Meeting NHS Office Furniture Standards Through Office Furniture Refurbishment: A Guide for NHS Procurement Teams

Ida Gorecka • March 3, 2025

Big changes are happening in NHS procurement, and your trust needs to be ready. With 76% of NHS energy use coming from fossil fuels [source: BMJ 2024-079259] and ambitious Net Zero targets to meet, every procurement decision matters more than ever. 


But here's something you might not know: the office furniture you choose for your facilities today can help to drive change in your environmental impact tomorrow. Even better, making sustainable choices doesn't mean going over your budget or missing deadlines.


Think about your last furniture purchase. What if it could have:


  • Cut your carbon footprint 
  • Arrived faster than traditional options
  • Helped your trust meet its green goals
  • Saved you money


Want to see how your next procurement decision could tick all these boxes? Get in touch. We understand the challenges NHS trusts face, and we're here to make your work easier.


In this guide, we'll show you how office furniture refurbishment can help meet NHS standards while hitting your sustainability targets - all within budget and project timelines.

What This Means for Your NHS Trust

The traditional 'buy new, use, dispose' approach to NHS procurement is no longer sustainable - for budgets or the environment. 


The NHS is pioneering a new path, becoming the world's first health serviceto commit to net zero carbon emissions. We're already seeing impressive results - NHS teams have cut emissions equal to the power used by 1.1 million homes each year!


At the heart of this transformation is a shift to a circular economy, where furniture is refurbished and reused rather than thrown away. This approach does more than just support the Greener NHS initiative - it helps your trust:


  • Make smarter use of budgets
  • Meet sustainability targets
  • Stay fully compliant with NHS frameworks
  • Reduce waste across multiple facilities


Click here to find out more about circular economy and what England's new circular economy strategy means for your business.


For procurement teams managing multiple sites, this creates an opportunity to rethink how you source and manage office furniture. The goal isn't just hitting green targets, but getting better value from every pound while maintaining the high standards the NHS demands.


Have questions? Reach out to us to explore tailored solutions for your trust’s procurement needs.

The Benefits of Choosing Refurbished Office Furniture

1. Cost Savings Without Cutting Corners

Budgets are tight, every NHS procurement team knows that. Refurbished office furniture can reduce costs, freeing up vital funds for other areas without compromising on quality or compliance.


2. No Long Lead Times Get What You Need, Fast

Unlike brand-new furniture, which often comes with frustratingly long lead times, refurbished furniture is available immediately, ensuring rapid deployment with no disruption to your day-to-day operations.


3. 100% Compliance with NHS Procurement Standards

Every procurement decision has to meet strict NHS framework agreements. At Coggin SOS, our refurbished furniture fully complies with NHS health, safety, and sustainability standards, making it a hassle-free, risk-free choice for procurement teams.


4. A Huge Step Towards NHS Net Zero Targets

The NHS has made a bold commitment to reach Net Zero by 2045, and procurement teams play an important part in making that happen. Choosing refurbished furniture over new means:


  • Less waste-keeping perfectly good furniture out of landfill
  • Lower carbon emissions-cutting down on the energy-intensive manufacturing process
  • Fewer raw materials used-reducing environmental impact across the supply chain
  • It’s one of the most effective, immediate ways NHS trusts can take action on sustainability.


Learn how NHS infrastructure is adapting for a greener future.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ Second-Hand Office Furniture Solution

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust faced a challenge familiar to many NHS procurement teams: how to upgrade office spaces efficiently while keeping costs down and aligning with NHS sustainability targets.


A Partnership for Achieving ESG Targets through Refurbished Office Furniture


The trust chose Coggin SOS as their main supplier, not just for used refurbished office furniture, but also for furniture refurbishment and zero-landfill office clearance services.


The trust’s team had a clear vision: create a greener, more eco-friendly working environment for their staff, patients, and visitors. Through our partnership, they achieved this while keeping costs down compared to buying new office furniture. Their choice helped reduce carbon emissions, saved valuable resources, and kept functional office furniture out of landfills, and supported the circular economy.


Making Sustainability Work


By choosing second-hand refurbished office furniture, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals shows how NHS trusts can make fast progress toward their ESG and net-zero targets while maintaining professional standards. 


Find out more about this project here.


Want to learn how your trust could benefit from sustainable office solutions? Get in touch today and let our team run you through the options. 

Why Lancashire's Teaching Hospitals’ Success Story Could Be Your Blueprint

The choices you make about office furniture today will shape your NHS trust’s future. Many NHS procurement teams are already making the switch to sustainable options and seeing the results. You can either be the person who made positive changes happen, or the one who had to explain why they didn't. 


Ready to see what's possible for your office furniture project? Your next smart choice could be just around the corner. Simply get in touch.

Reworking Workspaces: How Refurbished and Resized Office Desks Save Money and the Planet

By Ida Gorecka • June 2, 2025
Our approach to workspace design is evolving as organisations recognise the enormous waste and environmental impact of the traditional "buy new, dispose later" furniture cycle. Every year, organisations across the UK retire thousands of perfectly usable office desks-not because they’re damaged, but due to layout changes, branding updates, or relocations. These desks often end up in landfills , despite being made from valuable materials that require large amounts of energy and resources to produce. This disposable mentality is costing your business money AND damaging the planet by wasting valuable resources. But what if there was a solution that saved you money while reducing your carbon footprint ? By choosing refurbished and resized office desks, you can make smarter, more sustainable choices that help reduce waste , cut costs , and create premium-quality offices - all without the lengthy lead times that accompany new furniture purchases. If you've never considered refurbished desks before, you're in the right place to learn why they should be your obvious choice for your next project. But even if you have, keep reading for valuable insights into how refurbished and resized desks can improve sustainability initiatives, maximise cost savings, and support long-term business goals. Curious to see what’s available? Browse our current inventory of high-quality refurbished desks-updated daily and ready for fast delivery.

Finding the Balance: Quality Seating Without the Environmental Cost

By Ida Gorecka • May 25, 2025
Did you know that the average office worker spends around 1,700 hours a year sitting in their chair? That's a staggering 70% of your working life spent in a single piece of furniture. Yet many organisations overlook the importance of quality seating, either settling for cheap chairs that quickly deteriorate or spending a fortune on brand new premium options. Refurbished office chairs offer the perfect balance of comfort , quality , and sustainability that today's offices need. At Coggin SOS, we've helped hundreds of organisations discover that you don't need to compromise on quality to make environmentally conscious choices. In fact, opting for refurbished office chairs can provide high-quality seating at up to 80% less than the cost of buying new. In this article, we’ll explore why refurbished office chairs aren’t just a good option-they're often the smarter one. From environmental impact that can tick off your ESG targets to ergonomic design and cost savings, this is your guide to finding the perfect seat. Our warehouse is stocked with top-brand refurbished chairs - ready to deliver in days, not weeks. Get in touch to check availability.

Closing the Loop: How Office Furniture Can Drive the Circular Economy Forward

By Ida Gorecka • May 19, 2025
Ever thought about how your office furniture connects to sustainability ? Probably not. But perhaps you should. The circular economy isn't some distant concept only relevant to manufacturing giants or packaging companies. It's a practical model that directly impacts how you furnish, update, and clear your office. At its heart, the circular economy challenges you to keep materials in use. It's your chance to reject the standard "buy, use, discard" approach that has dominated the industry for decades. It's your opportunity to turn office furniture from a recurring cost into a lasting asset. At Coggin SOS, we partner with organisations like yours across the UK, helping you transition to a circular furnishing model: refurbishing , reusing , and responsibly recycling your office furniture. Our mission is straightforward: help you make your furniture last longer, cost less, and waste nothing. Explore our wide range of refurbished office furniture in our inventory . You'll find quality, sustainability, and value, all waiting for you in one place.