At Shaw, we're putting in place the operational strategies that ensure sustainability in practice. We're constantly testing ourselves to make sure we continue to meet the high standards we've set. Part of that is achieving third-party certification – validation of our commitment to high performance in operations.

Shaw Industries' carpet tile manufacturing facility in Cartersville, Georgia recently received ISO 14001 certification. ISO 14001 is a third party certification that accredits an operation's Environmental Management System (EMS). The ISO 14001 recognition reflects Shaw's continued commitment to environmental excellence in all its operations. The general requirements of the ISO 14001 certification state that an organization must establish, document, implement and continually improve their Environmental Management System.

At Shaw, our initiatives aren't just about what we're doing today, they're bringing us closer to a greater goal for tomorrow. We're designing our company to no longer be reliant on new materials. We've pioneered a way to turn old flooring back into new flooring again and again, forever.

We're really excited about what's happening here.  Let me explain: At Shaw Plant 8Z, we're in the process of collecting 100 million pounds of post-consumer carpet waste, and we will continue to collect this carpet in order to feed our plant. That's right, our facility here in Augusta recovers essential technical nutrients from your old carpet, allowing us to put those nutrients back into the manufacturing cycle. It's like recycling, but better – because the material is not downgraded into another product that'll likely end up in a landfill anyway. No, it's more like “cycling,” in that we're turning old carpet into new carpet again and again. This process is called cradle-to-cradle, a concept conceived by Bill McDonough of MBDC, and it's modeled after nature. At Shaw, we believe that a thriving business looks a lot like a thriving ecosystem – no waste, only food.