SHAW INDUSTRIES GROUP, INC. RELEASES SECOND ANNUAL CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
08.19.2010
Dalton, GA - Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has released its second annual corporate sustainability report, the company announced.
Titled, "Where Sustainability Is Personal," the 2009 report offers a fresh perspective on the company's comprehensive sustainability commitment, focusing on the personal commitment to environmental and social responsibility shared by each and every Shaw associate. It also discloses key metrics for environment and social responsibility, and provides an inside look at Shaw's continued drive towards Sustainability through Innovation™ β the Shaw Green Edge®.
"Companies that willingly seek out and adopt new protocols for sustainable business today stand to make a difference now, and for generations to come," said Shaw CEO Vance Bell. "We certainly believe private enterprise will be the driver of change in addressing the environmental and social challenges faced by today's world, and our 2009 report demonstrates our commitment to making sure our products and practices meet the highest standards for human and environmental health, safety and responsibility."
"More than the way we do business, sustainability is also a commitment shared personally by each and every Shaw associate," Bell said. "Our new report reflects that commitment. It also reflects our desire to be as transparent as possible with our customers and our many stakeholders about the Shaw organization, our operations and our impact."
Shaw's 2009 sustainability report includes more disclosures, more metrics and more data than the company's inaugural 2008 report, according to Jeff West, director of sustainability and environmental affairs for Shaw's commercial division. "Our annual sustainability reporting process has become a valuable tool for helping us evaluate our progress towards key goals and towards broader sustainability objectives," West said. "As a result, we have been able to share more data this year than last β including expanded metrics for energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water, and waste."
"Like our first report, the 2009 report will also serve as a roadmap for the next part of our sustainability journey," West added.
In addition to an expanded number of key environmental and social metrics, Shaw's 2009 report also uses the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Guidelines for sustainability reporting. According to David Wilkerson, director of sustainability and environmental affairs for Shaw's residential division, the company formally adopted the GRI reporting process and framework for its second report, in order to ensure the metrics and content disclosed met globally recognized standards for corporate sustainability reporting.
"The Global Reporting Initiative and the G3 guidelines are recognized as the world standard for sustainability reporting," Wilkerson said. "Adopting the GRI reporting protocol is another way we can help drive greater transparency for our customers and stakeholders β and for our own industry."
Shaw's 2009 corporate sustainability report is available online and in print. To view the report or order a print copy, visit www.shawgreenedge.com.
About the Shaw Green Edge
Sustainability through InnovationTM That's the Shaw Green Edge®. It's our commitment to create the most beautiful β and sustainable β flooring in the world. And to help create a better planet for our customers, our people and our communities in the process.
Rooted in our drive to continuously improve every aspect of our business, the Shaw Green Edge guides everything we do, every day β from maintaining the highest ethical standards to safeguarding the health and well-being of our people and our communities, to conserving energy and water and recycling raw materials, to designing cradle to cradle products that can be remanufactured over and over again. Because setting the standard for environmental excellence, social responsibility and product design is more than our responsibility. It's also good business. And it's our legacy. For more information about the Shaw Green Edge, visit www.shawgreenedge.com.
About Shaw Industries Group, Inc.
Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc., is the world's largest carpet manufacturer and a leading floorcovering provider with more than $4 billion in annual sales and approximately 25,000 associates worldwide. Headquartered in Dalton, Ga., the company manufactures and distributes carpeting, rugs, hardwood, laminate and ceramic tile for residential and commercial applications worldwide. A recognized leader in environmental stewardship, Shaw has implemented hundreds of sustainability initiatives and Cradle to Cradle design solutions, collectively termed the Shaw Green Edge. For more information, visit www.shawfloors.com.
