| 
At Shaw Carpet, they are intent on improving life by design. They're committed to change for the better— so they're improving their products, operational systems, communities and our planet. They know that a thriving business looks a lot like a thriving ecosystem— interrelated, symbiotic and evolving. It's a simple idea, but when put into practice by Shaw's 31,000 employees, it amounts to something huge. Positive progress by every means possible is the Shaw Green Edge.
The Shaw Green Edge program is dedicated to making the world a much cleaner place through smart business practicess and technological innovations. They have created several iniciatives to better the production of flooring that helps the environment for this generation and the next. When you buy a product that has the Shaw Green Edge logo on it you are supporting their benefit to the community.
These initiatives that are part of the Shaw Green Edge come from products that are eco-friendly or servicies that are dedicated to helping the environment. Some of the products that Shaw Carpet has created with the Shaw Green Edge philosophy:
Shaw Carpet knows that conservation is not enough to sustain our world. That’s why they are making the long-term investments that will move us toward a future of resource independence and abundance. They have been researching the resource challenges that face us in the coming decades, and are making the necessary changes now for a better tomorrow. Shaw Carpet believes in progress by every means.
In 2002, world population exceeded 6 billion and is projected to reach 8 billion by 2025. It is expected that in the future, nearly all population growth will occur in the developing world – putting enormous strain on existing land, water, and energy resources.
The global production and consumption of energy increased in the 1990s, with fossil fuels experiencing the greatest increase over nuclear and renewable energy sources. The global average surface temperature is increasing and sea levels are rising about 1 cm per decade. High risk storms and droughts have increased in frequency and intensity.
Shaw Carpet Industries has a long history of excellence in training their employees and customers. They lead the industry in quality and value with their products, and continually drive the market with innovative solutions and operational advancements. As part of their commitment to evolving their company and improving the industry at large, they offer opportunities for their employees and customers to learn and grow with them at the Shaw Learning Academy.
Shaw Carpet is exploring the use of bio-diesel as an alternative energy source for transport. They are also innovating through gasification processes that reduce waste and produce clean energy. They know that resource depletion is a complex and pressing issue. That’s why they are implementing immediate strategies and engaging in long-term research to benefit their company and our planet.
Nearly half of the world’s population will experience water shortages by 2025, due to an uneven distribution of fresh water sources and the high cost of long distance transfer. About 40% of the world’s population lives in river basins with less than 2000 cubic meters of water per person per year for all purposes.
Shaw Carpet has taken recycling to a whole new level. They are embracing the concept of birth and rebirth in the textile community. At their Evergreen Carpet Recycling facility they are using discarded carpet to make new carpet. This prevents landfills from becoming laden with warn, raddy carpet and ensures that our resorces are used for other production.
Shaw Carpet is reducing the amount of fresh water used in their production processes, and cleaning the water that leaves their manufacturing cycle. They are pioneering a dyeing technology that uses far less water, and dyes that don’t contain toxic heavy metals. The goal is to keep fresh water available for household use, and to keep toxins out of the environment.
Almost all deforestation is due to the expansion of agriculture. Nearly 30% of the world’s major watersheds have lost ¾ of their original forest cover, reducing water quality and increasing the risk of flood. Nearly 9% of all known tree species are at risk of extinction.
Shaw Carpet has developed the most sustainable engineered hardwood flooring in the world. Epic is not only manufactured with recycled wood, it sets new benchmarks in performance and durability.
Bio-diesel -
Shaw Carpet is not only using the Shaw Green Edge program to better utilize their products, they are working on ways to improve their distribution as well.
They're currently working towards the purchase of B100 biodiesel from local suppliers for processing in Shaw Carpet Plants 34 and 64, and for use by their truck fleet. Biodiesel significantly reduces emissions as well as our dependence on foreign oil. This is because biodiesel is a clean burning alternative energy source, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but can be mixed to create a biodiesel blend that can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with great results. It's easy to use, biodegradable, nontoxic and essentially free of sulfur. It is renewable from domestic sources such as soybeans, has lower emissions, and is better for you and the environment.
Evergreen Carpet Recycling -
 At Shaw Carpet Plant 8Z, they collect 100 million pounds of post-consumer carpet waste in order to feed our plant. Their facility in Augusta recovers essential technical nutrients from your old carpet, which allows them 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. They are turning old carpet into new carpet again and again. This process is called cradle-to-cradle, a concept modeled after nature. Shaw believes that a thriving business looks a lot like a thriving ecosystem – no waste, only food.
How it works:
Their collection system recovers your post-consumer carpet waste. Remember, this is not garbage – it's valuable material that will feed Shaw Carpet's manufacturing process. They bring this material back to the Evergreen Nylon Recycling Facility for storage and processing. From this waste they obtain Caprolactam. It's the basic building block of Nylon 6 fiber. Caprolactam pellets are shipped to their Yarn Extrusion Plant where they are turned into white Nylon 6 fiber. This fiber becomes Shaw Carpet, which is sold and enjoyed by their customers. When the carpet reaches the end of its useful life, it doesn't get buried in a landfill. Shaw Carpet will pick up your old carpet and bring it back to the Evergreen facility so the process can start all over again.
Shaw Learning Academy -
Shaw Carpet's Corporate Training and Organizational Development has moved toward a corporate university model called the Shaw Learning Academy (SLA), which brings together all of the company's learning and development resources under one roof. The SLA is where all of the learning and development needs of Shaw Carpet's employees and customers are met.
The corporate university is comprised of eight colleges, which specialize in aspects as diverse as Careers for Excellence in Ethics and Compliance, Sales, Operations, Leadership, Business Management, Technology, Individual Development, and Retail. Training is offered in a variety of instructional modes, including instructor-led, on-line, and blended learning, as well as meeting, planning, and facilitation services. The Shaw Learning Academy will also offering training sessions on "The Shaw Green Edge."
Shaw Learning Academy is a Shaw Green Edge initiative that packages training in a way that unifies all functional areas of the business with one goal: delivering world class development opportunities and training services. Shaw Learning Academys focus is on advancing people at work and serving as a partner in human development.
|
