Interface Founder Honoured with British Business Award

Ray Anderson Presented with Oglethorpe Sword

Ray Anderson, the American founder and chairman of global carpets and fabrics manufacturer, Interface Inc, has been honoured for his unique contribution to business and investment between Britain and Georgia. InterfaceFLOR, the modular flooring arm of Interface Inc, has manufacturng facilities in Halifax, West Yorkshire and Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Mr Anderson accepted the Oglethorpe Sword from Martin Rickerd OBE MVO, Her Majesty’s Consul General, at a special luncheon hosted by the British American Business Group, in Atlanta on 17 May.

The award is made each year to an individual that has made a special contribution to developing investment and trade between the UK and the State of Georgia and is named for James Oglethorpe, the Englishman who founded the state in 1733.

In the mid-nineties, Mr Anderson set Interface on a global quest to become fully sustainable and it has since become a world leader in pioneering sustainable manufacturing and business practices. The company currently aims to achieve a zero global environmental footprint by 2020.

Interface has also achieved significant growth whilst becoming increasingly sustainable. Since 1995, the company has increased its sales by 49% whilst reducing its use of fossil fuel by 45 % and its greenhouse gas emissions by 60%. Both its UK factories run on 100% renewable energy.

Speaking about Interface’s commitment to the environment, Martin Rickerd said: “Ray Anderson was promoting sustainable industry before it was fashionable to do so. His single-minded determination to prove that you can run a traditionally messy industry in an environmentally friendly way sends a very important message to others.

“These days large corporations seem to be falling over each other in the rush to announce new environmental initiatives. Ray’s company was among the first to blaze the trail and their achievements have been recognised in the UK, as elsewhere. In 2002, Interface Europe received the Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development,” he continued.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Anderson spoke about the evolution of environmental ethics in America, and the responsibility business has to limit the damage it does to the environment:

“This we know; we are a part of it, not outside it, not above it. Environmentalism is an apolitical extension of a very long term progression in the definition of what’s the right thing to do.”

Ends.

Date issued: 29 May 2007

Notes to Editors:

Interface is a recognised leader in the commercial interiors market, offering floorcoverings and fabrics. The company is committed to the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimise the impact on the environment while enhancing shareholder value.

Interface was founded in 1973 by Chairman, Ray Anderson, considered to be a pioneer from the start - a trailblazer of the modular carpet industry in the United States. The company promotes sustainable business practices - within its global community and in the products it makes. For Interface, sustainability is a belief that is built into the business model, an underlying corporate value, ensuring that business decisions are weighed against their potential impact on economic, natural and social systems. It's a means for associates to deliver superior value to customers and shareholders.

Interface is a global company with manufacturing locations on four continents and offices in more than 100 countries.