Interface Inc, has announced outstanding achievements in the reduction of waste and water usage in its latest annual report on global progress towards sustainability. The company continues to make steady progress in every area measured, from a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to avoided waste costs, as it moves closer to its 'Mission Zero' goal of eliminating its environmental impacts by 2020 and becoming the world's first sustainable business.

Highlights from the latest EcoMetrics ^TM report include:

Waste - 80% reduction in waste sent to landfill since 1996 per unit of production Water - intake in manufacturing is down 80% since 1996 per unit of production Total energy usage - down by 43% since 1996 per unit of production Non-renewable energy - down by 60% since 1996 per unit of production, and Greenhouse gas emissions - actual reduction of Interface GHG emissions by 44% from a 1996 baseline.

Interface has also achieved cumulative savings of US$ 433 million in avoided waste costs since 1995.

Lindsey Parnell, EMEAI President and CEO of InterfaceFLOR, the modular flooring division of Interface Inc, says, "Our continued progress proves that sustainability is not only good for the environment but also for the bottom line. Putting sustainability at the heart of our business has paid dividends; costs are down, our people are galvanised around a common purpose and our products are better than ever as sustainability provides an infinite source of innovation. We still have some way to go on our Mission Zero journey; however I believe that our holistic approach to sustainability will take us to 2020 and beyond."

Additional highlights from the latest EcoMetrics??report include:

• Sustainability continues to drive innovation - Interface has sold over seven million m? of its unique Microtuft products in EMEAI, since launching the range in 2000. These products contain 30-50% less oil-based yarn than other carpet tiles, significantly reducing their environmental impact. The company has also sold over six million m? of its Random design products in EMEAI since 2001. Based on the principles of Biomimicry, these carpet tiles are inspired by the random patterns of nature's floors, such as fallen leaves or pebbles on a beach, and produce less installation and production waste than traditional carpet tiles.
• Closing the loop - 36% of the total raw materials used to manufacture Interface's products are recycled or bio-based materials. The majority of environmental impacts over the lifecycle of carpet tiles occur during the production of raw materials; therefore this is a key step towards eliminating those impacts. 99.7% of the products sold in Europe during 2009 were also manufactured locally, which helped to significantly reduce impacts from the transportation of products.
• Reducing energy consumption - All of Interface's facilities in Europe operate on 100% renewable electricity whilst 30% of global energy used is from renewable sources. Total energy use per unit of production is down by 43% since 1996. In Europe, this has been achieved by implementing systems to improve energy efficiency. These include: sensors to ensure areas are lit only when someone is working there; EcoCooling instead of air conditioning, which uses outside air to cool buildings; intelligent conveyor belts, which move only when items are on them; and sun-trackers to direct natural light into buildings.

InterfaceFLOR is the modular flooring division of US-based Interface Inc. The company is a worldwide leader in the design and production of high-quality, innovative modular floor coverings. The company is now more than half way to reaching its Mission Zero goal and has been widely recognised for its achievements to date. Its products have also received several awards, specifically for design and innovation.

[Karen Hall, Corporate Communications Director (EMEAI), InterfaceFLOR. Tel: 01274 690690 ext 8344. Email: Karen.Hall@Interfaceflor.eu]