An accreditation which signifies excellence in furniture products and installation is celebrating 30 years since its initial launch.

FIRA Gold Certification was first launched in 1984 for kitchen units, following demand from manufacturers for a quality mark for furniture tested to industry standards. The scheme expanded to cover installation services in the early 90s, then office and bedroom furniture in 2002.

Today, many major kitchen retailers and manufacturers hold FIRA Gold, as well as many independents. Most recently, Broadstock achieved Installation Certification for workplace, educational and catering furniture, and Chaucer Furniture Logistics for contract furniture.

FIRA Gold Certification is a quality mark awarded by FIRA International and backed by the Furniture Industry Research Association, an expert in the furniture industry for 65 years.

Current Gold Certification holders Bushboard and Paula Rosa gained FIRA Gold for their kitchen ranges in 1989 and continue to hold the accolade 25 years later. Salice, a component supplier, and Magnet joined the scheme in 1990.

Manhattan achieved FIRA Gold for kitchen and bathroom installation in 1990 and B&Q first gained certification for fitting kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms in 1997. In the office furniture sector, Lee and Plumpton, a manufacturer, has held the accolade for nearly 10 years for a range of desking and storage.

Phil Reynolds, FIRA’s COO, says: “First introduced in the 80s, FIRA Gold is a way for businesses to provide independent evidence that their products and installation services meet the highest standards in the industry. To achieve FIRA Gold a product or service will undergo thorough testing and/or auditing to ensure excellence is maintained. As years have gone by we have moved with the industry to expand the remit of FIRA Gold to meet demand from consumers and organisations specifying furniture on tender documents. We are proud to be celebrating that as the recognised mark of quality for furniture, FIRA Gold has been able to provide reassurance to customers for 30 years.”

To receive the FIRA Gold Installation Certification a company must to go through a rigorous annual audit, ensuring all staff work to the highest standards and follow agreed industry practices. Product certification is awarded following stringent assessment of the products to ensure they fulfil all relevant industry standards. The accreditation means that the production processes used have passed a rigorous series of tests to ensure that products are made to the highest standards each and every time.

FIRA Gold is the only accreditation scheme recognised by the furniture industry and audited by an independent third party.