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INTERFACE PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITY REPORT DECEMBER 2014

Interface December PR Report

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Page 1: Interface December PR Report

INTERFACE PUBLIC RELATIONS ACTIVITY REPORT

DECEMBER 2014

Page 2: Interface December PR Report

Publicity Highlights 1. European Union is featured in the “Best in Category” section for finishes and

surfacing. The description touts the collection’s simplicity and subtle textures as

well as Interface’s environmentally responsible manufacturing process, which

appears alongside a photo of two tiles from the collection.

ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, January 116,297

2. Interface is included in this publication’s annual Brand Report Awareness

Survey, earning a spot in both the Carpets:Modular (No. 1) and Flooring (No. 2)

sections. Additionally, the brand ranked No. 1 when those interviewed were

asked “Which manufacturers represent the most environmentally sustainable

products and culture?”

CONTRACT, December 30,190

3. John Wells discusses his views on mentoring and the value of focusing in this

publication’s Q&A-style Focus on Leadership section.

FLOOR FOCUS, December 14,553

4. A report on the state of the carpet tile industry includes an interview with John

Wells, alongside other industry leaders, and his reflection on business and soft

surface flooring in general for 2014. The article includes John’s photo and a

photo of Human Nature. (Please note that a correction and apology for the

misidentification of Interface in John’s photo cutline will be issued.)

FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY, December 22 16,276

Page 3: Interface December PR Report

5. A product release detailing the new Reclaim skinny plank carpet tile design

was featured in product roundups in:

AZURE, December 72,312 DESIGNER PAGES MEDIA, December 8 10,434

6. Sixteen projects which used Interface carpet tiles in different settings were

highlighted in a series of profiles ranging from schools to universities.

AMERICAN SCHOOL & UNIVERSITY December 57,149

7. A press release regarding Interface's recent Best of Year award for its Human

Nature collection was featured in:

FLOOR COVERING NEWS – ONLINE 27,197 FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY – ONLINE 16,276 FLOOR BIZ 7,749

Publicity Underway

1. Distributed a press release to more than 80 outlets regarding Interface's

recent Best of Year award for its Human Nature collection along with high-

res images of the Human Nature collection.

2. Submitted Human Nature for the 2014 ARCHITIZER A+ Awards.

3. Orchestrated a conversation with Interface management and Bader TV to

discuss the proposal around a global coverage campaign for Net-Works

Page 4: Interface December PR Report

phase 2. Next steps are determining access to key components for the

story and confirming timing to coincide with the 2015 CGI.

4. Provided additional high-res images and information on the Reclaim

collection to contacts from CONTRACT MAGAZINE, INTERIORS & SOURCES, and COVERINGS MAGAZINE.

5. Attended/worked the IIDEX show in Toronto to extend the reach of the

GreenBuild story to Canadian customers, educators, students and press.

6. Resulting from a meeting with editor Paul Makovsky at IIDEX, facilitated

the loan of three Human Nature plank samples to METROPOLIS MAGAZINE for possible inclusion in an upcoming story about textiles.

7. Provided high-res images of Reclaim and a quote to METROPOLIS MAGAZINE highlighting Interface’s commitment to its Mission Zero

initiative for the publication’s January issue.

8. Reviewed details for the upcoming, Interface-sponsored PROpel Young

Leaders program and webinar with P. Mason. VP+C to synchronize PR

efforts around the initiative in early 2015 – specifically highlighting

Interface Canada’s role and complementing social media efforts

underway.

9. Provided CANADIAN FACILITY MANAGEMENT & DESIGN high-res

Human Nature images for its February issue

10. Continued targeted Reclaim outreach to Hospitality segment pubs.

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Good GreedBy Ray C. Anderson,founder of Interface, Inc. (1934-­2011)

Since you’re reading the GreenMoney Journal it’s likely that you’ve already made themental shift to sustainability, and if that’s the case, welcome! I believe that shift happens one mind at a time, onecompany, one technology, one university curriculum, one industry, one community at a time. Furthermore, I have nevermet a “former environmentalist.” It’s true! Once you understand the truth and complexity of our environmental challenges,you are forever changed. My story demonstrates that. And fortunately for us and for our planet, that collective mental shiftseems to be happening quickly, particularly in the important field of green building.

I well remember the first time I spoke before the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), back in 1995 in Big Sky,Montana. I counted heads in the audience;; there were just 135 people in that room. When I shared the opening plenary atthe USGBC meeting in Atlanta with Paul Hawken and Janine Benyus ten years later, there were 12,000 people there!Two years after that, in Chicago, over 22,000 registered and an estimated 40,000 showed up. In business, that is agrowth curve to die for. Today, USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system isemerging as the global model for green building standards. It’s truly an idea whose time has come, on a global scale.

My 54 year-­long working life has been spent in industry. I founded my company Interface, Inc., from absolute scratch,from just an idea 37 years ago – an idea that felt so right, so smart – to produce modular carpet in America for theemerging “Office of the Future.” Today we are a billion dollar global producer of InterfaceFLOR modular carpets and ofbroadloom carpets, (under the “Bentley Prince Street” brand), primarily for business and institutional interiors, as well ascarpet tiles for the home, marketed under the FLOR® brand. We operate production facilities on four continents, withsales in 110 countries, and make about one-­third of all the carpet tiles used on the Earth.

So I’m an industrialist, – some might even say a “radical industrialist,” a handle which gave rise to the title of the book Iwrote that was published in 2009, Confessions of a Radical Industrialist.

You may know the story: I was convicted and transformed in 1994 by Paul Hawken’s book The Ecology of Commerceand his thesis that the largest, most pervasive, most powerful, influential and wealthy institution on Earth must leadhumankind out of the environmental mess we are making. That institution is business and industry, which also is thebiggest culprit in creating the mess—the precipitous decline of the biosphere. That is my institution, and carpets,

Page 52: Interface December PR Report

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generally, are petro-­intensive for material and energy, contribute to global warming, and use a lot of water in theirproduction.

Sixteen years ago, I said to a tiny, newly formed, environmental task force of Interface people, “If Hawken is right, andbusiness and industry must lead, who will lead business and industry? Unless somebody leads, nobody will. Why notus?” So, for 16 years we at Interface have been climbing Mount Sustainability, – that point at the top symbolizing ourgoal: zero footprint. We call it “Mission Zero.”

We are well on our way to meeting that 2020 goal … I’ll give you a progress report before I’m done here.

Reading Hawken’s book nearly 16 years ago, I asked myself then, and I ask you now, how could a living planet – therarest and most precious thing in the entire universe – lose its biosphere, its livability? We take it completely for grantedand don’t want to believe for a second that we, i.e., our descendents, could possibly lose it.

Though clearly there’s a broad awakening under way, there’s no denying that there is also a fair amount of resistance tochange. Why? Well, I think there’s more than just inertia or perverse incentives at work. Our culture is very much in thegrip of some old, flawed views that stand in direct and violent contrast to sustainability, – flawed views that are reflectedin, and fueled by, consumerism, our insatiable infatuation with stuff.

There is the flawed view that treats the earth as though it were an infinite source of raw materials to feed our industrialsystem, stock our shelves, fill our houses, crowd our garages, and spill out into rented storage units, or into landfills,waterways, oceans, and the air.

There is the flawed view that adopts the annual (or quarterly) timeframe to measure the worth of an idea. There is theflawed view that forgets to ask one simple question when assessing the environmental costs of a business decision: Whatif everyone did it?

• What if everyone discharged untreated wastewater into the local river?

• What if everyone sent hazardous waste to be buried in the local landfill?

• What if everyone left their office lights burning, or truck engines running, or thermostats set too high or too low?

What if everyone did it?

There is the flawed view that assumes this world is ours to conquer and rule;; that we can take whatever we want from itwithout regard for all the other species that depend on – and comprise – nature itself, – the same natural world that wedepend on and are part of, too. There is the flawed view that when accumulating all that stuff gets us into trouble,technology will see us through, even though the extractive, abusive attributes of technology – especially when coupledwith numbers-­driven, unemotional, results-­ oriented, left brain intelligence – got us into the fix to begin with.

And there is the flawed view that relies on the invisible hand of the market to be an honest broker, even though we knowthe market can be very dishonest. Does the price of a pack of cigarettes reflect its true cost? Not even close! How aboutthe price tag on a lead-­tainted toy from China? A box of contaminated infant formula? I don’t think so. And the price of abarrel of oil? Last time I looked, the oil companies weren’t deploying armies or naval forces to the Middle East to protectthe oil fields and tankers. You and I are doing that with our taxes. Our sons and our daughters are doing it with their lives.The oil companies aren’t paying the medical bills for all those folks breathing smog, either. Nor are they building theseawalls our coastal cities will need to keep the warming, rising ocean from drowning them. Let all those be somebodyelse’s problem. Let our grandchildren foot that bill.

Add up all the costs the oil companies are happy to have someone else pay on their behalf, and the price of a barrel of oil– even by today’s measure – is too low by $150, and maybe $200. It is infinitely too low if you’ve lost a son, a daughter, ahusband, or a wife to war.

Here’s the thing: While a few of us might enjoy the fruits of what we think is a free market, we all suffer the consequencesof a rigged one, a market that is very good at setting prices, but has no concept at all of costs. A market that’s rigged toget someone else to pay the bills whenever and wherever a gullible or unwary public allows it to happen. A system ofeconomics that idealizes the so-­called Basic Economic Problem as the driver of all economic progress. The “problem”?The gap between what we have and what we want;; not need, want.

So how should we look at the world, and ourselves, from the point of view of sustainability? How do we reshape the lineartake-­make-­waste conveyor belt we’re stuck on and bend it into a closed loop circle? I believe there is a way thatunleashes a force even greater than our passion for wants, powerful enough to overcome just about any inertia. What isthat force?

That force is something we used to be pretty good at—good old capitalist, enlightened self-­interest. It’s irresistiblemagnetic force that in a free society draws innovation and capital straight to opportunity, what we might call “good greed.”

And I think it’s exactly the force that will compel business and industry to charge right to the top of Mount Sustainability.

I know we’re not going to get this job done in just a few years. I know that bringing our companies, our universities, ourgovernments, our families, and ourselves into balance with the earth’s natural systems is a huge challenge. But the payoff

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is nothing short of survival—while earning a solid, honest, ethical profit. It is one of the key things we hope to accomplishat Interface: to prove this new and better business model works, to demonstrate by our own example that reaching forsustainability can lead to bigger and more legitimate profits;; and by doing so, to attract other companies around the worldto the model.

One result: an ever greener built environment.

The good news is that we can do it one small, smart step at a time, each one paying its own way and laying thegroundwork for the next. Each step will make us a little less unsustainable, and simultaneously more profitable.

In that kickoff speech years ago, borrowing from Hawken, I said that every company has to face three ecologicalchallenges honestly and head-­on:

1 – What we take from the earth.2 – What we make, and what collateral damage we do in the making of it (pollution of all kinds).

3 – What we waste along the way (in all forms), from the wellhead to the landfill.

At Interface, we began scaling what we call Mount Sustainability on seven fronts: waste, emissions, energy, materialflows, transportation, culture, and the redesign of commerce. We’ve made significant progress in 16 years—progress thatcan be replicated by, I daresay, any industrial company on earth. Here’s our report card:

Today, we’re about 60 percent toward our “Mission Zero” goal—zero environmental footprint by 2020. Importantly, usinga mix of alternative, renewable sources of energy, and other process efficiencies, we’ve cut greenhouse-­gas emissionsby 44 percent, leading to a 94 percent net reduction when factoring in offsets such as the use of landfill gas for processenergy. We have pioneered new industrial processes that allow us to recycle both the nylon face fiber and the vinylbacking of reclaimed carpet—ours and that of other manufacturers as well. Water usage is down 83 percent.

As for costs, they’re actually down, not up. A zero-­tolerance waste initiative has paid the way. Sixteen years later, we’vereduced or avoided waste to the tune of $433 million, more than footing the bill for all the costs associated with greeningour company.

We’re doing it because it is smart, and because it is right. And when we succeed, we’ll never again need another drop ofoil for our petro-­intensive industrial processes;; and…

We’ll be doing very well by doing good.

That epitomizes my vision for Interface, and I know – just the way I knew carpet tiles were so right and so smart – that ifwe can get there, you can get there, too. Now, then, what if everybody did that?

Article by Ray C. Anderson, chairman and founder of Interface, Inc., and author of Confessions of a Radical Industrialist.For more information, visit-­ www.interfaceglobal.com

Sadly, Ray Anderson passed away in 2011.

GreenMoney | PO Box 67 | Santa Fe, NM 87504 | ©2015Follow

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Page 54: Interface December PR Report

State of theIndustry Report

Vol. 63 No. 24 A Hearst Business Publication December 22, 2014 $25

Banking on growth

2014Suppliers invested heavily in flooring’s future

Pe

rio

dic

al

For breaking news updated each business day, visit us online at www.fcw1.com

There can be a lot of recovery from where we are now.”The same goes for Mohawk soft surface. According to

Tom Lape, president of residential, “We are long term com-mitted to all aspects of the flooring industry — and specif-ically committed to the carpet industry in both residential and commercial. And if you are going to be a long term leader, you have to reinvest in the future. We made capital investments in the industry not looking through a lens of 12

By Amy Joyce Rush

2014 can be summed up in one word — investments. Millions of dollars were put into new plants, facility expansions, product development, technology and more, all aimed at future growth.

Matt Kahny, president, Unilin North America, said, “We continue to look at the flooring market overall as an area where there is growth opportunity over the next four or five years.

months but a lens of three to seven years.”At Shaw, president Randy Merritt said, “Shaw’s biggest

story this year is the steady strategic investments we’ve made through the downturn and recovery that position our busi-ness for continued growth by meeting — and anticipating — customer needs.”

In 2013, Shaw announced more than $250 million in capital

Mohawk Solutions 2015: ‘Own the experience’

By Brittany Walsh

[Kaua’i, Hawaii] Michael Freedman’s vision for FloorFolio has always been a simple one: Create a company that breaks the mold of tradi-tional companies; listen to its customers; create valued partnerships; and, never compromise integrity. Over the past eight years, these core principles have made FloorFolio unique.

FloorFolio celebrates customers in Hawaii By Amy Joyce Rush

[Orlando] Mohawk, an $8 bil-lion global business, introduced innovative product, services and marketing to its dealers all with the purpose of arming them with everything they need to drive traffic into their stores.

Brian Carson, president of Mohawk Flooring, took the stage here earlier this month at Solu-tions 2015 to encourage aligned dealers to, “own the entire con-sumer purchasing journey,” from the internet experience to pur-chasing to installation, he said.

Carson added that the eco-nomics indicate future growth. “2014 was a choppy year. But we are seeing the market solidify and see more consistent growth in 2015,” he said, pointing to a rising GDP, a 6-year unemploy-ment low, signs of upward pressure on wages

and an 18 percent increase in housing starts projected for next year.

FloorFolio’s Michael Freedman (left) is joined by guests at the welcome reception.

Mohawk’s Tom Lape and Jeff Meadows show off the Smart-Strand Forever Clean Carpet that withstood thousands of muddy runners at the World’s Toughest Mudder.

Jon Trivers’ A Simple Gesture

featured in The Wall Street Journal

3

Continued on page 4

FCW Exclusive

Continued on page 22

Armstrong exits European flooring business

Freedman, president and CEO, said that it has always been a dream of his to treat the partners supporting FloorFolio’s success to a

Continued on page 24

Stories on page

Page 55: Interface December PR Report

20 Carpet & Area Rugs

· FLOOR COVERING WEEKLY · WWW.FCW1.COM Decemeber 22, 2014

Visit us at www.RMASTER.comemail: [email protected]

[email protected] call: 866-822-4904

RollMaster CloudYour software, from anywhere at anytime.

For more information:

Although it out-performed residential,the specified commercial market in softsurface flooring was also less than expectedin 2014.

“We anticipated 2014domestically to be the yearfor the tail wind from the cor-porate market to strengthen,but instead it was choppy,”said John Wells, presidentand chief executive officerof Interface Americas. “Itbegan with the tough winterslowdown, but we had a goodspring especially with educa-tion. Summer was slower andnow the last two months havepicked up. Over all, we expectto be up 4 to 6 percent for North America,”Wells said.

Challenges in 2014 stemmed fromthe issues in the greater economy. Wellsreported, “This is the first time in recenthistory that the economy had a deep declinewithout a steep bounce back. It is the new

Multi-family, hospitality:Bright spots in commercial

reality. The financial markets are different.Recovery is still ahead of us, but the indi-cators are all positive and companies arestarting to plan for growth.”

Business uncertainty anda reluctance to release cap-ital funds early in the yearfor commercial projects hasdampened the market for thepast several years, accordingto Jack Ganley, president atMannington Commercial.“The first quarter of 2014experienced this hesitancy inthe market, resulting in a slowstart to the year,” he said.

There was also a softeningin the healthcare market, in

particular the acute care segment. Ganleyadded, “This was due in large part to uncer-tainty regarding the implementation of theAffordable Care Act and it's effects on thehealthcare industry.”

Such conditions made the ability torespond quickly to change and to market

demands more importantthan ever for Mannington.“Being nimble with an abilityto adapt is key to success intoday's business climate,”Ganley said. For example,Mannington has learned torespond to shortened leadtimes for many commercialprojects. “We are continuallyimproving our internal oper-ations and refining systemsto respond to our customersneeds,” he stressed.

Modular continues to growCarpet tile is continuing to grow in the

commercial market. “Carpet tile comprisesmore than 60 percent of Man-nington’s carpet business andincreases each year,” Ganleysaid, adding, “Modular formatsin both hard and soft surface aretaking share.”

Being a single source forflooring of diverse types is anadvantage for Mannington. “Wesee a growing number of ordersthat incorporate a variety of ourflooring platforms — carpet tileused with LVT, rubber tile, wallbase, etc. This trend influencesour Choices that Work business strategy andour holistic approach to product design,”Ganley said.

Mannington made advances in tuftingand design areas. “We were delighted to

promote Roby Isaac last June to overseeboth our carpet and hard surface design.His approach to design and his tufting

knowledge are driving ourdesign in a new direction,”Ganley said.

For Interface, lookingbeyond its traditional marketsegments has been essential.Wells pointed out, “New con-struction in the U.S. has beendominated by multi-family,which has never been a keysegment for Interface. But thecompany has won businessthere in public spaces andcorridors.”

Interface began to focus on hospitalityseveral years ago with a new brand —Interface Hospitality — to position modu-lar in the segment. “We have been buildingmomentum and see that continuing. Hos-

pitality is a big global busi-ness and meshes well withInterface’s internationalfootprint,” Wells explained.“Interface is a good fit.”

Interface launched a newweb presence at Interface.com in 2014 where design-ers can browse and selectproducts. “We introduceda transactional site in thesummer for dealers andspecifiers,” he added.

Interface is also determinedto make the most of its globalpresence, which is unmatched,according to Wells. “We havelaunched three collections thatare made in all six plants so weare able to serve global com-panies and global design andarchitectural companies. It’s anadvantage in cost and time overmaking the product in the U.S.

and having the ship it.”— Janet Herlihy

Human Nature is the third collection from Interface that is beingmanufactured in all six company plants on four continents.

John Wells, Invista

Jack Ganley, Mannington

Mannington’s Rosetti carpet and Enlighten resilient

Page 56: Interface December PR Report

The Process Award

Daimler AG won the Process innovation award. The Jury were impressed by Daimler's twin wire arcspraying technology, which applies an iron-carbon coating to the inner surfaces of cylinders in aluminiumcrankcases. Widespread use could generate considerable fuel savings and reductions in CO2 emissions.See http://www.daimler.com/

The International Business Cooperation Award

This Award goes to a company that actively promotes the sharing of knowledge and technology ininternational cross-sector partnerships, which contribute to sustainable growth in developing countries.This year's winner is Interface Nederland BV for its project Net-Works. The Jury selected the projectbecause of its ambitious aim to tackle the growing global environmental problem of discarded fishing netswhilst providing socio-economic benefits to some of the world's poorest coastal communities. Every twokilos of the nets collected for re-use buys one kilo of rice, providing two meals for a family of five to sixpeople. See www.interface.com

The Business and Biodiversity Award

Red Electrica de Espana won this Award for outstanding achievements in halting biodiversity loss andsupport to natural ecosystems through the "Birds and electricity transmission lines: mapping of flightpaths" project. The tool uses Geographic Information Systems that integrate data about bird flight paths.The Jury was impressed with the tool's sensitivity maps, which display the most relevant and up-to-dateinformation about 44 bird species. See http://www.ree.es/

Further information:

More information on the winners, the runners-up, the selection procedure and past EBAE competitionscan be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/awards/

For details of the 2014-2015 finalists, see IP/14/1028 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1028_en.htm

TNS 18EstebanLiz-141202-30FurigayJane-4951819 30FurigayJane

Copyright © Targeted News Service. All Rights Reserved.

Page 57: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Commission announces winners of European Business Awards for theEnvironment 2014-2015

Date: 12/1/2014 10:48:14 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: PressReleasePoint

Attachment Link: http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/commission-announces-winners-european-business-awards-environment-2014-2015

EU Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella announced the winners ofthe European Business Awards for the Environment 2014-15...

Page 58: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Winners of European Business Awards for the Environment 2014-2015

Date: 12/2/2014 5:01:16 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: IPFrontline

Attachment Link: http://www.ipfrontline.com/depts/article.aspx?id=53827&deptid=2

The awards recognise companies that combine competitiveness with respect for the environment in

management, product and services, process innovation, business...

Page 59: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Five Companies Win European Business Awards

Date: 12/2/2014 10:06:14 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Environmental Protection

Attachment Link: http://eponline.com/articles/2014/12/02/eu-business-awards.aspx

Karmenu Vella, the European Union's Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner, hasannounced the winners of the European Business Awards...

Page 60: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Treading Softly

Date: 12/2/2014 10:31:50 AM

Media Contact: Peter Reichard

Media Outlet: MyNewOrleans.com

Attachment Link: http://www.myneworleans.com/New-Orleans-Homes-Lifestyles/Winter-2014/Treading-Softly/

...suggested patterns and online tools for experimenting with different combinations. Flor's focus issquarely on homeowners seeking a modern aura. Another carpet company worth a look is Shaw Floor.Shaw's carpets run the gamut of wall-to-wall carpeting types. The choices vary enough to appease...

Page 61: Interface December PR Report

Headline: We sight rare 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid in Eugene,Ore.

Date: 12/2/2014 1:57:34 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Torque News

Attachment Link: http://www.torquenews.com/1574/we-sight-rare-2015-acura-rlx-sport-hybrid-eugeneore

Strangely enough when you search the internet for 2015 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid price andspecifications, you won't find them on Acura's RLX site, yet I've...

Page 62: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Five Companies Win European Business Awards -- Environmental Protection

Date: 12/2/2014 7:08:19 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Environmental Protection

Attachment Link: http://eponline.com/articles/2014/12/02/eu-business-awards.aspx?admgarea=News

Five Companies Win European Business Awards Karmenu Vella, the European Union's Environment,Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner, has announced...

Page 63: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Commission Announces Winners of European Business Awards for theEnvironment 2014-2015

Date: 12/3/2014 12:00:00 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Targeted News Service

The European Commission issued the following news release:

EU Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella announced the winners ofthe European Business Awards for the Environment 2014-15 at an evening ceremony last night. Theawards recognise companies that combine competitiveness with respect for the environment in fivecategories: management, product and services, process innovation, business and biodiversity andinternational business cooperation. This year's winners include large corporations and SMEs:

- Eczacibasi Yapi Gerecleri (Turkey), a leading producer of ceramic bathroom products and tiles, formanagement

- EcoNation (Belgium), a company supplying lighting solutions, for product and services

- Daimler AG (Germany), a motor vehicle and engine manufacturer, for process innovation

- Interface Nederland BV (Netherlands), the world's largest designer and maker of carpet tiles, forinternational business cooperation

- Red Electrica de Espana (Spain), an electricity operator, for business and biodiversity

Commissioner Karmenu Vella said: "Growing numbers of businesses realise that protecting theenvironment is vital for maintaining Europe's competitiveness. The Commission's European BusinessAwards for the Environment recognise the best of these pioneers, singling out leaders and companies atthe forefront of eco-innovation. My warm congratulations to all these winners."

The environmental goods and services sector has continued to expand, even during the recent economicdownturn. An expanding global market means eco-industries can expect to enjoy significant exportpotential, in addition to wider demand within the EU.

The Management Award

Eczacibasi Yapi Gerecleri won the management award for their Blue Life Integrated SustainabilityManagement System, implemented in their Building Products division. It measures and reports thesustainability credentials of all business processes, so that the environmental impact of products isreduced at each step of their life cycle, from design to the final user. The company has successfullyintegrated resource management across its operations and adopted a sustainable retail practice modelwith high replication potential.

See http://www.eczacibasi.com.tr/tr/eczacibasi-toplulugu/kuruluslar/yapi-urunleri/eczacibasi-yapi-gerecleri2

The Product and Services Award

This Award goes to a company that has developed and applied a new production technology that makesan outstanding contribution to sustainable development. Belgium's EcoNation took this award for their"Lighten the energy bill" project, which features the 'LightCatcher,' an intelligent daylight system that cangenerate massive energy saving by maximising the use of available daylight. Seehttp://www.econation.be/wat-is-lightcatcher/

Page 64: Interface December PR Report

The Process Award

Daimler AG won the Process innovation award. The Jury were impressed by Daimler's twin wire arcspraying technology, which applies an iron-carbon coating to the inner surfaces of cylinders in aluminiumcrankcases. Widespread use could generate considerable fuel savings and reductions in CO2 emissions.See http://www.daimler.com/

The International Business Cooperation Award

This Award goes to a company that actively promotes the sharing of knowledge and technology ininternational cross-sector partnerships, which contribute to sustainable growth in developing countries.This year's winner is Interface Nederland BV for its project Net-Works. The Jury selected the projectbecause of its ambitious aim to tackle the growing global environmental problem of discarded fishing netswhilst providing socio-economic benefits to some of the world's poorest coastal communities. Every twokilos of the nets collected for re-use buys one kilo of rice, providing two meals for a family of five to sixpeople. See www.interface.com

The Business and Biodiversity Award

Red Electrica de Espana won this Award for outstanding achievements in halting biodiversity loss andsupport to natural ecosystems through the "Birds and electricity transmission lines: mapping of flightpaths" project. The tool uses Geographic Information Systems that integrate data about bird flight paths.The Jury was impressed with the tool's sensitivity maps, which display the most relevant and up-to-dateinformation about 44 bird species. See http://www.ree.es/

Further information:

More information on the winners, the runners-up, the selection procedure and past EBAE competitionscan be found at:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/awards/

For details of the 2014-2015 finalists, see IP/14/1028 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-1028_en.htm

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Page 65: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Mohawk Cleans Up With Tough Mudder

Date: 12/5/2014 8:45:37 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: IEG Sponsorship Report

Attachment Link: http://news.vocus.com/?a=19767437976&p=19f&v=1&x=ZILjYmr4rx56SbFmp9biAg

...Experience at New York City's Times Square in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. Other flooringmanufacturers include Shaw Industries Group, Inc., Interface, Inc. and Beaulieu of America Inc.

Page 66: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Best of Year 2014 Product Winners

Date: 12/5/2014 4:15:05 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Interior Design - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.interiordesign.net/articles/detail/36537-best-of-year-2014-product-winners/

...Lyndon Freestanding Soaking Tub DXV by American Standard Bath: Fixtures/Tubs and ShowersRettangolo Library Tub Gessi Winner Flooring: Carpet/Broadloom Altered Form MillikenFlooring: Carpet/Broadloom Simply Tailored Mohawk Group Flooring: Carpet/Broadloom...

Page 67: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Healthcare Design: Shifting Models—Impact of the ACA

Date: 12/5/2014 4:22:05 PM

Media Contact: Ruth Simon McRae

Media Outlet: Floordaily.net

Attachment Link: http://www.floordaily.net/FloorFocus/Healthcare_Design_Shifting_ModelsImpact_of_the_A.aspx

...adhesive company, which attaches the system and ships the roll goods onto the job site. Hutchinsmentioned similar installation solutions, such as Interface's TacTiles system, with its 3-inch adhesivesquares, and Nora's Noraplan nTx, a pre-applied adhesive that can be added to any of the...

Page 68: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Flooring Shows Its Leadership at Greenbuild

Date: 12/5/2014 10:42:13 PM

Media Contact: Matthew Spieler

Media Outlet: Floor Trends - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.floortrendsmag.com/articles/98037-flooring-shows-its-leadership-at-greenbuild

...the message started by its late founder Ray Anderson about being a net-zero company and industry.George Bandy Jr., the company's vice president of sustainability and USGBC's chairman, said while it isstill “vitally” important to talk about what is in a product and how it is made, and to be transparent...

Page 69: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Five Companies Win European Business Awards

Date: 12/7/2014 5:56:23 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Environmental Protection

Attachment Link: http://eponline.com/articles/2014/12/02/eu-business-awards.aspx?admgarea=ht.sustainability.greenbuilding

Karmenu Vella, the European Union's Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner, hasannounced the winners of the European Business Awards...

Page 70: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Interface receives top environmental accolade

Date: 12/8/2014 8:28:17 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Eco-Business.com

Attachment Link: http://www.eco-business.com/press-releases/interface-receives-top-environmental-accolade/

...global savings. I hope that our experience will inspire other organisations to accelerate their ownsustainability journeys and reap the rewards.” About Interface, Inc. Established in 1973, Interface, Inc.(NASDAQ: TILE) is the world's largest manufacturer of commercial carpet tile....

Page 71: Interface December PR Report

Headline: 3rings : Reclaim by Interface

Date: 12/8/2014 11:00:49 AM

Media Contact: Alicita Rodriguez

Media Outlet: Designer Pages Media

Attachment Link: http://media.designerpages.com/3rings/2014/12/08/reclaim-by-interface/

Taking advantage of the “natural beauty found in salvaged matter,” Reclaim carpet tiles by Interface aremade of 100% recycled content from reclaimed carpet fiber and salvaged fishing nets. Reclaim is just oneway in which Interface...

Page 72: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Apartment Trends To Watch in 2015

Date: 12/8/2014 6:04:46 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Multi-Housing News - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.multihousingnews.com/features/apartment-trends-to-watch-in-2015/1004111954.html

Dec. 8, 2014 By Diana Mosher, Editorial Director Exercise areas, grooming stations and daycare optionsfor pets are quickly becoming the norm. Developers...

Page 73: Interface December PR Report

Headline: 3rings : Reclaim by Interface

Date: 12/9/2014 5:07:11 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: eWallstreeter

Attachment Link: http://ewallstreeter.com/rings-reclaim-by-interface-2617/

From Designer Pages December 8, 2014 - 11:00am Taking advantage of the “natural beauty found insalvaged matter,” Reclaim carpet tiles by Interface are made of 100\% recycled content from reclaimedcarpet fiber and salvaged fishing nets. Reclaim is just one way in which Interface...

Page 74: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Interface's Human Nature wins Best of Year award

Date: 12/10/2014 7:33:44 AM

Media Contact: Jenna Lippin

Media Outlet: Floor Covering News - Online

Attachment Link: http://news.vocus.com/?

a=19816570398&p=19f&v=1&x=1Kax52KApIVgM8zuNG_AQQ

New York—The architectural and design community has voted Human Nature—the latest global carpet tilecollection from Interface—Best of Year in Interior...

Page 75: Interface December PR Report

Headline: New Interface carpet tile collection earns top honors from Interior Design

Date: 12/10/2014 1:31:40 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Floor Covering Weekly - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.floorcoveringweekly.com/Main/DailyUpdate/New_Interface_carpet_tile_collection_earns_top_honors_from_Interi_7451.aspx

[New York] The architectural and design community has voted Human Nature – the latest global carpet

tile collection from Interface – Best of Year in Interior...

Page 76: Interface December PR Report

Headline: FloorFolio introduces hygienic wall solutions for healthcare, hospitality industries

Date: 12/11/2014 11:45:00 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Floor Covering Weekly - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.floorcoveringweekly.com/Main/DailyUpdate/FloorFolio_introduces_hygienic_wall_solutions_for_healthcare_hosp_7459.aspx

Posted Date: 12/11/2014 PRESS RELEASE: [Edison, N.J.] FloorFolio Industries continues to offer

solutions for the healthcare and hospitality markets...

Page 77: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Armstrong World Industries exits European flooring business

Date: 12/11/2014 11:45:00 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Floor Covering Weekly - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.floorcoveringweekly.com/Main/DailyUpdate/Armstrong_World_Industries_exits_European_flooring_business__7460.aspx

Posted Date: 12/11/2014 PRESS RELEASE: [Lancaster, Pa.] Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (NYSE:

AWI) today announced that, following a review of strategic...

Page 78: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Patent Office Board Rules Against Interface Patent

Date: 12/11/2014 2:16:16 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Floordaily.net

Attachment Link: http://www.floordaily.net/flooring-news/Patent_Office_Board_Rules_Against_Interface_Patent.aspx

New York, NY, Dec. 11, 2014 -- The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Boardhas essentially voided an Interface carpet tile installation patent in a dispute with Tandus Flooring,according to Law360. A three-judge panel ruled that Tandus had...

Page 79: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Flooring News: Human Nature by Interface Honored with Best of Year Award -FloorBiz.com Flooring News

Date: 12/11/2014 3:50:18 PM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: FloorBiz

Attachment Link: http://www.floorbiz.com/BizNews/NPViewArticle.asp?cmd=view&articleid=9082&News=human_nature_by_interface_honored_with_best_of_year_award

...special section in the magazine’s December issue and in a hardbound book due out in Spring 2015.For more information on Interface, visit interface.com. Interface, Inc. is the world’s largestmanufacturer of commercial carpet tile. For 41 years, the company has consistently led the industry...

Page 80: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Perceptibly inspires - offices with purchase to nature have a positive influence onproductivity and

Date: 12/18/2014 6:56:51 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: Architonic

Attachment Link: http://www.architonic.com/ntsht/fuhlbar-inspiriert-buros-mit-bezug-zur-natur-haben-einen-positiven-einfluss-auf-produktivitat-und-gesundheit-der-mitarbeiter/7001037

WorldLingo Translation Performed - 12/18/2014 3:26 AMOriginal Language: GermanTranslation Language: EnglishTranslated Text:Nature serves interface, manufacturer of textilen modular floor mats, leading world-wide, as model fortextile Designs…

Page 81: Interface December PR Report

Headline: Business Savvy | EMagazine.com

Date: 12/18/2014 10:45:22 AM

Media Contact:

Media Outlet: E/The Environmental Magazine - Online

Attachment Link: http://www.emagazine.com/magazine-archive/business-savvy

The American supermarket has always offered a virtual cornucopia of goods, but...