InterfaceFLOR Wins 'Big Tick' at Business in the Community Awards

InterfaceFLOR, a worldwide leader in the production of environmentally-responsible modular floor coverings and other textiles, will be reaccredited with the EDF ‘ Big Tick’ for Environmental Impact, at the Business in the Community Awards for Excellence 2007.

The award, which will be presented on the 21st June at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, was given to Halifax-based InterfaceFLOR for its pioneering achievements in sustainable business practice.

Now in its tenth year, Business in the Community Awards for Excellence are the UK’s leading Awards for responsible business practice.

The Awards recognise companies that are integrating responsible business practice into their main operations and are delivering positive impacts on the marketplace, the workplace, the environment and the community.

“This is the second year running that we have achieved this award and demonstrates our continued quest to eliminate our environmental impact,” says Lindsey Parnell, CEO InterfaceFLOR. “To become truly sustainable, we believe that we must re-engineer every aspect of our business from raw materials through to design, manufacture, operations, transport, travel, customer communication and employee and community engagement.”

The Big Tick is awarded to companies able to demonstrate excellence in the way that they organise and integrate their responsible business practices and who can show a positive impact both on society and on the business.

Notable achievements include Interface’s energy efficiency and renewable energy programmes, which have resulted in a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions since 1996. Interface has also made improvements to its production processes allowing an 80% reduction in water intake per m2 of production facilities, petroleum based materials have been reduced by 28% and since 1995 cumulative avoided costs from waste reduction have totalled $336 million US dollars.

InterfaceFLOR encourages its employees to adapt a more environmentally-friendly attitude to their everyday life.

Customers who buy from InterfaceFLOR are also integrated into the Company’s sustainability mission – through InterfaceFLOR’s Evergreen Leasing System and its ReEntry Programme, old carpet tiles will be replaced and then taken away and recycled at the end of their life.

Through its latest sustainability initiative ‘Cool Carpet’®, InterfaceFLOR has offset over 417,000 tonnes of carbon globally, including 50,000 tonnes across Europe. Within the Cool Carpet® programme, customers are given the option to pay a premium on the purchase price of the carpet tile The cost is for all products other than InterfaceFLOR’s Random design range, where the figure is included in the overall purchasing cost., to “offset” the greenhouse gas emissions generated during the entire lifecycle of a purchased carpet. Since its launch in Europe in January 2005, the company has sold over 2,000,000m2.

Working in partnership with Climate Care, the money raised is then used to fund the development of forestation plants, energy saving projects and renewable energy schemes in countries such as South Africa and India.

Edmund Blamey, European Sustainability Director InterfaceFLOR, says: “Our workforce is continually examining our business practices with the aim of making them more sustainable and environmentally responsible. We have achieved some major milestones since we embarked on the quest for sustainability in 1995 and by ensuring we have a culture of sustainability throughout the organization we can introduce new thinking, try new methods and develop our business whilst simultaneously reducing its impact on the environment.”

Business in the Community is a unique movement of over 750 member companies, with a further 2,000 plus engaged through our programmes and campaigns. It operates through a local network of more than 100 business led partnerships and 60 global partners. Its purpose is to inspire, challenge, engage and support business in continually improving its positive impact on society.

Ends.

Date issued: 21 June 2007

Notes to Editors:

Interface Inc.

Interface is a recognised leader in the commercial interiors market, offering floor coverings 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.