Lindsey Parnell, President and CEO of InterfaceFLOR (EMEAI) said of this latest accolade, “There are a number of business awards in the UK, but the Queen’s Award is one of, if not the most prestigious. To be honoured in this way is testament to the ongoing commitment of everyone within InterfaceFLOR to put sustainability at the core of our business.”
The company is recognised for having successfully managed to embed sustainability throughout its operations, making it central to its governance and management. It is also commended for the high benchmark it sets for its sector and beyond.
Since the mid-nineties, Interface has generated over $372 million in costs avoided and has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 82%. Total energy consumption has been reduced by 45% and the company uses 100% renewable electricity in its manufacturing in Europe.
Interface was one of the first companies to publicly commit to tackling climate change. In the mid-nineties, the company’s founder Ray Anderson decided to take the company away from the traditional approach of ’take, make, waste’ towards one that mimics nature’s recurring cycles of recycling and re-using whatever waste is made. Furthermore, he set a target for the company to totally eliminate any negative impact it may have on the environment by 2020; he called this Mission Zero.
Lindsey Parnell continues, “Mission Zero plays a central role in our ethos and culture, underlining our commitment to consider the environmental impact of every creative and manufacturing decision we make. We realise that we still have some way to go before this vision becomes a reality but we are honoured that the Queen has recognised our achievements to date.”
The Queen’s Awards will be presented by His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester at a special ceremony tomorrow (22nd April) at the Gladstone Library, London.