May 21, 2018

Shaw Industries achieves carbon neutrality

Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has achieved carbon neutrality in its commercial carpet manufacturing operations. The achievement includes all commercial carpet manufacturing facilities owned and operated by Shaw worldwide, including those for Patcraft, Philadelphia Commercial, Shaw Contract and STS.

"At Shaw, we believe in creating a better future. We understand the challenges of climate change are global in scale and require a global response. No one company can solve problems at this scale by itself, but we can each contribute to an effort that enables all of us to create a wave of change for the better," said Tim Conway, vice president of sustainability for Shaw’s commercial division, in a company statement. "What we manufacture and the spaces our clients design make an impact. By reducing Shaw’s carbon footprint, we reduce the impact of what we create together."

 The statement noted that company began its road to carbon neutrality by first reducing its energy consumption, then switching to cleaner fuels; producing renewable energy at its own facilities, and incentivizing additional renewable energy development and usage through the purchase of RECs.

Shaw’s greenhouse gas emissions have improved approximately 25 percent compared to 2010 and the company has a target of reducing both the amount of energy it uses and the amount of GHG emissions it produces by 40 percent by 2030 (per pound of finished product). Additionally, the company installed a 1 MW solar array atop its carpet tile manufacturing facility in Cartersville, Ga. in 2013. 

Shaw Industries Group, Inc., is headquartered in Dalton, Ga. and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway.