MillerKnoll is progressing to reduce its carbon footprint from operations and products by 50% by 2030. One of the ways the company plans to meet this goal is by investing in renewable energy. Today, the company announced that PortalMill, one of MillerKnoll’s manufacturing and distribution facilities in the U.K., has completed solar panel installation and has begun generating its first solar-powered energy. 

“Our founder, D.J. De Pree, said it best, ‘We will be a good corporate neighbor by being a good steward of the environment,’” said Gabe Wing, Vice President of Sustainability at MillerKnoll. “PortalMill houses central business functions for our Europe, Middle East and African operations. By harnessing the power of clean energy, we are able to make a high-impact improvement to our carbon footprint at this facility and serve as a local leader moving towards a more sustainable, low-carbon operating model.”    

With this initiative, PortalMill is poised to produce 20% of its electricity through renewable solar power. As a result, the facility will offset 140 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to 347,509 miles of passenger car exhaust – almost 14 trips around the Earth.  

In addition to the benefits of the newly installed solar panels, MillerKnoll will offset the emissions associated with the production and transport of the solar panel installation by partnering with Creating Tomorrow’s Forests, which builds diverse woodland and ecosystems in the U.K., to plant more than 60 trees. 

Renewable energy projects like this not only protect the environment, but they also create lasting benefits within their local communities. Looking ahead, MillerKnoll intends to continue to invest in renewable energy, the planet, and local communities.