Interface Rocks - Ecometrically

Interface, the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet, released the results of its Ecometrics report for 2008 and it is impressive. Some highlights:
•    Environmental impacts are down 71 percent from the 1996 baseline. Notably, 89 percent of electricity is renewable, including three factories that are operating on 100 percent green electricity.
•    Water intake per unit of production is down 72 percent from 1996 levels.
•    The ReEntry program diverted 43 million pounds of carpet and carpet scrap from the landfill in 2008, bringing the totals for this program to 175 million pounds since 1995.
•    Recycled and bio-based materials make up 24 percent of the raw materials used in Interface operations, a critical piece in the company’s progress away from virgin materials. 
•    Total waste sent to landfills since 1996 has been reduced 67 percent across company operations. 

For those you doubt that green pays, consider this: Interface’s QUEST program has netted the company $405 million in cumulative, avoided waste costs since 1996. Also keep in mind that Interface began tracking all this in 1996, years before many companies had environmental impacts on their radar screens.

See Ray Anderson’s Mid-Course Correction for the story and visit the Interface Global website for the full Ecometrics results. Also be sure to join Interface’s call to action - Mission Zero.

More kudos:Interface was again ranked number one in the GlobeScan Survey of Sustainability Experts for 2008, ahead of corporations like BP and General Electric. The survey is a global poll that asks 3,000 sustainability experts worldwide to name companies that merit attention for their commitment to sustainability. “While the company does not have a household name or a major consumer presence,” said Eric Whan, director for GlobeScan, “it does have the attention of the global business community which it seeks to influence with its business model.”

Maybe Interface isn’t a major presence in your world, Mr. Whan, but in ours, it rocks!