I support the UN Sustainable Development Goals

I have made a commitment to work towards these goals.

Exdi Furniture is a micro business and some steps I am taking towards achieving these goals, may be tiny but not less important. What i learnt so far in my sustainability journey, every little action helps. 

I am thankful to Small Business Britain and their recent programme Green Skills for Small Business. Thank you for encouraging and inspiring me to create this page—I am proud to share actions I am already taking towards achieving these goals or thoughts and promises that are important for me personally and as a business. Some goal actions are very personal too- it is only me at the moment behind Exdi Furniture!

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to transform our world. They are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. In 2015, all the countries in the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it sets out 17 Goals.

1. No poverty

Individuals living in extreme poverty around the world increased for the first time in a generation. The numbers are shocking, and it's now time for all of us to come together and help.

At Exdi Furniture:

1. I am recruiting local courier drivers.
2. In the case of hiring employees, I would give all applicants a fair shot and not base their potential on their social status. The private sector has a major role to play in determining whether the growth it creates is inclusive and contributes to poverty reduction.
3. Helping the local community by giving away furniture or furniture parts to those who may need it the most. Access to basic necessities, such as furniture, can significantly improve the quality of life for those in need.

A society free from poverty is more peaceful, stable, innovative, and equal.

2. No Hunger

We all want our families to have enough safe and nutritious food to eat.  A world with zero hunger can positively impact our economies, health, education, equality, and social development. 

• As a small business, all company values and goals are also my personal commitments. While Exdi Furniture continues to explore ways to best achieve these objectives, it has become a personal habit for me to clear out my pantry monthly and search for surplus food. This practice is an excellent way to support your local Food Bank. Please check local drop off points if you can help as well.

If you are Arnold resident, please check Food Club membership too (based at Arnold Methodist Church). It is weekly food club where you can purchase a box of food for £4 (normally costing approx £15). They work with FareShare who provide good quality food to prevent it going to waste.

3. Good Health and Well-Being

As a small business I am starting by promoting and protecting my own health and the health of those around me, by making well-informed choices. 

Also I hope I can reach this Good Health and Well-Being goal by promoting local programs like Bloom & Nourish Project by Spritely Sustainable C.I.C. (We have both been nominated for Gedling Hero Award in Environment Hero category, and I am excited they contacted me asked to spread the word). They will be introducing local well-being workshops, community allotment gardens, sensory playzones and much more. 

4. Quality Education

Achieving inclusive, equitable, and quality education for all will require substantial effort. At Exdi Furniture, I am taking small but important steps by educating the local community and my customers about sustainability.

On the Exdi Furniture website, you will find links to the UN SDG pages, showcasing how my actions align with these goals. Additionally, I share sustainable messages on my social media platforms.

I am promoting sustainable choices—by choosing ex-display furniture, you are making a sustainable choice, perhaps without being fully aware of it.

5. Gender Equality

As businesswoman I am happy to see changes, but we all need to work together to achieve these goals. Many businesses inspire me as a business owner, by supporting employees who will use their maternity or paternity leave; making sure to compensate employees equally based on their roles and skills, not on their gender; Ensuring fair hiring evaluations, gender ratio, and rules and regulations to help them keep the hiring process in check.

• At the moment, Exdi Furniture is part of women's networking group Nottingham Working Mums Network.

6. Clean Water and Sanitation

It is so sad that safe drinking water and hygiene are still out of reach for billions. As a business, it is great to know that the site where the Exdi Furniture showroom is located is taking some actions:

• The Exdi Furniture showroom is located at Bizspace Nottingham site, and taps have been installed that turn off automatically. I am excited to see that they are developing waste and water management programme. 

At the moment I am exploring ways to promote World Water Day and World Toilet Day campaigns that aim to provide information and inspiration to take action on hygiene issues. 

 It is important we all  start with the easy daily practices. 

7. Affordable and Clean Energy

Energy remains one of the dominant factors leading to climate change, accounting for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions.

While the world has been moving towards goal 7 with more people in poorer countries getting access to energy and renewable energy being developed and put in use, we can do so much more.

• Exdi Furniture is only open by appointment, meaning electricity is only used when essential. I am proud to offer my clients flexible hours for collections or viewings 7 days a week from 9 am to 8 pm. This not only gives clients the chance for private access to shop around but also helps me save money on energy, keeping my business sustainable.
• To reduce carbon emissions, I am walking to the showroom. Lucky to find this unit so close to where we live! 
• Bizspace Sites (where Exdi Furniture is located) are powered exclusively with renewable electricity
• Sites are installed with smart meters
• Personally I'm turning my appliances off completely when not in use, including my computer.

Exdi Furniture showroom is based at Bizspace Nottingham Arnold and Bizspace's as a business goal is: Our overarching goal is to reduce our carbon footprint, achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2045 and have a positive environmental and social impact across our platform, portfolio, and value chain.

8. Decent Work and Economic Growth

Exdi Furniture is a growing business, and this goal is my personal goal and promise to when I am in a position to employ a team member. Working hard and creating a working space for myself and also being employed before this, I understand importance of workplace that promotes overall well-being.

9. Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• One of Exdi Furniture's initiatives is to invite public to recycle. I offer cardboard boxes and other packaging materials for their projects.
• I encourage my customers to upcycle before they decide to buy by offering free furniture parts and fixings for their projects. 

I hope these small steps will reduce the number of new products being made.

10. Reduce Inequalities

Global inequality affects us all, no matter who we are or where we are from. This goal also includes supporting migrants and refugees. And it is very close to my heart personally, being the one who arrived in UK in 2010 to start a new life. 

I will do my research how I can meet this goal in the future.

11. Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Bizspace Sites (where Exdi Furniture is located) are powered exclusively with renewable electricity
• To reduce carbon emissions, I am walking to the showroom. Lucky to find this unit so close to where we live! (Did you know that cycling to work can reduce up to 6% of your carbon footprint?)
• I use Shiply platforms for deliveries outside Nottingham. (Shiply’s aim is to reduce the number of empty lorries travelling around the country by providing them with a platform where they can browse for jobs to fill their vehicles on return journeys or when they are part-full. This not only results in discounted rates for customers but reduces the number of unnecessary journeys made by vehicles on the roads by making the journeys they do make more efficient.)

 12. Responsible Consumption and Production

At Exdi Furniture I am always encouraging my customers to reduce, reuse and recycle.

• Packaging materials like cardboard boxes, polystyrene foam boards and foam wrap are freely available for local businesses and public Nottingham. Its perfect for small or large parcels or if moving houses. If not taken, it is all recycled or used again to protect furniture in transit.
• Damaged or incomplete furniture is available free of charge for upcycling projects—from small fixings like bolts, drawer runners, to table tops, legs, or MDF boards that are perfect for various DIY projects. I love hearing stories about how this also helps withmental well-being by keeping my customers busy!
• I have created a page "DIY" on my website where you can reserve or purchase items at affordable prices. This platform allows you to access the specific items that you and helps me to minimise the waste
• Exdi Furniture showroom is open by appointment only, this not only gives you personalised shopping experience but also aligns with my commitment to sustainability. By limiting my electricity usage to the times when customers are present, I significantly reduce my business' carbon footprint. 
• Also, very simply I use furniture assembling instruction pages as girls activity sheets- they love colouring and adding accessories to the furniture. 

13.  Climate Action

Now or never, we need to take climate action.

• At Exdi Furniture showroom and at home (I am also working from home) I  have LED lights. It uses 95% of its energy to become light, leaving only 5% wasted energy 
• My suppliers are UK based
• Exdi Furniture is offering free local delivery and combining orders to reduce fuel emission. 
• Lights in the showroom used only if customers are visiting (showroom open by appointment only). Appliances switched off if not used.
• Using renewable electricity
• Reusing packaging materials, including printed furniture assembly instructions as our daughters' activity pages.
• Personally, I am very passionate about addressing food wastage. Please check and try Too GOOD too Go app. Use the app to explore shops and restaurants in your local area and save Surprise Bags of surplus food from going to waste at a great price. Last year I save 19 bags and avoided CO2e (CO2e stands for carbon dioxide equivalent. While CO2 only accounts for carbon dioxide, CO2e accounts for carbon dioxide as well as other greenhouse gases).

14. Life Below Water

The ocean covers 75% of our Earth and is a home to over 200,000 species. And yet, approximately 40% of our precious water bodies is being affected by pollution. Plastic pollution is causing severe harm to our environment, especially in our oceans.

• In case I receive brand new / packed items and there are some plastic, I am trying my best to reuse it protecting furniture, give it away as packaging materials for other businesses and public or recycle.
• I am limiting single use plastic at my business and personally. 
• I am only using water for cleaning furniture

Every small change makes a huge impact in the long run.

15. Life on Land

• By selling ex display furniture I am hoping to minimise furniture waste. I do understand that used furniture is not for everyone, not all of have skills to upcycle or make something, and I believe ex display items are perfect solution. Making sustainable choices has never been easier. You know I shout about it and want to make you aware that sometimes being more sustainable doesn't require you to change your lifestyle or spend extra money. It's the opposite – you save your money, then you buy ex-display furniture
• As mentioned in Goal 14, I am limiting single use plastic at my business and personally.
• Suppliers use sustainable materials
• Also, very simply, I use furniture assembly instruction pages as girls' activity sheets—they love colouring and adding accessories to the furniture pictures.
• Last summer, created a video showing how furniture parts can be used for fun kids activities. Drawer bottoms are great for summer days activities- it is easy to paint on and wash it again and again! Watch this video

16. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

This goal aligns with the broader human rights framework by promoting societies that respect and uphold individual rights, as well as the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and access to information.

• Furniture brands you can find at Exdi Furniture, have published Modern Slavery Statements.

What can we do? Exercise your rights to hold your elected officials to account, to freedom of information and share your opinion with your elected representatives. Promote inclusion and respect towards people of different ethnic origins, religions, gender, sexual orientations or different opinions.

17.Partnership for the Goals

I am personally excited about urging businesses to join collaborations dedicated to responsible actions in pursuit of various global goals. 

• Exdi Furniture is collaborating with local interior designer Danielle from Macanta Interiors to offer home staging service for property developers or someone selling property. Our services include furniture rental and we encourage our customers to use what they already have before they buy brand new. Please check our business page - Sell Ready Styling.

I believe that even small steps like these in my ongoing sustainability journey contribute to a more sustainable future for my business and the planet.

If you have suggestions or advice- please let me know!

I am also excited to share these badges that highlight my urge to learn more about sustainability topics

Sources and inspiration:

https://b1g1.com/sustainable-development-goals-guide#No-Poverty

https://blueprint.unglobalcompact.org/sdgs/sdg16/

https://www.sdgmonitor.co/post/sustainable-development-goals-on-a-small-business-scale

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/peace-justice/

https://blackcatsoaphouse.co.uk/index.html/