New York November 4, 2011 - The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium announced that Kimball Hospitality has joined the Consortium as a Founding Member.  A leader in creating furniture that extends the unique ambiance of hotels into their guests' rooms, Kimball's membership furthers the Consortium's goals of establishing the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI) as the de facto performance measurement solution for the industry

With more than 4.5 million hotel rooms in the U.S., guest room furniture is a major investment for all hotels, brands and owners - and as a central element of design, it has a substantial impact on the guest experience and the environmental footprint of a hotel. 

"Increasingly, guests as well as owners and developers are demanding high quality, comfortable furniture that meets  certain parameters of sustainability," said Bob Bomholt, Vice President and General Manager of Kimball Hospitality. He concluded, "We are looking forward to working with other industry leaders, via the Consortium, to establish the performance criteria that helps make this common practice."

Twenty-four  organizations are now part of the Consortium, including more than a dozen industry-leading suppliers,  major brands, architects, designers, purchasing firms, and sustainability consultants.

Kimball and the HSPC
The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium (HSPC), created and led by MindClick SGM™, is a collaborative organization to help hotel owners purchase products that both reduce their properties' environmental impact, and contribute to guest comfort, health and well-being.

Kimball Hospitality, along with other Consortium members, will help establish criteria for creation of a new Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI). The Index will include measures of corporate social responsibility, environmental and product sustainability.  Product categories covered include furnishings, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), and operating supplies and equipment (OS&E).

"We are happy to welcome Kimball to the Consortium," said JoAnna Abrams, CEO of MindClick SGM™.  "It is important to the success of the HSP Index that the Consortium reflect the depth and breadth of products used to furnish hotels.  The participation of well-established industry suppliers such as Kimball reflects the belief in and recognition of the importance of the Consortium's efforts to create an industry wide solution  for greening the hotel supply chain." She concluded, "Like other leaders in the industry, Kimball is  contributing to the push to balance cost, quality and sustainability.  We look forward to their contribution in shaping the HSP Index."

Kimball joins existing Consortium members Marriott International, Audit Logistics, Aqua Hospitality Carpets, Benjamin West, BYD, Contract Decor International, Delta Faucet Company, Innvision, InterfaceFLOR, Majestic Mirror and Frame, PE INTERNATIONAL Inc., Quiltcraft Industries, Richloom Fabrics Group, RTKL, SERA Architects, Shafer Commercial Seating, Simmons Hospitality Bedding and Valley Forge Fabrics.

About the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium
Established in June 2011 by MindClick SGM™, the Consortium is comprised of a group of leaders in the hotel industry representing brands, suppliers, architecture and design firms, purchasing companies, owners and sustainability experts.  Led by MindClick, Consortium members are working collaboratively to provide the industry with a unified approach to greening the global supply chain.  The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI) will set the criteria for sustainable purchasing and create a repository of supplier performance in the areas of corporate social responsibility, product, and environmental sustainability.  For more information visit www.hspiconsortium.com.
 
About MindClick SGM
MindClick SGM, a leading sustainability research and consulting firm, provides clients with performance measurement tools to develop, implement, improve and promote product and company sustainability.  Serving clients ranging from global Fortune 1000 companies in consumer products, automotive, and hospitality, to family owned building products suppliers, to government municipalities, MindClick drives growth through sustainability.  Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in San Francisco and Seattle, MindClick combines a decade of experience in sustainability with 20+ years of research, product development and marketing expertise.  The result is sustainability performance rating services that provide executive decision makers with the knowledge to maximize business success.  For more information, visit www.mindclicksgm.com.

About Kimball Hospitality
Kimball Hospitality, a brand unit of Kimball International, Inc. (NASDAQ: KBALB), is a global contract manufacturer that specializes in proprietary and custom designed furnishings for the hotel, casino, and resort industries. Kimball's reputation for quality, service and performance in the hospitality market is well known among designers and developers of properties worldwide. Kimball Hospitality strategically focuses on providing products via three market sectors: custom, program and catalog. Proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, Kimball Hospitality has furnished hundreds of thousands of guest rooms and suites across the globe. For more information, visit: www.KimballHospitality.com