On Thursday, July 7, Georgia Public Service Commission Vice Chairman Tim Echols presented Shaw Industries (Shaw) with an Energy Matters Award in the “Best Sustainability by a Manufacturing Company” category.

“Shaw’s leadership in sustainability is a model for companies across Georgia,” said Echols. “We are proud to have them in our state and look forward to further innovations.”

Shaw is being recognized for its long-standing commitment to sustainability – including recycling carpet and using recycled content (carpet, plastic bottles and more) in its manufacturing processes. Since 2006, the company has reclaimed almost 1 billion pounds of carpet, including its EcoWorx® backed carpet tile, which is made and recycled in Bartow County, Ga. – at manufacturing facilities in Adairsville and Cartersville.

EcoWorx was one of the first products in the world to be Cradle to Cradle Certified, and in 2021 became the first product in the world to achieve Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver under the new, more rigorous version 4 of the standard. Additionally in 2021, Shaw Industries introduced a revolutionary new flooring platform constructed with 30 percent post-consumer recycled bottles, taking waste bottles and recycling them into a beautifully designed, highly durable flooring. Each square yard of this product, known as ReWorx, contains an average of 61 post-consumer plastic bottles and is recyclable back into itself.

“I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of Shaw’s, 20,000-plus associates who show their commitment to creating a better future each and every day,” notes Kellie Ballew, vice president of global sustainability at Shaw. “Sustainability is about people and the planet. Recognizing the connection between the ingredients that go into our products and the health and wellbeing of the planet and its people, our sustain[HUMAN]ability® strategy puts people at the heart of all we do.”

To learn more about Shaw’s sustainability efforts, visit www.sustainHUMANability.com.

This is the seventh of 15 awards being presented for sustainability leadership across Georgia by Commissioner Echols. Each guest is interviewed for the Energy Matters Radio show on Cox Media as well as receiving a framed Georgia print provided by YKK.