An Interview With Monica Sanders
“Don’t get distracted by the carbon footprint.” While reducing carbon footprint is crucial, it’s not the single measure of sustainability. In the furniture industry, for example, a staggering 80% of furniture ends up in landfills. We need to broaden our perspective, build things that last for decades, that are modular and can be refurbished, that will be re-used and re-loved. To make sure that when a product eventually reaches the end of its life, it’s still 100% recyclable and therefore re-purposable. This comprehensive view of sustainability allows us to make deeper, long-lasting impacts.
According to the University of Colorado, “Those who are most affected and have the fewest resources to adapt to climate change are also the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions — both globally and within the United States.” Promoting climate justice is an incredibly important environmental responsibility that is slowly becoming more and more recognized. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who are helping to promote sustainability and climate justice. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Samu Hällfors.
Meet Samu Hällfors, the mind behind today’s office revolution. As the founder and CEO of Framery, he invented the first office pod in 2010, igniting a multi-billion-dollar industry that’s transforming workplaces worldwide. Today, Samu’s innovation is fundamentally changing how offices look and function. His influence is the driving force behind the modern office’s renewed focus on privacy and well-being in the post-pandemic era.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?
Thanks for having me! I grew up in a classic Finnish household with an exceptionally strong support system. My family was full of entrepreneurs, so you could say entrepreneurship was in my DNA from the start. This secure and encouraging foundation eventually led me to start a world-leading company.
Everyone has a cataclysmic moment or marker in their life which propels them to take certain actions, a “why”. What is your why?
My “why” started in 2010. I was in my early twenties and striving to do my very best at work. Not being able to concentrate in the open-plan office I worked in, however, frustrated me more than anything. It was the obstacle between good and great. My friend and I had had enough of listening to our boss, next to us, constantly speaking on his phone. It was impossible to concentrate on anything! We came up with a less than polite proposal — that the boss go elsewhere to make his calls. He was quick with a response: “Well, buy me a phone booth!” The only problem was that there wasn’t one on the market. The only option was to make one. That day we gave up working for the software company and started our own firm. Framery was born.
We realized that many workplaces suffered from the same problem and had no solutions available either. I believe all employees want to excel at work and get things done, yet the noise distractions in open-plan offices make that incredibly difficult. There are constant distractions and disruptions in open-plan office settings — phone calls, ad-hoc meetings, and discussions. Recognizing how difficult it is to recover concentration when it’s broken, and the significant time and effort it takes to refocus, was a big inspiration for me in creating a soundproof space that workers could use to focus or host video calls in, in private.
You are currently leading an organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change?
We want to change our industry for the better. Building materials and construction account for 11% of all worldwide emissions — and office furniture, currently, is the biggest single contributor to global furniture waste. There’s enormous demand for high-quality meeting and focus spaces, so we set out to engineer a product that meets those needs, but in a less emission-intensive way. Compared to traditional meeting rooms, for example, our pods are more environmentally friendly because they can be repurposed and reused over many decades, and at the end of that long lifecycle, are still 100% recyclable.
At Framery, we pride ourselves on manufacturing the world’s most sustainable office pods. This was my goal many years ago when we designed the very first pods, and even now, as technology, regulations, and workplace trends continue to evolve, we stay true to that founding principle. Our goal is to cut our total product emissions by half, by 2028, while still increasing the number of deliveries. That’s a huge challenge, but we are very much on track right now, and will stay abreast of that goal in the future by relentlessly innovating new ways to lower emissions.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
One of the most pivotal moments for Framery was in 2013, three years after we founded the company. We were less than a month away from going bankrupt, dealing with a severe cash crisis and a product that hadn’t quite taken off yet. It looked as though we were doomed.
Then, a turning point arrived. A global tech giant urgently needed a large delivery for their new office. Our competitor had been selected but couldn’t meet the tight deadline. We recognized an opportunity and promised the client to deliver, working day and night. In the end, we pulled it off, saving our company and solidifying our motto: “For people who get it done.”
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
Absolutely. None of us make it alone. Mika Sutinen, the chairman of our board, stands out. Mika taught me what it means to be a CEO; the responsibility and leadership that is needed to lead both people and a company to success. Most importantly, he taught me the value in resilience.
I vividly remember his advice from the very early days of Framery. He said, “It is unbelievable how well a company can survive even the most severe and complex of mistakes.” Knowing that you can overcome almost anything makes it easier to take risks, bet on ideas, and ultimately create something great. Mistakes are part of the journey; what matters is how we bounce back.
Thank you for that. Let’s now move to the central part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition of terms so that everyone is on the same page. What does climate justice mean to you? How do we operationalize it?
To me, climate justice means seeing sustainability as a necessity, not a choice. The most important part is in the implementation. We constantly measure our impact on society and the environment, and were pleased to find that in 2023 Framery had a net impact ratio of +20%. That indicates that we create more aggregate value in comparison to the resources we use. Our effort goes far beyond cutting emissions; it’s about making sure we give back to society and our employees, too. In operations, we measure our impact in three main focus areas: Climate and Environment, People and Society, and Fair Business. We publish results in all three in accordance with GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards. This is to make sure we stay on track internally, but also to guarantee that we have external accountability to the greater public. Our credibility in all things sustainability requires full transparency.
Science is telling us that we have 7–10 years to make critical decisions about climate change. What are three things you or your organization are doing to help?
Cutting product emissions has the greatest impact on the environment in our business. Here are three key ways we are tackling this:
- Design. Naturally, everything starts from the design. We focus on increasing the circularity and modularity of our new pods while reducing their weight. For example, for our Smart Pods’ chassis, we have a lightweight structure that uses sheet metal in place of wood. Among many other benefits, lighter products are more efficient to deliver.
- Materials. The new Framery pods are made of steel. As a result, our new pods use 23% less material. To increase their circularity, they contain mono-materials instead of composites, for 100% recyclability. The new pods also consist of materials with higher percentages of recycled input, including 20% recycled steel and aluminum, 29% recycled glass, and fabric featuring 80% recycled plastic. More than 90% of our suppliers are based in Europe, so we have exceptional access to low-environmental-impact raw materials, often produced with fossil-free energy.
- Life cycle. The durability of the all-steel structures in Framery’s new products is literal decades, and because the interior parts of our pods are easily refurbished and updated, the life cycle can be extended indefinitely. Our new workplace technology suite provides valuable insights about pod usage to help optimize the utilization of both the pod and the office throughout their lifetimes. Our timeless design choices also add to the longevity.
Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you in your mission?
I think the solution must start with us manufacturers — our role is to act as educators and communicate our learnings. That means taking leadership in demonstrating to the wider public new ways of using materials, of manufacturing and applying supply chain best practices. This gives our community, society, and politicians the practical tools to be able to better envision and make the case for sustainable products and practices. Pure information sharing and transparency, like sustainability reports, go a long way in making customers more aware of the benefits built into sustainable products and services.
How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?
As manufacturers, we must make sure that sustainability is financially viable for it to succeed. If we can offer sustainable solutions at a lower or equal to price than the alternatives — without compromising on quality or features — we can popularize and democratize sustainable design. That is the fastest way to not only create a positive impact as a company, but also to push the broader industry in the right direction. This year, we did that by launching our most advanced, most environmentally friendly product family ever, bringing it to market at a lower price than any of the previous Framery models. We wanted to set an example in the industry, and the reaction to the launch indicates that we succeeded in that.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started promoting sustainability and climate justice” and why?
Thank you for asking this important question. Looking back, here are five questions that have been crucial on our journey toward promoting sustainability and climate justice:
1 . “Sustainability shouldn’t be a luxury.” There’s no shortage of eco-friendly alternatives in transportation, food, or household appliances. But unfortunately, many of them are out of reach for most people. One of our primary missions has been democratizing sustainability by ensuring our products are not only eco-friendly but also affordable — not just for Silicon Valley offices but for any employee, in any office. This strategy doesn’t just benefit our customers — it sparks a ripple effect across the market. When you offer sustainable solutions that are as cost-effective, if not cheaper, than traditional options, without sacrificing quality or features, you also become an active driver in democratizing sustainable design. It’s one of the fastest ways to drive meaningful change on a global scale.
2 . “Don’t get distracted by the carbon footprint.” While reducing carbon footprint is crucial, it’s not the single measure of sustainability. In the furniture industry, for example, a staggering 80% of furniture ends up in landfills. We need to broaden our perspective, build things that last for decades, that are modular and can be refurbished, that will be re-used and re-loved. To make sure that when a product eventually reaches the end of its life, it’s still 100% recyclable and therefore re-purposable. This comprehensive view of sustainability allows us to make deeper, long-lasting impacts.
3 . “Sometimes the solution is counterintuitive.” There’s an interesting story about how we shifted from plywood to sheet metal for our furniture. Initially, this seemed counterintuitive since metal is more carbon-intensive to produce than plywood. However, this move reduced our emissions by 16%. By switching to metal, we used 23% less material overall, produced lighter products that were cheaper to ship, and ended up with a product that was more durable and fully recyclable. This counterintuitive decision demonstrated that sometimes, thinking outside the box and challenging conventional wisdom, can lead to surprising and beneficial outcomes.
4 . “There’s no time to wait, experiment!” In the fight against climate change, time is of the essence. While it’s easier to adopt proven technologies, we recognize the urgency to experiment. For instance, we recently committed to producing the first fossil-free steel product in the world. For thousands of years, steel has been made using coal to remove oxygen from iron ore, emitting vast amounts of CO2 in the process. But now, for the first time ever, using hydrogen instead of coal in the ore reduction process, and emitting water instead of CO2, steel can be produced with virtually zero fossil carbon emissions. Although this breakthrough won’t be ready until 2026, committing to the goal now pushes the entire industry forward. As soon as we can get our hands on fossil-free steel, we will start bringing fossil-free steel pods to offices worldwide.
5 . “Hold yourself accountable, publicly.” Setting internal goals is necessary, but publicly committing to them is what holds you accountable. By making our sustainability goals public, such as our aim to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% per pod by 2028, we hold ourselves accountable not just to our team, but to our customers and the broader furniture and design industry. This transparency drives us to constantly innovate. Public accountability isn’t just about keeping promises; it’s about setting a standard and inspiring others to follow suit.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
If I could have a private breakfast or lunch with anyone, it would be Ben Horowitz. His book, The Hard Thing About Hard Things, has been incredibly inspiring to me. I’d obviously love to hear more about his experiences firsthand. Ben, if you see this, lunch is on me!
How can our readers continue to follow your work online?
I’m not super active on social media, but I do give interviews like this one occasionally. Reading Authority Magazine and excellent publications like it is a great way to stay updated on my work and thoughts.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
How Samu Hällfors Of Framery Is Helping to Promote Sustainability and Climate Justice was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.