Built environment thought leaders discuss pathways to circular economy at Tarkett's third annual Circularity Summit

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Apr 25, 2024, 14:35 ET

SOLON, Ohio, April 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- This month, Tarkett hosted its third annual Circularity Summit, bringing together thought leaders from 14 distinct organizations serving the built environment to collaboratively tackle the challenges of achieving a circular economy. The group spent two days at the Inn at Serenbe, situated among Georgia's Chattahoochee Hills, discussing topics such as deconstructing deconstruction, landfill diversion, reducing carbon impacts, and integrating sustainable practices throughout all aspects of business strategy.

Yiran Song, JLL, speaks with Ashleigh Savage, Smith Group; Eric Nelson, Aquafil; Paul Young, Tarkett; and Arnaud Marquis, Tarkett, at Tarkett’s third annual Circularity Summit.

"Tarkett is committed to creating a circular economy that preserves our natural resources, reduces our impact on climate, and closes the loop on waste," said Roxane Spears, vice president of sustainability for Tarkett North America. "Taking these two days away from our desks to share diverse perspectives on challenges that matter to us all is vital in developing sustainable solutions."

Each attendee brought a sense of purpose and inspiration to the summit. In addition to discussing, for example, how construction and deconstruction workflows can have meaningful impact on organizational carbon reduction, the group came to a consensus that it must become standard business practice to consider a product's material ingredients, life cycle, and end of life plan in manufacturing, specification, installation, and flooring removal.

"Over the course of the two days, I was truly inspired by the wealth of knowledge shared, the insightful discussions, and the passionate commitment demonstrated by all the speakers and attendees," said Vicky Choi, an associate director for project management at Gilead Sciences. "From exploring innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges, to discussing the importance of community engagement and sustainable practices, every session was both informative and thought-provoking."

Tarkett's Circularity Summit is just one of many initiatives the company leads in an effort to reach its SBTi 2030 target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% across Scopes 1, 2, and 3. ReStart®, its take-back and recycling program, is another important part of Tarkett's holistic approach to a circular economy. In 2023, Tarkett North America recycled over 1.5 million pounds of flooring waste through ReStart and innovated a way to recycle the non-PVC backing of post-consumer ethos® carpet tile into new ethos backing.

To learn more about Tarkett's sustainability initiatives, visit commercial.tarkett.com/sustainability.

About Tarkett
With a 140-year history, Tarkett is a worldwide leader in innovative and durable flooring and sports surface solutions, generating net sales of 3.4 billion euros in 2023. The Group has around 12,000 employees, 23 R&D centres, 8 recycling centres and 34 production sites. Tarkett designs and manufactures solutions for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, shops and sports fields, serving customers in more than 100 countries. To build "The Way to Better Floors", the Group is committed to the circular economy and sustainable development, in line with its Tarkett Human-Conscious Design® approach. Tarkett is listed on the Euronext regulated market (compartment B, ISIN: FR0004188670, ticker: TKTT). www.tarkett-group.com

Every Step Matters
For years, Tarkett has raised the sustainability standards of the flooring industry. It purposefully designs floors with total transparency to create healthier, safer spaces for both people and planet. When Tarkett floors reach their end of life, the company's ReStart^® program makes it possible for them to be repurposed or recycled. Tarkett's near-term science-based carbon emissions reduction targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are fully aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement objective to limit global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius. For more information, visit commercial.tarkett.com/sustainability.

SOURCE Tarkett USA, Inc.