Molly Bonino, Natasha Rugg, Jamie Schaffer, Emily Smagola, Kate Van Den Brink

BA 1041 Business Pathways I

Theresa Little
24 October 2017
Business Profile: Steelcase
Introduction

As people desire a comfortable, functional workspace to operate business, Steelcase has excelled

at providing this level of comfort to businesses of all types since 1912. Steelcase constantly

innovates, responding to the needs of its consumers. In 1946, they revolutionized the deskspace.

Today, they continue to introduce catalytic designs. With a focus on precision and innovation for

over a century, Steelcase has modernized business spaces. As a value driven company, Steelcase

has maintained a culture focused on sustainability and creativity. Steelcase has excelled at

integrating University of Cincinnatis PACE model into their daily business operations.

Professionalism

As defined by the University of Cincinnatis website, the P in the P.A.C.E. acronym stands for

Professionalism and includes Team meetings. Video conferences. Emails. Presentations.

Workdays today involve navigating all of these things and a lot more (PACE Curriculum).

Steelcase Inc. demonstrates this criteria through multiple areas of the company. One way is

through offering professional development for students. This service includes online tools, onsite

engagements, virtual coaching, space planning, webinars, and regional events. Steelcases

professional development service focuses on integrating technology, space and pedagogical

innovations into meaningful lessons (Education).

The core values of Steelcase Inc. represent the professionalism aspect as well. Their

encompassing values include acting with integrity, telling the truth, keeping commitments,

promoting positive relationships, and excellence. Any customer would strive to do business with

a company that operates with value. Exhibiting these values in their day to day operations for the

last 105 years has allowed Steelcase to maintain a strong, successful business. In addition,
Steelcase Inc. maintains professionalism through their supplier selection process and

management style. The supplier selection process is very comprehensive and multifaceted,

ensuring the best clientele. Suppliers must meet certain qualifications including the ability to

provide the lowest total costs, exceed customer expectations, exemplify efficiency,

dependability, and responsibility. Ultimately, meeting these goals makes Steelcase an overall

high performer. The management at Steelcase places its main focus on the customers. To show

this dedication to customers, the company reevaluates the quality of its products and services

annually (Corporate Information). Continuing to evaluate practices and build on these practices

allows Steelcase to continually excel.

Academics

The Academics part of PACE can be seen through a variety of platforms at Steelcase, Inc. To

begin, Steelcase provides an opportunity for college students to intern in the engineering,

operations/supply chain, IT, marketing, and design departments in either Grand Rapids,

Michigan or Athens, Alabama. Though the specifications and requirements for the interns varies

upon which opportunity, the company is looking for experienced students who hold an average

of 3.0-3.2 GPA or above (Steelcase Careers). To grow the current 11,000-employee base,

Steelcase recruits solution-oriented thinkers that work in a collaborative environment. There are

numerous job opportunities, from design and engineering to finance and sustainability, across the

nation (Grand Rapids, Boston, Chicago, New York City) and the globe (Locations Americas).

Employees can work in manufacturing and the WorkLife Centers (destination showrooms)

abroad in the UK, Germany, United Arab Emirates, China, and India, among others (Locations

Europe, Locations Asia). For current employees, there are ample opportunities available to

develop. Learning and training is centered around diversity; there are required diversity training
sessions and diversity speakers, along with the implementation of Steelcase Inclusion Partners (a

global program focusing on diversity) (Diversity Initiatives). The Global Awareness

Workshop and the 24/7-available online resource CultureWizard are also opportunities for

employees to build awareness and knowledge that extends beyond country borders. Steelcase is

also looking to push language training (Promise, p. 21). There are over 50 focus groups, in

addition to learning clubs for the employees to join to engage in dialogue and questioning.

(Promise, p. 19, 20). As Steelcases core values include environmental protection, the Global

Sustainability Steering Committee is offering employees a more in depth understanding of

sustainable business literacy through case studies and frameworking.

Steelcase has collaborated with MITs Self-Assembly Lab to further the possibility of 3-D

printing (Simon-Lewis). The Steelcase Foundation, which focuses on the areas of human

service, health, education, community development, the arts and the environment, giving

particular concern to people who are disadvantaged, disabled, young and elderly as they

endeavor to improve the quality of their lives, also encircles community education. In 2015

alone, they totaled more than $1.6 million (Promise, p. 15).

Steelcases education initiatives are at the core of the company, as seen through Steelcases

commitment to hiring the brightest and most qualified applicants.

Character

Character is integral within the PACE curriculum because it distinguishes a person or

organizations ability to lead within a diverse environment. As a globally accessible company

with over 800 dealer locations, Steelcase sets a great example for other companies by employing

its very own diversity initiatives. Internally, Steelcase focuses on diversification in their dealer

ownership and employee programs. This level of diversity is apparent through the 11 minority
owned dealerships, 32 female operated dealerships, and 2 veteran owned dealerships located

within the United States. Steelcases efforts have not gone unnoticed, as dealers have been

presented with an impressive amount of diversity awards. These awards recognize the diversity

that is found in all levels of the business, ranging from corporate ideals to mandatory employee

diversity training. They even have internal groups focused on global inclusion, which corporate

strongly encourages (Corporate Information).

However, Steelcases commitment to diversity expands outside of their business altogether

through their support of the community. The overall morale and character of the organization is

strengthened greatly by the fact that Steelcase is dedicated to improving diversity and inclusion

in the communities where we live and work. 45% of all corporate contributions are given to

programs, organizations and initiatives that support diversity in our communities. These

contributions are utilized for programs such as diversity education, urban education, and

scholarships for underprivileged students. This dedication to bettering the communities in which

they operate illustrates Steelcases model of forward thinking. Diversity drives Steelcase to be a

more successful company as it is promoted internally and externally, allowing for greater growth

and higher morale, reflecting a strong sense of character for the organization.

Engagement

Not only is Steelcase Inc. dedicated to ensuring production of the highest quality products in the

industry, but they value the ability to be engaged with the surrounding community. This is

directly reflected in their vision, which reads People are at the heart of everything we do and

everything we create. Those same values drive our approach to sustainability. We believe we can

deliver meaningful, lasting economic, environmental, and social change through the choices we

make and the behaviors and actions that we demonstrate (Sustainability). So far, Steelcase
has lived up to their vision; this has been accomplished through their sustainability initiatives,

their social involvement, and their employee impact.

Since Steelcase has been in business for over 100 years, they have realized that the only way

they will continue to remain resilient is if they distribute decision making more broadly

(Sustainability). Therefore, regarding their sustainability initiatives, not only have they started

considering using renewable energy like wind power to conduct their operations, but since 2010,

they have been able to reduce their VOC emissions by 75%, their waste output by 44%, and their

water usage by 9%. According to their 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report, they have also

employed end-of-use strategies, in which used materials are encouraged to be reused and

recycled rather than thrown away. In 2015, 6.4 million pounds of furniture was diverted from

landfills thanks to the end-of-use services.

Steelcase also values giving back to the community. They claim that as a global company, they

have rich capabilities to create real change and one of the main ways they have done so is

through the Steelcase Foundation, which focuses on the areas of human service, health,

education, community development, and the environment (Sustainability). In 2015 alone,

Steelcase donated $5.9 million in total through the Steelcase Foundation to various nonprofits.

A final way Steelcase promotes engagement is through employee volunteering. They have

instigated a program called Friends InDeed, which encourages employees to volunteer during

the workweek at local charities. In 2015, Steelcase employees volunteered a total of 38,913

hours, which was a 220% increase from 2014. This fact just proves how they are only becoming

more dedicated to giving back to the community as time progresses.

Conclusion
Connecting with shareholders and customers requires a high level of precision and focus.

Steelcase has succeeded in continually moving forward in the furniture industry by offering

innovative, unique solutions for office spaces. Steelcase has encompassed the University of

Cincinnati PACE model into their business model. Holding true to these principles and

delivering value to consumers and employees has contributed to the expansion of the company.

As the worlds largest furniture manufacturer, it is critical that Steelcase responds to external

threats and opportunities. Responding to company challenges has fostered company morale and

stamina. As a forward moving company, Steelcase has proved to be revolutionary in the office

furniture industry.

Three Questions for Steelcase Inc.

1. For your overseas locations, how are staff/employees managed (including what
specifications do they have/how are these employees chosen, do they work abroad after
previously working in the US) and how are the manufacturing and centers managed (how
direct and in-control is the management based out the US/Grand Rapids)?
2. When conflict occurs within the business, how does Steelcase react? How are decisions
made when disagreement and arguing occur?
3. How is feedback processed to employees and stakeholders? When lower level employees
have new ideas, how are they delivered and responded to?

Roles Taken by Each Member

Molly Bonino: wrote the introduction and conclusion of the executive summary, edited
the summary, researched the history and background of the company, helped organize
and record the presentation
Natasha Rugg: wrote the engagement portion of the powerpoint and executive
summary and helped edit, put together, and publish the video
Jamie Schaffer: researched professionalism, figured out time and place to record the
presentation, put video together and published it, created final document and organized it
Emily Smagola: completed the character portion, edited powerpoint
Kate Van Den Brink: organized and prepared documents, communication with professor
and team members to keep tasks on schedule, research and summary of academics
focus of Steelcase, formatted powerpoint, edited summary and powerpoint
 Works Cited

Corporate Information. Steelcase, Steelcase Inc., 27 Oct. 2014. steelcase.com/corporate-

information/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Diversity Initiatives: Corporate, Dealer, and Suppliers. Steelcase, Inc., 2011, pp. 6,

www.steelcase.com/content/uploads/2014/11/STC_DiversityBrochure_KL6_singlepag

es.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Locations Americas. Steelcase, Inc., 2017. www.steelcase.com/find-us/locations/americas/.

Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Locations Asia Pacific. Steelcase, Inc., 2017, www.steelcase.com/find-us/locations/asia-

pacific/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Locations Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Steelcase, Inc., 2017, www.steelcase.com/find-

us/locations/europe-middle-east-and-africa/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

PACE Curriculum. Carl H. Lindner College Of Business, University of Cincinnati.

https://business.uc.edu/undergraduate/lindner-difference/pace.html. Accessed 19 Oct.

2017.

Promise + Progress: 2016 Corporate Sustainability Report. Steelcase, Inc., 2016, pp. 15, 19-

21, www.steelcase.com/content/uploads/sites/10/2017/02/2016-Steelcase-CSR.pdf.

Accessed 19. Oct. 2017.

Simon-Lewis, Alexandria. 3D printing is yesterday's news. Westworld-style liquid printing is

the future. WIRED, 4 May 2017, www.wired.co.uk/article/rapid-liquid-printing-mit-

steelcase. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Steelcase Careers. Steelcase Inc., 2017, steelcase-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/index.cfm

?fuseaction=app.welcome&category_id=36481&company_id=17072&version=1&start

flag=2&levelid2=36481. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Sustainability. Steelcase, 12 Jan. 2015, www.steelcase.com/eu-en/discover/steelcase/

sustainability/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.