Interface Reports Annual Progress Toward Mission Zero
Continued Advancement Leads to Global Sustainability Leadership Recognition by GlobeScan and SustainAbility
Interface announces its 2017 EcoMetrics™, demonstrating significant progress toward Mission Zero®, which challenges the company to eliminate any negative impact it has on the environment by 2020. The updated metrics reveal Interface has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions intensity from energy use at manufacturing facilities by an estimated 96 percent since 1996. This continued investment and dedication to addressing climate change is, in part, what led to the company being named one of the top three global sustainability leaders in the 2018 GlobeScan-SustainAbility Leaders Survey. Interface is the only company to be recognized for 21 consecutive years, remaining in the top four since the study launched in 1997.
The global commercial flooring company has led business in sustainability and innovation since 1994, and in 2016 embarked on a new sustainability mission, Climate Take Back™, which moves the company from “doing no harm” to doing good. This new undertaking is focused on addressing the biggest problem facing humanity, global warming. As the company works to bring its Climate Take Back vision to life, it has unveiled products that store more carbon than it takes to make them, including a prototype tile, and subsequently, a new commercially available backing, CircuitBac™ Green. Interface has engaged the support of industry leaders, customers, partners and sustainability leaders to help achieve its ambitious goals, which was evident through its lobbying efforts and support of California’s carpet recycling bill, AB 1158. Most recently, Interface announced Carbon Neutral Floors™ across its entire global product portfolio. This is key to moving the company toward meeting its goals to become restorative to the planet.
Highlights from the most recent EcoMetrics data include:
- The carbon footprint of the average Interface carpet tile product is estimated to be down 66 percent since 1996. This is a 6 percent improvement year-over-year attributed to increased use of recycled materials, improved energy efficiencies, use of renewable energy and reductions in carpet face weights.
- 58 percent of the total raw materials in the products sold were recycled or bio-based, including Interface’s luxury vinyl tile (LVT). Excluding LVT, 60 percent of the materials used to make carpet are recycled or bio-based.
- In 2017, Interface’s ReEntry™ program diverted 13 million pounds of post-consumer carpet from landfills, bringing the total to 360 million pounds. This is a 24 percent increase from 2016’s 10.5 million pounds recycled. Interface also lobbied for a recycling law in California that calls for improvements to California’s Carpet Stewardship Program, operated by CARE.
- Energy efficiency has improved by 43 percent since 1996, with 88 percent of all energy used in Interface’s manufacturing sites provided by renewable sources. Globally, 100 percent of electricity used at Interface manufacturing sites is renewable.
- Greenhouse gas emissions intensity from energy use at manufacturing facilities are down 96 percent since 1996, due to both facility improvements and renewable energy use.
- Water use intensity is down 88 percent since 1996.
- The Net-Works program collected and shipped 163,000 pounds of discarded fishing nets to yarn supplier Aquafil – the highest volume of nets shipped in the program’s history. Since the program began in 2013, Net-Works has collected and shipped 317,000 pounds of discarded fishing nets to Aquafil.
“It is gratifying to see how far we’ve come to drive change in industry and in our own business with Mission Zero, but we know there is still work to be done and we remain incredibly optimistic,” says Erin Meezan, Interface’s chief sustainability officer. “As we draw nearer to reaching our goal of no negative environmental impact, we are focusing our efforts on creating a positive impact and ultimately, a climate fit for life.”
Global Sustainability Leader Recognition
The GlobeScan and SustainAbility recognition is further affirmation of the impact the company has made around the world. Earning a spot in the top three with Unilever and Patagonia, Interface continues to be the only company to remain on the list each year since the survey first launched in 1997, and has been cited in the top four every year since 1998. Since 1997, the Sustainability Leaders Survey has tracked expert opinions on corporate sustainability, along with views about organizations leading the movement. It has become one of the most highly respected sustainability surveys and is used to track trends and provide industry insights to leaders in non-government organizations and the public and private sectors.
About Interface
Interface Inc. is a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of carpet tiles and resilient flooring. Our modular system helps customers create interior spaces while positively impacting the people who use them and our planet.
Our mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to join us as we commit to running our business in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. For additional information: interface.com and blog.interface.com. Follow Interface on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Vimeo.
