy, specifically Milan. It seemsappropriate that a company that went on to create a range oficonic products for cutting-edge workplace ergonomics shouldhave begun in a city that's been at the centre of the designworld for decades. It was in this city that Colebrook Bosson Saunders co-founderBrenda Saunders won a scholarship to study furniture design inthe 1980s. She completed a Master of Arts (MA) in FurnitureDesign at the Royal College of Art (RCA). At RCA, she alsofirst struck up a friendship with fellow Colebrook BossonSaunders founder Peter Bosson, who was studying for an MA inArchitecture. Milan was just as Brenda had imagined it. Everyone seemed tobe working in design in some way, shape, or form. It was ahotbed of creativity and a place where every young personpassionate about furniture design would want to be. Designersworked and socialised together, making it a great environmentto make friends. There was a rich mix of people from differentbackgrounds at different career stages. For someone talentedlike Brenda, it was the perfect place to make connections, gainexperience, and have fun.Brenda’s connections with people across the Milan designcommunity soon began to grow. She met British designerGeorge Sowden, who moved to Milan to open his design andproduct development studio in 1970. George was a foundingmember of the Memphis Group, along with Ettore Sottsass.The group, active from 1980 to 1987, designed postmodernfurniture, lighting, fabrics, carpets, ceramics, glass, and metalobjects. The work was cutting edge, and the ideas were bold andexciting: just the kind of thing young, upcoming designers likeBrenda wanted to be in Milan to experience.

After leaving RCA, Brenda kept in touch with Peter, who had finished hiscourse at the RCA and was travelling by this time. Peter came out to Milan,and Brenda introduced him to people in her circle of designer friends. One ofthem was George, who struck an immediate friendship with Peter that wouldlast decades and plant the seeds that would eventually grow into ColebrookBosson Saunders. George was doing design consultancy work for Olivetti through his relationshipwith Ettore Sottsass, who had designed typewriters and office equipment forthe Italian manufacturer. While working for Olivetti, George created theOlivetti L1 personal computer — the first computer terminal with a separatekeyboard. It was revolutionary at the time. While a different terminal andkeyboard are commonplace now, it was a completely new idea back then. Brenda Saunders, Stephen Hall and Peter Bosson

Even in those early years, evidence showed that people were suffering physically from using technology in theworkplace. There was a steady rise in neck, shoulder, back and wrist complaints and even eye strain. WithOlivetti now invested in office technology, it launched a study of workplace ergonomics. The study looked atdistances, angles, sight lines, and limb positions as people sat at their desks. It put down in writing what peopleworking in the office were already thinking. The position and height of workplace components like keyboardsand monitors combined with seating, desking, and lighting in general needed to be re-imagined for the well-being of personnel. One of the study's findings was that mounting computer terminals on monitor arms would improve workplaceergonomics and, therefore, people’s welfare while reclaiming valuable desk space. Businesses took note, andconversations changed from a purely technology focus to a tool-and-workplace focus. Banks and insurance companies quickly grasped the implications of workplace ergonomic studies like Olivetti’s.Olivetti engaged with many of them, who now called for workplace solutions and computer technology for theiroffices. One of the requests was for metal arms that could lift a monitor off the desk and position it at the idealheight for staff. O L I V E T T I S T U D Y Olivetti AM ATM Gemini Monitor ArmOlivetti turned to its design team and George, who remembered that heknew two young, talented and enthusiastic designers who might be able tohelp. Peter took up the challenge of designing a monitor arm that couldmeet the requirements of Olivetti's customers. Applying a combination ofarchitectural, engineering and design skills, he created Gemini, the world’sfirst adjustable monitor arm that lifted the computer’s terminal, or visualdisplay unit (VDU) as it was often described back then, off the desk. The arm had to be particularly robust to support VDUs weighing up to 20kilograms. For Peter, it was the first significant design success of many tocome and would go on to be adopted by building societies and banks inEurope and the UK.

Confident there was a market for their talents,Brenda and Peter set up their own business,Bosson and Saunders, a product and furnituredesign company. In the early years, BossonSaunders Design worked on various projects fromthe company’s design studio in Hoxton Square,London. They socialised as always with others in the designworld, picking up ideas and connecting with peoplewho were also starting to make their way in theindustry or even looking to begin their practices.While on holiday, Brenda met Martyn Colebrook,who would join Peter and Brenda in foundingColebrook Bosson Saunders. Martyn studiedarchitecture at the Architectural AssociationSchool of Architecture in London and worked asan architect in the capital. When he met Brenda,he was thinking of his next career move andlaunching an architectural practice. They arrangedto keep in touch when they returned to the UK. A partnership formsMartyn met Brenda and Peter, and they quicklyfelt like a team. Martyn brought a different kindof energy to the group. He could see the potentialin products like Gemini and thought he could helpincrease sales. He may have had no formal trainingin selling, but he knew how to pick up a telephoneand work his way through a telephone book to callup potential customers. He liked the work, andmore importantly, he was good at it – arrangingmeetings across London with potential customers. Having a separatemonitor and keyboardmay seem obviousnowadays, but itwasn’t back then. Itwas a completely newdesign for computers.George SowdenMartyn Colebrook

In 1990, Bosson and Saunders officially becameColebrook Bosson and Saunders as it is today. Thethree founders each had their area of focus. Peterwas the inventor and specialised in office products,including monitor arms and accessories forbanking and retail environments. Benda focusedon the domestic furniture markets, and Martynworked on private architectural commissions andpromoted sales. It was a complete designconsultancy, offering architectural, interior,product and furniture design services as part of aone-stop design shop’ for many clients. They worked with small local suppliers who couldturn their designs into high-quality finishedproducts. From the start, the founders wanted tobe proud of everything that carried the ColebrookBosson Saunders brand. They developedrelationships with manufacturers who they trustedto turn their great designs into high-qualityproducts built to last. The quality of their designs and products paid off,as Colebrook Bosson Saunders slowly gained areputation in the design industry. Colebrook Bosson SaunderslaunchesThey worked more with Olivetti UK; plus, thecompany helped design an American ExpressATM Booth at Heathrow, a flat-pack computerdesk for IKEA, and a range of furniture.Like any growing business in its early stages,Colebrook Bosson Saunders faced challengingtimes. The UK economy fluctuated, andrecessions impacted vital markets, and ColebrookBosson Saunders had to respond. The foundersdecided to downsize operations in architectural,interior, and furniture design services, focusingspecifically on product design for workplaceergonomics and developing monitor arm solutionslike Gemini. Maybe it was a gamble, but it didn’t feel that way.While none of the founders had a crystal ball, theycould see how companies were investing more andmore in office technology. No-one knew howmuch technology would be incorporated intopeople’s working lives or its eventual design.Nevertheless, they still felt confident that theywere making the right move. And as theydiscovered, they weren’t wrong.Milan was such an excitingplace to be after doing my MA.It was the centre of thefurniture design world, andeveryone was enthusiastic andsupportive. It was great meetingGeorge (Sowden). Peter and Iloved working with him.Brenda SaundersBack then, there were noexpectations; we just used ourimaginations to develop designsolutions. Workplace ergonomicswas so new back then. I just felt asthough we had complete designfreedom.Peter Bosson

Everyone pulled together in those early days. We had to learn quickly. Iremember cycling to client meetings around London with examples of ourproducts in my bag.Martyn Colebrook

Designed and manufactured in theUK, the Gemini VDU arm offers8" (200mm) and 350" swivelspace with cable handling asstandard. All designed with you inmind to avoid issues associatedwith VDUs in the modern office.Gemini VDU Arm

THEEARLYYEARSColebrook Bosson Saunders focused on workplaceergonomics and began developing an award-winningportfolio of monitor arms, CPU cradles, keyboard aides,and footrests. The client base was primarily large corporations,including global account companies, which are nowinstalling computers in their offices. However, even atthis early stage in the company’s development, itregularly worked with major financial services providers,who became intensive technology users on their tradingfloors. Colebrook Bosson Saunders's earliest innovations, such as monitor arms and computer desks, were developed tosolve specific problems that arose from its studies and commissions. While no two projects were the same,Colebrook Bosson Saunders followed a similar approach with every piece of work— putting the user at thecentre of the project. Peter B, Karen, Brenda and Peter W

At the beginning of the 1990s, the company wasable to start investing in tooling to help createinnovative designs. Brenda, Peter, and Martyn werealso figuring out the best approach to expanding thecompany. They decided that Brenda would overseeoperations, Martyn would handle sales, and Peterwould control design. It was an intense period forthem all, trying to balance the demands of anexpanding business with their own young families. They needed to recruit talent to help them take theorganisation to the next level. Recruitment is alwayschallenging, and qualification and experience on acurriculum vitae will tell you only so much of whatyou want to know. It doesn’t matter how carefullyyou approach interviewing candidates; you can stillmake the wrong hiring decision. Luck may have beeninvolved, but Colebrook Bosson Saunders madesignificant recruiting decisions in those early days.Indeed, on the design side, it gathered professionalswho shared the same people-centric approach todevelopment. It began working with Andrew Wills asa design consultant. Andrew had his design workshopand studio and would become Colebrook BossonSaunders’s Design Director. He was among the firstpeople to support Peter on the design side. The founders could see that Andrew shared theirvision. He saw product development like anintellectual jigsaw puzzle. The easy part was lookingat the individual elements of a product, likematerials, aesthetics, function and cost. The hardpart was making all those elements fit together toanswer a specific need. What’s more, Andrew andthe co-founders were committed to simplicity. Theystrove for engineering in its purest form, which, forthem, had a beauty of its own. The vision takes shapeNobody from those early days remembers beinggiven specific tasks on what to design for a project.They worked very much as a group, making for a fluiddesign process where everyone trusted theircolleagues. Strong bonds quickly formed between thedesigners and the rest of the company, which was stillless than 20 personnel. Everyone felt as though theyhad a stake in whatever went to market under thename of Colebrook Bosson Saunders. To this end,the founders made it a point – which they continuedfor many years – to canvass personnel in naming itsnewest products. There were no restrictions. Hence,even if it were the name of what you planned to callyour son or daughter, you could throw it into the hat. It all reflected the openness and sense of fun thatcreated a team of employees who would becomepassionate about Colebrook Bosson Saunders as aplace where they could do great work and make adifference. Gemini VDU

At the same time as Colebrook Bosson Saundersestablished its own identity, the world of work waschanging. During the 1980s, as personal computers becamemore widely used in workplaces, health and safetyofficials began drawing up legislation to protectthe security of employees in these rapidlychanging workspaces. It was early days, but therewas a growing body of evidence that working withtechnology was causing increasing numbers ofwork-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD).Within a few years, the UK Health and SafetyExecutive published findings that UK employerslost around £600 million between 1995 and 1996through employees suffering the effects ofWRMD.It was in everybody's interest that action neededto be taken. Governments began publishingguidance on what employers needed to do tomake their increasingly technology-drivenworkplaces safer.Creating high-qualityergonomic products In the UK, it resulted in The Health and Safety(Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992(Amended 2002). It told employers that theyneeded to do the following:Carry out workstation analysis & riskassessments for all employees.Ensure that workstations meetminimum requirements as set out in theregulations. This included displayscreens that could tilt and swivel to suitthe user's needs. Ensure that there are regular breaks inthe work &/or variations in activities.On request, arrange and pay foreyesight tests and provide glasses ifspecial ones are required.Provide health and safety training andinformation to employees. Olivetti Back Office

The conversations that Colebrook BossonSaunders began having with customers soonevolved. Employers saw they needed to changetheir existing office environments and rethinkdesigns for future office space. To help complywith legislation, they purchased Gemini monitorarms, and the Bolton watch arms from ColebrookBosson Saunders, which could be mounted onto adesk. They also ordered more of ColebrookBosson Saunders’s CPU cradles, keyboard aidesand footrests to meet their obligations. However, more employee-focused customersrealised that ergonomically designed workplacescreated more productive work environments.Indeed, investment in the solutions thatColebrook Bosson Saunders produced ensured aworkplace was compliant and delivered a realreturn on investment. Since the launch of Colebrook Bosson Saunders,VDUs, or Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) as theywere once called, have dominated the workplace.These "big boxes," whose dimensions included adepth of 40cm, were big and heavy. Monitor armslike Gemini lifted these devices off the desks butstill took up significant space. They also generateda lot of heat and had screens that often flickered. Employee-focused customersrealised that ergonomicallydesigned workplaces createdmore productive workenvironments.Gemini VDU ArmPeter Bosson

Midway through the 1990s, CRTs began to bereplaced by flat-panel display monitors. This freedup significant space on work desks and in offices.It took a little while for businesses to grasp thebenefits of switching to flat-panel monitors, buteventually, they made the change.Studies revealed these new kinds of monitorscould:Evolving office technologyFree up office space for 27% morepeopleLower energy consumption byapproximately 50-66%Reduce office cooling billsCut electromagnetic emissions forgreater healthEliminate screen flicker and reduceglare Deliver a better-quality screen imageNone of Colebrook Bosson Saunders’s foundersor its growing team of designers could havepredicted the impact of flat-panel displays ontheir business. However, Peter remembersattending Orgatec, a leading trade show held inGermany, where Siemens promoted a small flat-panel display on its stand a few years earlier. It wasbeing used in utility industries by machineoperators. Peter then thought that these deviceswould be ideal for an office environment if thescreen sizes were bigger. His prediction provedcorrect because as soon as manufacturers beganproducing flat-panel displays with screen sizes ofover 14 inches, companies began to take note. With financial services providers alreadyimplementing cutting-edge technology, bankswere soon looking to deploy the new displaysacross their offices and trading floors. Moreover,owing to the displays' relatively lightweight anddepth of just a few inches, banks could stackmultiple displays on a single desk. These financialservices providers would never look the sameagain. It was the birth of multi-screen tradingfloors as we know them today. It coincided withthe continued migration of financial institutions tomodern premises outside the City of London tocurrent office developments like Canary Wharf. Yet one big question remained. How were thebanks going to mount all these screens? Howwould they ensure these multi-screen workplacescomply with the growing health and safetylegislation? These were the kinds of questions that Peter andthe design team at Colebrook Bosson Saundersloved to play around with and find answers to.Looking back, the Colebrook Bosson Saundersbusiness and the designers were at the right placeand time. We were all totallycommitted to the businessand producing great work forour customers. That wassomething we were nevergoing to change.Brenda Saunders

No one had envisioned a monitor arm for this newworld, so there were no rules to follow. They wereworking from a blank piece of paper. They hadexperience designing monitor arms to fall back on.Still, more importantly, they’d found a way ofworking together as a team that could take freshideas from a sketch on a piece of paper to finished,beautifully created products. They would have smiled if anyone had told themthey were about to start work on a design classicthat would shape the development of monitorarms worldwide. They were too engrossed in whatthey did daily to think about things like that.However, creating something that helpedtransform office environments worldwide wasprecisely what they were about to do. Peter BossonWe began to follow a fluiddesign approach where weworked as a team, eachaddressing one or more of thechallenges before us. It felt verynatural.Every one of us was learning a lotas the business evolved, and I wasconvinced Colebrook BossonSaunders had a lot of potential.Martyn Colebrook

WISHBONE:THE FLATSCREEN ERA Wishbone broke the mould. It changed monitor arms forever and was introduced to industry acclaim as soon asit launched in 1999. Yet it was a product of the years that Peter Bosson, its principal designer, had already spentcreating solutions to address workplace ergonomics. It was an answer to the problem Peter had identified back inthe 1980s when working with Olivetti. He then saw that human beings and technology in the workplace seemedto be in conflict. Too little thought went into harmonising office environments so that people could thrive,making full use of the technology at their disposal in a way that reflected the needs of the human body. But Wishbone was not just the productof a great designer; it was the outcomeof an approach to design thatColebrook Bosson Saunders hadestablished from the beginning. Plus, itreflected the pool of design talent thatthe company had gathered in-houseduring those early times and thepassion and commitment of a team toindustrial design at its highest quality. 1999 was an incredible year. A newcentury was about to dawn, and thetech industry was turning mainstream. Wishbone Monitor Arm

DVDs were flying off the shelves, and businesspeople were snapping up PalmPilot personal digitalassistants. Fears had been stoked by the media thatthe “millennium bug”, commonly known as Y2K,would bring computer systems crashing down. It was also a period when Peter, co-founder Martyn,and friends used to meet at weekends to gowindsurfing. Despite the hostility of the UKweather at times and the temperature of the sea,which can fall as low as 6 degrees in winter, the gangloved the exhilaration of being out on their boardsamong the waves. It was a way to unwind after ahard week at work in one of the healthiest wayspossible, through sport. It also freed the mind fromthe everyday problems of work and life. Beingcreators, Martyn and Peter knew these weremoments of liberation when inspiration cameknocking. Stop thinking about the problem, andyou’ll get the answer. It’ll find you. If the answer were going to come to anyone, itwould most likely be Peter. He was fascinated byhow things worked. What’s more, the simpler thesolution, the more it drew him in. So he was on hiswindsurfing board, enjoying the thrill of theexperience and trying to forget the cold as best hecould. He remembers holding on to the sail beingpounded by the wind. With just a tiny movement ofthat sail or changing the position of his feet, hewould steer the board in whatever direction hewanted. His feet might not be as agile as he liked,but the sail could move around effortlessly. Afterwards, it struck him just how much load –possibly a quarter of a ton – that smooth,effortlessly movable sail was bearing. How was itpossible? It all came down to a rubber O-ring at thefoot of the sail that he was hanging on to. There wasthe answer. It had found him doing something heloved in his free time, miles from the office. Thequestion now became: could he and the design teamuse an O-ring in a monitor design? It wasn’t beyondthe imagination to think an O-ring could helpsomeone move their monitor around as effortlesslyas a sail to the position right for them. Wishbone validated our fluidapproach to design because itdemonstrated the results ofgiving designers freedom. Atno point did we tell them whatwe wanted; we just told themwhat we wanted to achieve.Andrew Wills, Former Design Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

It was such a simple idea. Beautiful, in fact. But nowcame the hard work of creating a finished productready for the market. Peter and the team, includingdesign director Andrew Wills and designer PipTompkin, put all their energies into the project.While Peter identified Wishbone’s corefunctionality as an arm for flat-screen monitors, theteam worked on its functional simplicity, versatility,and adaptability. They all had faith in each other andtheir design methodology, which had already led tothe creation of a successful portfolio of products. All their hard work paid off. When Wishbone hit themarket in 1999, it transformed how monitor armswould be designed for a world that had recentlyseen the replacement of CRTs with flat-paneldisplays. It became the best-selling monitor arm inthe UK. It could support monitors in both landscapeand portrait formats. It clamped easily to desks. Itcould support up to 12 kilograms (24.4lb) monitorsand it came with cable handling making it anelegant-looking solution. Colebrook Bosson Saunders had now assured itselfa position among the leading workplace ergonomicscompanies in the world. Anyone cataloging thetransformation of office environments in the era oftechnology would need to include the Wishbonemonitor arm as part of that period of seismicchange.Based on the product’s success and the evolution ofworkplace ergonomics, Colebrook Bosson Saundersdeveloped the Wishbone Post System. The systemmakes Wishbone available in six different lengths.This ensures customers can position single andmultiple displays on single monitor arms at theirpreferred height. Designers are always soakingup ideas; they can’t helpthemselves. It was the samefor me when I waswindsurfing. The O-ring ideafor Wishbone seemed to justcome to me, and I grabbed it.Peter Bosson

Martyn ColebrookI could see we were developing some innovative products that would challengeour competitors. Perhaps we were disruptors in a way. Wishbone confirmed thatColebrook Bosson Saunders was interested in quality design-led ergonomicworkplace solutions. Wishbone 25 AnniversarythPip Tomkin and Peter Bosson

THE GLOBALEXPANSIONIt was the start of the new millennium, Wishbone hadbeen born, and the Colebrook Bosson Saunders familywas growing. Fast forward a decade, and the companywould be a global enterprise, turning over millions ofpounds in revenue a year; it would have distributors andagents in the Middle East, Europe, Australia, countriesin Southeast Asia, and Japan. Anyone on a tour of theColebrook Bosson Saunders offices in 2010, in theheart of London, would walk into a hive of activityacross three floors, with a design departmentdeveloping, prototyping and testing award-winningergonomic products to be manufactured in differentcountries. Moreover, a client list would include market-leading enterprises in the financial services,telecommunications, entertainment and media, andfood and beverage industries. However, in 2000, all of this was to come. Few peoplewould have predicted the transformation that was aboutto begin: a transformation that would see ColebrookBosson Saunders become a leading force in advancedworkplace ergonomics. Wishbone Monitor Arm

At the start of the millennium, Colebrook BossonSaunders was focused on growing sales volumes.But how could a small design-focused businessgenerate more leads and close more deals with arelatively small sales force? The founders turnedto their networks, with Peter reaching out to acontact he had at DAS Business Furniture. DavidRiley had launched the company around the sametime as Colebrook Bosson Saunders. From thestart, DAS Business Furniture designed and builtfurniture solutions for office environments. By2000, this UK business had become best knownfor developing and installing desking solutions ontrading floors across London. Trading floors were transforming. Historically,traders' desks had been crammed with market-data monitors from companies like Bloomberg andReuters. The desk surface would also contain aphone system and computer terminal, with itsaccompanying tower underneath the desk. Whatspace remained might have been enough for acoffee cup or two, but no more. Thetransformation began underneath the desks withshared undercarriages, helping reduce deskfootprints. Data links across the financial districtin London were also being upgraded, providingbetter and faster access to the latest financialinformation. Couple this with the arrival of flat-screen displays, and the elements were there tostart re-writing the rules on what a trading deskcould look like. Building industry relationshipsDAS Business Furniture was at the forefront ofthe market for new desking solutions. Unlike inthe US, where banks and other financialinstitutions tended to buy point solutions to solveindividual desking issues, customers on this side ofthe pond wanted a desking solution from a singlesupplier. DAS Business Furniture thought ColebrookBosson Saunders would be a great fit, providingthe monitor-arm technology needed to completea broader desking system. The product quality wasat the same level as DAS Business Furniture’s, aswas the attention to detail, the aesthetic design,and the high-grade materials that went into everyproduct. Straightaway, there was a feeling of trustbetween the two organisations.Our relationship withColebrook Bosson Saunderswas founded on cooperationand professionalism. We werealso committed to doing theright thing for our customers.It worked 25 years ago, andit’s working to this day.David Riley, Chairman and founder of DAS Business Furniture

DAS Business Furniture agreed to include Colebrook Bosson Saunders products in the complete deskingsolution. As a result, Colebrook Bosson Saunders monitor arms were included in every mockup when DASBusiness Furniture proposed solutions to the banks looking to upgrade their trading floors. What’s more, DASBusiness Furniture gained exclusivity on Wishbone in the UK, which in turn helped Colebrook Bosson Saundersgain significant wins with some of the biggest names in financial services. Creating a complete desking solutionIt was clear that DAS Business Furniture andColebrook Bosson Saunders shared a commonculture. Employees were equally driven andwanted success, but not at any cost. When David Riley launched his company, missionstatements didn't exist. However, if they had, thetheme would have been customer focus andunderstanding their challenges before creatingsolutions. Colebrook Bosson Saunders may haveused different words, but the sentiment wouldhave been the same, and that’s why therelationship worked so well. Even today, the bond between DAS BusinessFurniture and Colebrook Bosson Saundersremains strong and continues to grow. The trust they shared from day one remains.Indeed, DAS Business Furniture remains one ofColebrook Bosson Saunders’s most important UKcustomers. The two organisations continue to meet the needsof an evolving financial services industryworldwide. In the UK, financial services deliveraround 12% of the country’s total economicoutput. Its thriving Financial Technology markethas been growing at 10% per annum. Whilecomputer hardware changes and monitor sizes riseand fall, DAS Business Furniture desking solutionsstill retain their defining quality, with ColebrookBosson Saunders products at their core, providingcustomers with reliable ergonomically drivenperformance. Wishbone Monitor Arm

These are exciting times for DAS and Colebrook Bosson Saunders, and I see ourrelationship going from strength to strength. We share a commitment and awillingness to deliver great customer experiences.John Hedges, CEO of DAS Business Furniture

During the first decade of the millennium, businessesacross the UK also updated their offices, creatingmore ergonomically led work environments featuringthe latest computer technology. To capture thesegreat opportunities, Colebrook Bosson Saundersneeded to expand the sales team to work withcompanies outside the UK capital. It continued tochoose carefully, hiring people who were excellent attheir jobs but were prepared to go the extra mile forcustomers. The company employed people whocould sit with distribution partners and dealers informal meetings, present Colebrook BossonSaunders products, and, if required, still get their“hands dirty”, helping build stands at trade shows.The team spirit, like today, was incredibly strong. ForMartyn, who hired the sales personnel, everyone wasan ambassador for the brand, no matter theirposition.While major trade shows like Orgatec gaveColebrook Bosson Saunders great visibility, sales hadto work hard for the company to gain traction awayfrom the world of finance. They travelled across theUK, covering England, Wales, Scotland andNorthern Ireland. They strove to gain time withdealers, architects and companies looking tomodernise their workspaces. The first couple of yearswere spent building relationships, but then the ordersstarted to arrive. They included many financialservices companies, major public sector organisationsand major UK retailers. Extending across the UKThe spirit was tremendous at Colebrook Bosson Saunders with everyone hands-on and committed to the company’s success and delivering excellent customerservice.Brenda Goodwin, Former Senior Account Manager North, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

As the UK business grew, Colebrook BossonSaunders turned its attention to the US. Thecompany had an office in New York and wasconsidering opening a sister location on the WestCoast. Potential sales in the US were huge; however,Colebrook Bosson Saunders was up against well-established manufacturers with extensive dealernetworks across the entire North Americancontinent. To help realise the opportunity, Colebrook BossonSaunders partnered with KnollExtra, a leadingprovider of ergonomic workspace productsthroughout the UK and Canada. This partnershipopened doors everywhere, enabling KnollExtra’ssales teams to propose Colebrook Bosson Saundersproducts, such as Wishbone, as solutions forcustomers’ workspace needs. Making a mark in the US - The KnollExtra partnershipThe relationship would go on to drive significantgrowth and increase sales revenues by millions ofpounds within a few years.By partnering with KnollExtra, the ColebrookBosson Saunders brand became well-knowncontinent-wide. It was a perfect fit for bothorganisations, which are committed to design-ledergonomic solutions. Plus, their shared focus ongreat customer experiences created a connectionthat was beneficial to each one. Finally, the US was also waking up to Wishbone andother Colebrook Bosson Saunders products, and thecompany was gaining an award-winning reputationamong peers. Gemini VDU

US companies were open to testing our products.They were always willing to give us an opportunity.They were also unforgiving over mistakes. Qualityand reliability were everythingPeter BossonThe beauty of partnering with acompany like Colebrook BossonSaunders was that we were bothdesign-driven. We shared thesame values. The wholepartnership was beneficial toboth partiesAlana Stevens, Former Senior Director, Strategy, KnollExtraDesign Studio, London

With the business flourishing, the Colebrook BossonSaunders founders sought to enhance the company’sstrategic leadership. They searched for someone toform a link between the founders’ vision and theorganisation’s daily operations. Having previouslycollaborated with him on a consultancy basis, theyappointed Martin Colenutt as Managing Director tosupport strategy, improve efficiency, and drivegrowth.Martin, who had worked in corporate banking,focused on optimising operations, includingproduction, stock management and logistics. As thebusiness expanded and orders increased, he wasdetermined Colebrook Bosson Saunders shouldmaintain its quality assurance. He supported theKnollExtra partnership and helped strengthen salesacross Europe and Australia. Under his leadership,the network of dealers and distribution partnersbecame global, with general managers in place todrive expansion in key markets.Despite becoming a global enterprise, the companymaintained a “family feel." Personnel generallypossessed experience in workplace ergonomics andcollaboration with leading office furniturecompanies. Many were already well-regarded in theindustry and held in high esteem by the majordistributors and dealers with whom ColebrookBosson Saunders aimed to collaborate. Everyonewho joined viewed it as a beneficial career move,offering the chance to join a leader in workplaceergonomics.Transforming operationsColebrook Bosson Saunders did a greatjob bringing in the right people to drivesales and routes to market worldwide.Stuart CrossFormer Sales Manager – Europe & Key Accounts,Colebrook Bosson SaundersFrom the start, our productsestablished an ergonomic relationshipbetween technology and people toensure their wellbeing.David StevensonRegional Manager DACH, Colebrook Bosson SaundersSince I started, Colebrook BossonSaunders has invested as much time inbuilding the best teams as in makingthe best ergonomics products forcustomers. It helped us in those earlyyears and still does.Vicky RichardsonEMEA Sale Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

I think Colebrook Bosson Saunders wasahead of the game in terms of productdesign and culture. Everything we didwas based on trust and respect—whether it was customers, suppliers orteam members. I loved it.Martin ColenuttFormer Managing Director, Colebrook BossonSaunders

FLO: A DESIGNTRANSFORMATIONColebrook Bosson Saunders already had one design classic: Wishbone;now it looked like the designers would have to do it all again. But was thateven possible? Competition had increased since the days when Wishbonewas born. Other companies learned from Wishbone and bought out theirmonitor arms to win back market share. They’d also devised theirsolutions, developing dynamic monitor arms to float the monitor abovethe desk. Colebrook Bosson Saunders knew it could do better. The small, close-knitdesign team that had been in place for years was as enthusiastic as everabout developing a Colebrook Bosson Saunders dynamic monitor arm. Theteam’s non-linear approach to design, where designs evolved, remained,and designers approached the new monitor arm like before withWishbone, which was like an intellectual jigsaw puzzle. The team wanted a pure ergonomic design that was elegant and simple.The visuals had to be correct, regardless of whether an office had just oneor one hundred of the arms. They needed to be discreet, perform afunction, helping people interact with screens in an intuitive and health-supporting way. The combination of talent, passion, commitment and hard work resulted inthe development of Flo. The monitor arm featured the Flo SpringTechnology, a unique design now protected by four international patents.It gave customers a range of motion and fluid, intuitive adjustments. Withminimal effort, people could put their screens exactly where they wanted.Moreover, they could adjust the arm’s spring tension to the exact screenweight using a simple Allen key. The designers had tried to answer the question of how to stop people fromhunching over or craning their necks to get their eyes closer to theirscreens. Everyone who saw Flo realised they’d created a solution thatcustomers would respond to well. The Flo Spring Technology workedelegantly, achieving the purity that thrilled everyone involved in theproject.Flo certainly raised the bar on monitor arm technology. Its status as aclassic was instantly assured and recognised through the numerous awardsit received soon after its launch. These included the 2010 NationalErgonomics Conference and Exposition's "Attendees' Choice" award, the2010 Best of NeoCon Silver in the Technology Support category, and the2010 "Red Dot" award for product design.

Flo provides an unrivalled ergonomicsolutionAs the market leader in its class, Flo ismore environmentally friendly, betterlooking, and a better performing productthan any of its competitors. With greatdesign and great performance, Flo offers arange and ease of movement that sets itapart from all other monitor supports.Flo Design Process

Flo was a simple solution to developing a highly flexible monitor arm. I was justas proud to be involved in its development as with the other Colebrook BossonSaunders products I worked on. The passion and integrity of the design: youcould see Flo was a Colebrook Bosson Saunders product straightaway.Peter Williams, Former Senior Designer, Colebrook Bosson SaundersOne challenge for product designers canbe bringing the rest of the company withyou. But at Colebrook Bosson Saunders,there has always been a high level of trustat every level. It provided the freedom tocome up with designs like Flo.Andrew Wills, Former Designer Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

THEMILLERKNOLLCONNECTIONIn 2010, Colebrook Bosson Saunders became part of Herman Miller. It perfectly matched both companies’focus on the power of design and the ergonomic workplace. It would help Colebrook Bosson Saunders realise itsfull potential, leveraging the global scale of one of the world’s leading office furniture, equipment and home-furnishing businesses. Not only did it produce great designs, HermanMiller was just as committed to ergonomics in theworkplace. In the same way, Colebrook Bosson Saunders’sproducts were influenced by the latest research intohow people engaged with technology, and so wereHerman Miller products like the Aeron Chair. Theshared passion for designs that make life better andcustomer focus made the two companies a great fit. In 2021, Colebrook Bosson Saunders became part ofMillerKnoll after the acquisition of Knoll by HermanMiller. It joined other dynamic brands committed tobuilding a more sustainable, caring, equitable andbeautiful world. It reinforced Colebrook BossonSaunders’s position at the forefront of moderndesign. Just like the rest of the MillerKnoll group,Colebrook Bosson Saunders would pursue designsthat create a positive impact, shaping the world forthe better for everyone.As part of MillerKnoll, ColebrookBosson Saunders can continuebuilding on its heritage of human-centred design. It has created newopportunities to meet the needs of arapidly changing workplace wherepeople need to connect withtechnology more flexibly.Andy HumphreysManaging Director, Colebrook Bosson SaundersHerman Miller enabledColebrook Bosson Saunders tomaintain its independence whileproviding us with a tremendousopportunity to use HermanMiller’s vast resources. Itexpedited our global growth,particularly in the USMartin ColenuttFormer Managing Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

CONNECTINGPEOPLE ANDTECHWhat is human-centred design? Colebrook Bosson Saundershas taken this approach since launching. It’s won thecompany multiple awards for its product portfolio, whichcontinues to evolve in line with changes in workplaceenvironments today. Creating seamless connections betweenpeople and technology is central to everything the ColebrookBosson Saunders design team does. It’s resulted in greatsuccesses, such as Wishbone, Flo, Lima and Ondo. Here are just some of the awards that Colebrook BossonSaunders products have won:Brenda at the International Wool Secretariat Design Awards.

2025Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design - 'Flo'2024 Good Design Award Winner – Monitor Arm – ‘Flo X’2023 Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Flo X’iF Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Flo X’2022Good Design Award Winner – PC and Peripherals – ‘Oripura’ 2021 iF Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Monto’Good Design Award Winner – PC and Peripherals – ‘Ollin’2020 Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Lima’iF Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Lima’2017 Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Ollin’BCFA Open – Innovation Award – ‘Ollin’2015 Red Dot Award – Honourable mention – ‘Cubert2011 Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Flo’2010 FX Award – ‘Flo’ shortlisted for Product of the YearMixology North – ‘Flo’ wins Interior Product of the YearBest of Neocon – Silver award ‘Flo’ Technology Support category2009 Red Dot Award Winner - Product Design – ‘Rodney’On Office Design Prima award – ‘Rodney’2006 Best of NeoCon – Silver Award ‘Giselle’ Gas Powered Flat Screen Arm2005 FX International Interior Design Awards – Winner ‘Lapjack’Best of NeoCon – Gold Award ‘Jaw’ CPU HolderBest of NeoCon – Silver Award ‘Jaw’ CPU HolderFX / Design Prima Awards - Highly Commended for ‘Loop’ CPU Holder 2004 Best of NeoCon – Gold Winner ‘Jellyfish’2000 The Architectural Review Spectrum Award for Design Excellence – ‘Wishbone’Best of NeoCon – Gold Award ‘Wishbone’1999 WorkPlace - Best New Workplace Product ‘Wishbone’I N D U S T R Y A W A R D S

Every Colebrook Bosson Saunders product is created along similar lines, with designers searching for minimalistsolutions that are sympathetic to their environment and adapt technology to the user’s physical requirements.The portfolio of products includes:Monitor armsSit-standsAV/VCPower & ConnectivityAccessoriesDesign Studio, Hoxton

HUMANCENTREDDESIGNSpeak to the designers at Colebrook Bosson Saunders, and the idea ofhuman-centred design becomes real. Products created following thisperspective feel natural, adjusting technology to people, not vice versa.Every design discussion at Colebrook Bosson Saunders starts by thinkingabout the human body. Recently, with more people working from home,the debate has evolved. However, the question remains the same. Howdo we naturally connect home workers to their technology even thoughthe work environment is significantly altered?Colebrook Bosson Saunders products assist workflows, helping peoplemaintain their productivity without compromising their health and well-being. Whether sitting at an office desk, stopping off in a break-out area,working outside, on a train, at a customer site, or in a kitchen, theworkflow should be unimpeded, with technology adapting to the needsof the worker in every situation.Human-centred design requires hard work and passion. ColebrookBosson Saunders designs products to be ready for use as quickly aspossible. To minimise the set-up process, designers aim for products tobe ready for use in just one action. Oripura, a portable laptop stand,illustrates the point. The foldable ergonomic stand opens and is ready tosupport a laptop in one single movement.

The elegance of a Colebrook Bosson Saundersproduct is as much internal as external. Designerswork hard to ensure the inside of each ColebrookBosson Saunders monitor arm, for example, is as“clean” as the exterior so that a cross-section wouldhave a well-ordered, logical layout. The team canbuild prototypes and test their designs using thecompany’s workshop, whose modern tooling includes3D printing. Expert engineers can quickly turndesigns into physical objects. It helps bring newproducts to market faster, helping maintain acompetitive edge. The continuous push for an elegant "clean" designalso helps avoid waste, aligning design with thecompany’s sustainability commitment. Ask designersabout sustainability, and they’ll say they’ve thoughtcarefully about the materials they use for some timenow. In fact, 54% of the market-leading monitorarm Flo, launched in 2010, is made from recycledmaterial, and 99% is recyclable. As Colebrook Bosson Saunders can testify, therecycled material is high-quality and durable,supporting products the company guarantees for 12years. Indeed, the business can stand behind eachproduct in its portfolio because each design has beenrigorously tested under extreme conditions, pushingproduct performance beyond recognised industrystandards.The company’s commitment to quality commencesat the inception of a product. The lifetime testingthat supports a 12-year guarantee also aligns with aphilosophy of “true warranties," where robust designprinciples take precedence over planning forreplacements. Technology may increasinglyinfluence design, but human creativity and passionremain essential. It’s why designers still considerwhether a product “feels and handles” like aColebrook Bosson Saunders creation.A modern approachAn advantage of being part of MillerKnoll is access tothe group’s global testing and compliance resources.Colebrook Bosson Saunders leverages these toensure that global standards are met and maintained,even after a product is released into the market.Despite the pressures, the company is committed tomaintaining its high design and engineeringstandards. Its commitment to customers and thereputation of its products ensures.Quality is ingrained throughout ourproduction process. Every product wemanufacture undergoes thoroughlifetime testing, and we advocate forgenuine warranties that emphasiserobust design rather than preparingfor replacements.Rob Jones, Head of Operations, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

MANAGINGRESOURCESRESPONSIBLYColebrook Bosson Saunders’s commitment tosustainability is grounded in the mission to design forhuman well-being and be a positive force for itspeople, customers, communities, and the planet. Thecompany is steadfast in its commitment tominimising environmental impact by using resourcessustainably and incorporating circularity as a coreprinciple.Recognising its responsibility and the environmentalimpact of its actions, Colebrook Bosson Saundersaims to be a leader in sustainable practices. Toreduce its environmental footprint, it has created theColebrook Bosson Saunders SustainabilityFramework to address key Environmental, Social,and Governance (ESG) issues now and in the future.Sustainability commitmentColebrook Bosson Saunders’s environmentalstewardship reflects its commitment to advancingsustainable materials, circular design, carbonreduction, and waste reduction across its operations,products, and value chain.Environmental StewardshipAlex Lau, Senior Designer

The company is committed to minimising itsproducts' environmental impact by using appropriatetools to assess their footprint from the early designstages. It uses Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) to evaluateenvironmental impacts and make informed decisions.To minimise environmental impact and stay alignedwith circular principles, it prioritises recycled,recyclable, and sustainably sourced materials. The company has received the Good Design Award’sG Mark for its product Oripura, a 100% recyclablefolding laptop stand. After years of research andtesting, it released Oripura, a design that supportscircular consumption and provides ergonomicbenefits for mobile workers. The judges choseOripura for its completely and fully recyclablepackaging without disassembly. Made frompolyolefins and manufactured in the UK, it has afive-year guarantee.Sustainable MaterialsUsing high-quality materials and developing productsthat stand the test of time has been a key principlefor Colebrook Bosson Saunders since the design ofthe iconic Gemini in the 1980s. This principle, calledDesign for Longevity, ensures that every product isof the highest quality and rigorously tested to meetstrict standards. The business’s 12-year warrantyacross its monitor arm portfolio attests to thiscommitment. Design for Longevity is a coreprinciple of the circular economy, ensuring productsare made to last, reducing waste, and minimisingenvironmental footprints.The circular economy, which promotes reusing,repairing, refurbishing, and recycling products, is acornerstone of sustainability. Colebrook BossonSaunders is committed to advancing circular design,recognising its importance for a sustainable future. Ithas developed Circular Design Principles, which itintegrates into its product development processfrom the earliest stages to enhance a product’scircular performance.Circular Design

Colebrook Bosson Saunders is embarking on acrucial journey towards decarbonisation. The firstessential step involves measuring their emissions,laying the foundation for informed action. By 2025,the business will establish a comprehensive roadmapto reduce its carbon footprint, encompassingoperations and supply chains. Carbon reduction Human health and well-being are central toColebrook Bosson Saunders’ mission. Recognisingthe vital connection between sustainable, safechemistry and improved health, this focus is a keycomponent of its sustainability strategy. Thecompany prioritises the health and safety of end-users by thoroughly and stringently working withtheir suppliers to identify, evaluate, and eliminateany substances of concern. The business holds SCS Indoor Advantage Goldcertification for indoor air quality. This certificationensures its products support a healthy indoorenvironment by meeting strict chemical emissionlimits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).Recognised by the EPA and GSA, this certificationqualifies for many building rating systems, includingLEED v4.1, BREEAM, WELL Building, and LivingBuilding Challenge.Human Health & Well-beingColebrook Bosson Saunders’s strategic priorityincludes meeting the highest international standardsand certifications in sustainability, human health,safety, materials, quality, and ergonomics. Thecompany proactively adheres to regulations throughinternal control systems, ensuring quality data anddocumentation.Committed to transparent supply chains and ethicalsourcing, the business collaborates closely withsuppliers to ensure ethical practices and improvetransparency for customers and end-users. In Asia, agrowing market for Colebrook Bosson Saunders, thecompany works with suppliers dedicated todecarbonising their businesses. For instance, a majorsupplier in China that manufactures multipleproducts for the brand has invested in on-siterenewable energy in the form of extensive solarpanels to make production more sustainable andmake tangible efforts towards decarbonisation. Leading credentials andtransparencyWe are accelerating oursustainability efforts with aclear strategic plan andframework that targets ourkey impact areas. Integratingnew practices more deeplyinto our operations, we aimto set new benchmarks insustainability. Amalie Aarestrup, Sustainability Lead, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

Colebrook Bosson Saunders leverages design and creativity to eliminate waste, envisioning a future withoutplastic pollution. Employees' passion for delivering change and creating a better world often drives sustainableinitiatives.The company identified an opportunity to eliminate reliance on virgin plastic for packaging, addressing the globalplastics pollution crisis. The design and operations team developed a paper-based packaging solution to ensureproducts reach their destination in perfect condition. Over the past few years, they have worked towardsachieving 100% plastic-free packaging for all products by 2025.We have eliminated plastic packaging from 90% of our total product portfolio and are committed to delivering100% plastic-packaging-free products to our customers.Designing out waste also means reducing material consumption where possible. The organisation developed abulk-pack solution, allowing customers to order products like Flo and Ollin in multiples of nine or ten, reducingpackaging by 3.4 kilograms. This initiative reduces material consumption and lowers the carbon footprint ofpackaging and logistics. The packs, complete with fixtures, fittings, and instructions, also simplify installations,saving installers time by reducing packaging removal.The work on product packaging was a breakthrough for many employees, demonstrating the tangible differencethey could make. News of the packaging project, which included a promise that only full pallets would bedistributed, spread across the MillerKnoll group. This success allowed the brand to lead the SustainabilityResource Group in Europe, helping MillerKnoll reduce the group's carbon footprint by 50%, eliminate single-use plastics, and use 50% or more recycled content globally.D E S I G N I N G O U T W A S T E

Our commitment to sustainability at Colebrook Bosson Saunders isgrounded in the mission to design for human well-being and to be a positiveforce for our people, customers, communities, and the planet.Amalie Aarestrup, Sustainability Lead, Colebrook Bosson SaundersAt Colebrook Bosson Saunders, sustainabilitydrives conversations across the organisationand with customers. We are responsible forpromoting the well-being of current andfuture generations by protecting the planet.Andy Humphreys, Managing Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

LOCAL ANDNATUREPOSITIVEINITIATIVES The message from the project to design out waste was clear: change begins as soon as you start posing questions.When someone asks, “Why do we do this?” or “What would happen if we…?”, it kick-starts conversations thatcan lead to lasting change. Moreover, the unexpected can happen when people feel empowered to deliverpositive change. One of the features of the Colebrook Bosson Saunders offices in the centre of London is the roof-top terrace.Besides offering views of modern buildings such as London’s The Shard, the terrace is also a great vantage pointto see the capital’s historical past, such as London Bridge. It’s an excellent place for personnel to hang outduring working breaks or after the day to catch up with colleagues and relax. During COVID, the terrace wasn't usedbecause people were isolating and working fromhome. It was part of coming to the offices thatpeople enjoyed, and when everyone couldreturn to work, and social distancing ended, theterrace became a place of activity once more.Maybe it was because people never realised howmuch they valued the terrace, but being backmade them look at it differently. Whatever thereason, personnel thought it was time to givethe terrace some loving attention.

A Gardening Volunteer Group was established, andmembers got to work sprucing up the location. Fromthe start, everyone realised the project's impact couldgo beyond the Colebrook Bosson Saunders to thebroader community. “Green spaces” in urban areashelp tackle issues such as air quality while increasingbiodiversity, which is linked to human well-being. Thegroup planted shrubs, trees, and pollinator plants toenhance the outdoor space and, just as importantly, toattract wildlife. It worked. Everyone agreed that the new-lookingterrace was well worth the effort and was thrilled whenthey discovered that the space was attracting bees. Inthe UK, bee populations face serious challenges such ashabitat loss, climate change and disease. Helping theseinsects was an unexpected outcome that inspired thegroup and the wider Colebrook Bosson Saunders team.Soon enough, the group also collected seeds from theterrace plants, packaged them up, and offered them tovisitors to plant at home or even on their rooftopterraces if they had them. Work on the terrace was also part of Colebrook BossonSaunders' goal to make operations moreenvironmentally friendly. Every department across theorganisation shares this aim, which corresponds with thecompany’s commitment to improving through the ISO14001 standard. The standard provides a framework fororganisations to design and implement anenvironmental management system, covering resourceusage, waste management, and performancemonitoring.The company has taken its passion for greatersustainability into the local community to increase itsimpact. It is part of the Southwark Climate Collective, agroup of businesses in London trying to decarbonisetheir operations. Every participant aims to deliverpositive change in energy consumption, waste recycling,and supply chain emissions. For Colebrook BossonSaunders, the project is a reminder that sustainability isgood for the planet and that internal operations areefficient. Our commitment tosustainability at ColebrookBosson Saunders is groundedin the mission to design forhuman well-being and to be apositive force for our people,customers, communities, andthe planet.Alex Ambridge, Product Designer, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

INCLUSION ANDDIVERSITYOne of the world’s most diverse and multiculturalcities, London has long been home to ColebrookBosson Saunders. From the outset, the companyhas drawn upon the city’s vibrancy, creativity, andinclusivity as it’s evolved into a global business. Itssuccess is a product of individuals of varyinggenders, ethnicities, and cultures working withshared purpose.Colebrook Bosson Saunders’s mission is topromote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.It believes in working with the company'scommunity and stakeholders to create lasting,positive change. Like many of the organisationswithin MillerKnoll, Colebrook Bosson Saunderscreates opportunities across its operations toinclude more perspectives and voices. Diversity and inclusivity have shaped thedevelopment of Colebrook Bosson Saunders.Multiple voices and different perspectives havehelped the company become an internationalorganisation, designing and distributing award-winning ergonomic products. However, thecompany aims to do more—and build on itsprogress through policies, practices, andprogrammes. It works with various organisations to achieve morein areas such as ensuring pay equity, supportingcareer development and providing more inclusiveopportunities.

Colebrook Bosson Saunders is part of MillerKnoll’s BusinessResource Groups, which gives it an essential voice in driving group-wide initiatives to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion on aglobal level. Managing Director Andrew Humphreys is a crucialsponsor for the Enabled Business Resource Group, which advocatesfor accessibility and inclusion so people of all abilities can realise theirtalents. The company knows there is still much work to do and continues tobuild on its achievements. It’s taking practical steps to deliver on itsgoals, organising internal events for staff to learn new skills forproducing positive change in their working and personal lives.Through lunch-and-learn sessions covering everything fromworkplace technology to managing personal finances, the company ishelping empower its staff. Colebrook Bosson Saunders is aware of its responsibility to supportgreater inclusion and diversity across its industry. It has a long-standing relationship with The Furniture Makers’ Company, afurnishing industry charity in London. One of the charity’s goals is tosustain a thriving British furniture industry with a talented workforcedelivering high-quality products. Their work together gives young people from different backgroundsthe opportunity to gain positive industry experience. The hope is tomake the UK industry more reflective of the country’s multiculturalenvironment. Colebrook Bosson Saunders understands thatcompanies are ultimately more creative and better able to findsolutions to customers’ needs when the workforce is more diverseand inclusive.We promote greater diversity and inclusivitybecause we believe it can impact – deliveringpositive change at multiple levels, through theworkplace and into the wider society.Lora Velkova, HR Manager, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

Our Day of Purpose events (a worldwide MillerKnoll initiative) reinforce that wecan serve as a force for good across multiple touchpoints both in and outsidework.Andy Humphreys, Managing Director, Colebrook Bosson SaundersDay of Purpose Volunteer Event - Crossness Engines Trust

THEEVOLVINGWORKPLACE Workplaces never stop evolving, but the pace of change increased dramatically during COVID as people wereforced to social distance and work from home. Yet, at its core, Colebrook Bosson Saunders remains committedto ensuring the health and well-being of employees in this new, transformed workplace.

Before 2020, employers knew productivity andemployee satisfaction could be achieved by makingworkplaces more adaptive. Colebrook BossonSaunders was already developing solutions toempower individuals while accommodating diverseworking styles and personal needs. The companypromoted how workplaces had to address physical,cognitive and social requirements more effectively. When the pandemic hit, workplace adaptabilityaccelerated, with, many office-based personnelforced to work from home full-time under strictlockdown and social distancing protocols. Rapidadjustment was required. Worried about how theywould survive in this new reality, companies rushedout solutions to help staff work remotely..As a result of COVID-19, workplace evolution thatwould have taken a decade or so was compressedinto a very short period. It reshaped how peoplethought about their work environment. Personnelgained a sense of agency that became a lastingexpectation of workplace flexibility. With a feelingof power, many people quit their jobs post-COVID, encouraging employers to makeworkplace flexibility and well-being more importantthan ever. One conclusion from the pandemic was that not allremote working experiences were equal. Disparitiesin home setups, with people working from diningtables, sofas, and beds, highlighted that sustainedremote working could impact people’s health. Theonus was now on employers to rethink the role ofdesign and purpose in workplaces to maintainpeople’s agency and their physical and mentalwelfare. Today, the office's role is better appreciated byemployers and employees alike. It has become thecentrepiece of blended work environmentsdesigned to realise a person’s full potential. We promote greater diversity andinclusivity because we believe it canimpact – delivering positive changeat multiple levels, through theworkplace and into the widersociety.Steven Souter,Insight Programme Manager, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

The challenge today is to createoffice environments that provideequitable experiences across variousworking styles. Spaces need to beadaptable to the uniquerequirements of a diverse workforceand provide effortless adjustabilityto avoid people working withsuboptimal postures, increasing thelikelihood of developing back andneck issuesSteven Souter,Insight Programme Manager, Colebrook Bosson SaundersIt’s seen as a hub that supports multiple workstyles, promoting connection, collaboration andinnovation. Colebrook Bosson Saunders continuesto create products that help people feel goodphysically and mentally, whether they are in theoffice, at home, or on the move. Moreover, itsproducts maintain well-being across differentworking styles, whether collaborative or focused. The importance of designing workplaces that areintentional and meaningful is more substantial.These spaces need to inspire employees to thriveand accomplish. While they may aim to reducefriction between working styles, it mustn’t beentirely removed since it can foster creativity andinnovation. Colebrook Bosson Saunders willcontinue to help employees find the right balancebetween individual and collective needs, promotingwell-being and productivity so people can flourish. Multiple factors determine how employers createthe optimal office environment for our newworkplace reality. Physical spaces, for example,must support various working styles, includingformal, informal, focused, and collaborative. Theoffice environment should also address physical andcognitive needs like lighting, temperature, noise, airquality, and colour. Finally, the ergonomics offurniture and equipment must be prioritised.Colebrook Bosson Saunders has been designinghigh-quality workplace ergonomic solutions sincethe 1980s when screen-based technology begantransforming offices. Even today, as blended work environments becomenormalised and office spaces become more agile,Colebrook Bosson Saunders products continue toensure personnel can work their desk-basedtechnology and devices, like laptops, in ways thatprotect their health and well-being. The company’s solutions, such as sit-standplatforms, desk mounts and device accessories,support employees well beyond the confines of thetraditional office environment. They keeppersonnel ergonomically safe in home-workingenvironments and multiple remote workinglocations.

I see changes ahead as legislationcatches up with the new workplacereality. Evidence is building thatshows the risk to employee healthand well-being from home-workingenvironments that aren’tergonomically sound.Steven Souter,Insight Programme Manager, Colebrook Bosson SaundersWe are all unique, and what worksfor one doesn’t work for all. Wewant to give people the tools tostructure themselves and how theywork both healthily andproductively.Henry James Innovation Development Director, Colebrook Bosson Saunders

OURPROMISEColebrook Bosson Saunders continues to strive for new ways to enhance the employee experience by seamlesslyconnecting them to their technology. It creates products for ergonomic workspaces in offices and otherlocations where people need to be productive. While the world of work may have changed, Colebrook Bosson Saunders’s energy and commitment remain thesame. The company's passion for harmonising the relationship between people and technology to promotehealth and well-being is as strong as when it launched more than 30 years ago. Moreover, the business is excitedabout the future and finding new ways to enhance user experiences as the technology around us evolves.To learn more about Colebrook Bosson and Saunders and our products, please visit our website.W W W . C O L E B R O O K B O S S O N S A U N D E R S . C O M