Profit for climate protection

© Dominik Münich

© CR-IMAGEWORKS

© Elmar Witt

© Elmar Witt

© Elmar Witt

© Elmar Witt

nora systems takes another step on the path to a sustainable future: All products from the manufacturer of high-quality rubber floors, which has belonged to the Interface Group since 2018, are now CO₂ neutral. This means that the entire Interface product portfolio of carpet tiles and resilient coverings has no negative impact on the climate throughout its entire product lifecycle. "Since nora systems became part of the Interface Group last year, we have been applying our 25 years of experience in this field to further reduce CO₂ emissions throughout the entire lifecycle of nora floors," says Erin Meezan, Chief Sustainability Officer at Interface. "One measure is to calculate the CO₂ footprint of the entire manufacturing and product lifecycle of nora floors and then offset it through investments in emission reduction projects to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions." This includes, for example, supporting reforestation projects as well as wind- and water-based energy generation. "Interface only invests in high-quality emission reduction projects that are verified annually by independent external auditors," emphasizes Meezan.

Further step on nora systems' sustainability journey

For Bettina Haffelder, Vice President nora DACH, this is another step on nora systems' sustainability journey: "The impact our products have on the environment is an important aspect for us, and we are working to further reduce the CO₂ footprint of nora systems. Here, we can now benefit from the experiences that Interface has gained on a global level." To reduce CO₂ emissions, a roadmap with targets has been defined. "We are working on various levers," Haffelder continues. Supporting emission reduction projects is a first, but by no means the last step on the journey toward greater sustainability.

However, sustainability, environmental protection, and healthy living have long been core components of nora systems' corporate orientation. This is also evidenced by numerous certifications from authorities and associations. For example, the company has been certified under ISO 14001 for its environmental management system since 1996, making it one of the first manufacturers of resilient flooring worldwide. nora floors contain no phthalate plasticizers or halogens. Therefore, they were awarded the "Blue Angel" as early as 2006, making them the first resilient floors of any kind to receive this certification. Furthermore, nora systems is a founding member of the German Society for Sustainable Building e.V. (DGNB). In early 2011, the company became the first manufacturer of resilient floors to publish Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for its products according to DIN EN ISO 14025. EPDs are used to assess the sustainability of products. Another step was taken in 2018: since last year, nora systems has been sourcing all of its electricity from renewable sources. With this switch, the company is committed to environmentally friendly energy generation and use, making a valuable contribution to environmental and climate protection.