Corporate member Whitemeadow awarded key trading standards certification

Phil Reynolds and Andy Pinder

Corporate member Whitemeadow has been awarded membership of the Furniture Industry Research Association’s (FIRA) ‘Compliance Scheme for the Fire Performance of Upholstered Furniture’.

The scheme provides reassurance that a manufacturer, retailer, upholster or supplier of upholstered furniture has suitable processes and procedures in place to demonstrate due diligence compliance with the UK’s Furniture & Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations (FFFSR).

An audit showed that Whitemeadow successfully met the required standards for process management, control of materials, traceability, compliance testing, labelling and crisis management.

Whitemeadow’s quality manager, Andy Pinder, was presented the certificate of membership as a ‘Certified Company’ by Phil Reynolds, general manager at FIRA, on 22 February.

Commercial director Andy Kitchen said: “The scheme has been awarded ‘Assured Advice’ status by Hertfordshire Trading Standards and any ‘Assured Advice’ given as part of the scheme may be relied upon in the event of a difference in interpretation of the FFFSR by any UK enforcement bodies.

“Certified companies will, on satisfactory completion of the Scheme audit, become part of a ‘regulated group’ of businesses who will benefit from the provision of tailored advice in relation to the UK FFFSR’s for upholstered furniture which are enforced by Trading Standards.”