The South Bay International facility in Rancho Cucamonga recently received the Sleep Products Sustainability Program (SP2) certification from the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC), one of the few U.S.-based manufacturers to achieve this distinction.
SP2 is an environmental certification program developed as part of a sustainability initiative launched by the MRC for California-based mattress manufacturers. It is a voluntary program designed to empower mattress manufacturers with tools, training, and resources to implement sustainable practices throughout their organizations. The goal of the program is to enable manufacturers to examine all waste streams from their operations, measure, and systematically reduce the environmental impacts of their operations and supply chain.
To achieve SP2 certification, South Bay conducted an in-depth analysis to identify ways to reduce environmental impacts, establish best practices, achieve source reduction and set metrics to track future progress. As it worked on its certification, South Bay reduced its production line waste by 48% and cut its water usage by 21%. After implementing a system to track its energy consumption, South Bay identified an energy plan that saves thousands annually.
鈥淎 surprising thing about SP2,鈥� said South Bay CEO Toby Konetzny. 鈥淚t was pretty easy to implement, especially when we were already recycling the foam and plastic. Without tracking, we did not know how far we had gone by ourselves. With the tools provided, we gained the ability to track important data.鈥�
鈥淐ongratulations to South Bay International for achieving SP2 certification. We are proud to offer this voluntary program to mattress manufacturers across California in support of the bedding industry鈥檚 ongoing sustainability efforts,鈥� said Alison A. Keane, president of the Mattress Recycling Council (MRC) and the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA).
SP2 offers individual mattress manufacturers free tools and training to conduct an in-depth analysis to identify ways to reduce environmental impacts, establish best practices and set metrics to track progress. The program helps them examine the nature and designs of the product against the raw materials they manage and consume in the manufacturing and distribution processes. Management and minimization of waste products are covered as standards as well as how the products they manufacture today are managed at the end of their useful lives by recyclers.
A key element of the SP2 certification process is employee engagement. South Bay actively engaged its workforce in recycling plastic packaging, foam scraps, and cardboard. The materials were baled and sold to secondary markets. South Bay, in turn, used the proceeds from recycling to enhance its already extensive array of family activities for its employees. 鈥淥ur employees stepped up and they are really taking it to heart,鈥� Konetzny said.
South Bay is already applying its SP2 best practices in the new facility it is operating in New Mexico. 鈥淥nce you get your blueprint going,鈥� Konetzny said. 鈥滻t just makes sense to move it onto your other facilities. It is just responsible manufacturing. It is good fiscal sense, and what SP2 does is give you the tools to track it.鈥�