Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) was recently recognized by Floor Covering Weekly as an honoree in the magazine’s annual GreenStep awards. The company was an honoree in both the Practice/Process and International categories.
Practice / Process
The Practice / Process category recognizes practice or process improvement that reduces negative environmental impact or promotes sustainability. Shaw Industries is dedicated to making a positive impact in the global fight against climate change. This commitment is central to the company’s sustain[HUMAN]ability® strategy, which prioritizes both people and the planet.
To that end, since 2010, Shaw has reduced its operational carbon footprint by 57 percent and set a goal to achieve enterprise net zero operations by 2030. Renewable energy is a key component of the company’s approach, which led it to invest in a 200-megawatt wind farm in Texas via a virtual power purchase agreement (“VPPA”) with Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) Renewables, a Berkshire Hathaway Energy business.
Through this VPPA agreement, which was announced in early 2024, Shaw stands to further reduce its operational footprint (Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions) by 15 percent.
International
The International category recognizes a company with a manufacturing facility outside of the U.S. that is exemplary in bringing sustainable practices to its area of the world.
When Shaw Industries acquired Scotland-based carpet tile manufacturer STS in 2018, it saw the opportunity to not only begin manufacturing closer to its European market, but to bring its flagship EcoWorx® backed carpet tile manufacturing processes to the United Kingdom.
Thanks to Shaw’s continued investment in its people, products and processes, that vision came to fruition with the introduction of EcoWorx S® backing during Clerkenwell Design Week in London in May 2023.
EcoWorx S carpet tile is PVC-free and bitumen-free and is 50 percent lighter than bitumen backings, which are common in the European market. Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver, EcoWorx S is designed to be recycled back into itself, meets rigorous material health standards; is optimized for low embodied carbon using Shaw’s EcoSolution Q100™ fiber; and is manufactured in a carbon neutral facility.
As with other EcoWorx products, EcoWorx S has received the Works with WELL™ mark – illustrating its alignment with five Materials Concept features in the International WELL Building Institute’s WELL Building Standard.
“Our sustainability journey began in earnest in the mid- to-late ‘90s with the development of EcoWorx carpet tile. What began with a single product now permeates our business,” noted Kellie Ballew, chief sustainability and innovation officer at Shaw. “This recognition from Floor Covering Weekly and the industry underscores our commitment to continued innovation with a focus on people and the planet.
Learn more about Shaw’s commitment to the sustain[HUMAN]ability® strategy at www.sustainHUMANability.com.