In a landmark move for the flooring industry, the first-ever Flooring Sustainability Summit will take place July 17-18 in Washington, D.C. The event, co-hosted by organizations including the Tile Council of North America (TCNA), National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), Natural Stone Institute and North American Laminate Flooring Association (NALFA), is billed as a watershed moment for sustainability in flooring.
According to show organizers, the Sustainability Summit aims to bring together a wide range of participants—from policymakers and advocacy groups to manufacturers, architects and designers—to facilitate open dialogue, share insights and drive the industry toward more sustainable practices.
“This is the first of its kind for flooring sustainability,” said Eric Astrachan, executive director, TCNA. “This is a real step up to the plate. And it couldn’t be more relevant now because the government is looking at specifying low carbon products. That conversation is going on right now. It’s why this type of leadership forum needs to take place in Washington, D.C., with government, regulators, the A&D community and distributors, etc. And that’s why all of these folks are signing up.”
Why is this issue important to the flooring industry? As Astrachan explained: “We have to be proactive in these issues. We certainly do not have the lobbying money or influence that the vinyl, plastics and oil industries have. We need to stay ahead on subjects like standards, certification and policy. We certainly want to foster relationships and influence. We want to get all the players in one room to have these kinds of conversations.”
The event is sponsored by several flooring manufacturers, who each note the importance of not only the summit itself but the location as it seeks to drive change in Washington, D.C.
“This flooring sustainability summit holds special significance because it brings together policymakers in Washington, experts and many stakeholders to tackle pressing environmental, social and economic issues within the flooring industry,” Malisa Maynard, chief sustainability officer at Mohawk, a headline sponsor of the event, told Floor Covering News. “It serves as a forum for exchanging ideas, brainstorming innovative approaches to shared challenges and demonstrates commitments to advance sustainability efforts as an industry.”
She also attested to the importance of the collaborative spirit of the event and the need to tackle these challenges head on. “By collaborating with and learning from other members of our industry, we can drive even greater change and address numerous challenges ahead of us. Participating in the inaugural flooring sustainability summit is in line with our values of seeking collective solutions. It offers us the opportunity to contribute to amplifying this shared mission as an industry, manufacturers, architects and designers and retailers. Change does not happen in a silo; it requires active engagement. We’re all in this together.”
Jim Whitfield, technical services director, Mapei, another headline sponsor of the event, also noted the company’s commitment to sustainability and his hope that the industry can work together to push forward in this space.
“Floor covering is in every project—commercial or residential—so I think it is important that we are transparent with performance and life cycle durability,” he noted. “I also think it’s good to show our support to the sustainability community; working together to tell our story. I look forward to the education and networking with our flooring industry partners and sustainability leaders. And I hope we can advance this industry.”
Overall, the event looks to tackle three main topics: Addressing critical sustainability challenges, exploring advancements in eco-friendly technology and ringing a call to action to industry leaders. And the major goal within those three themes is all about developing dialogue.
Addressing critical challenges
Under the leadership of Barbara June, president of NALFA, the summit will tackle pressing issues facing the flooring industry, including environmental impact reduction and sustainable sourcing. Attendees can look forward to dynamic panel discussions, interactive networking sessions and focused working groups dedicated to fostering innovative solutions.
Exploring advancements in eco-friendly technologies
A central focus of the summit will be the exploration of the latest advancements in sustainable flooring technologies. Discussions will encompass a host of topics ranging from eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes to the role of design in promoting sustainability.
A call to action
The Flooring Sustainability Summit represents a unique opportunity for industry professionals to engage directly with decision-makers and influencers in the realm of sustainability. This event is poised to catalyze significant advancements in sustainable flooring, setting new standards for environmental stewardship within the industry.
