1. sus·tain (s∂-stan)creating better environments

SUSTAINABILITY
1. sus·tain (s∂-stan )tr.v. sus·tained, sus·tain·ing, sus·tains
1. To keep in existence; maintain.
2. To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for.
3. To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop.
4. To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage.
5. To bear up under; withstand: can't sustain the blistering heat.
6. To experience or suffer: sustained a fatal injury.
7. To affirm the validity of: The judge has sustained theprosecutor's objection.
8. To prove or corroborate; confirm.
9. To keep up (a joke or assumed role, for example) competently.
[Middle English sustenen, from Old French sustenir, from Latin
sustin re : sub-, from below; see sub- + tenere, to hold; see ten- in
Indo-European roots.]
sus·tain a·bil i·ty n.
sus·tain a·ble adj.
sus·tain er n.
sus·tain ment n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton
Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

2. Sustainability is a characteristic of a process or state that canbe maintained at a certain level indefinitely. The term, in its environmental usage, refers to the potential longevity of vital humanecological support systems, such as the planet's climactic system,
systems of agriculture, industry, forestry, and fisheries, and humancommunities in general and the various systems on which they
depend.

Development that meets the needs of the present withoutcompromising the ability of future generations to meet theirown needs.
This definition was created in 1987 at the World Commission on
Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission).

creating better environments

Sustainability, as defined within the North American constructionindustry, is not as clear and concise as the definitions above.
Marketing-driven greenwash utilizing emotional appeals, in theabsence of scientifically based product standards, can distort theefforts of even the most well-intentioned development. At Forbo
we have a clear, simple guiding principle of “Compliance Plus” that
ensures that we are “creating better environments” through thecontinuous improvement of our products and processes. “Compliance Plus” requires us to do more, to lead, to innovate, to improve
all of our processes and products beyond compliance withrequired standards. “Compliance Plus” impacts all aspects of ouractivities, inclusive of health, safety, and environment.

The cornerstone of how we, at Forbo, create better environments is
Marmoleum. A leading global brand in commercial floor covering,
Marmoleum epitomizes all that we strive for. Marmoleum has thelowest environmental footprint, carries the most independent, LCAbased environmental labels and certifications, offers a dynamic color
palette that makes it a leader in color and design, and provides a
100 year + track record of performance and durability. Marmoleum
sets a benchmark unmatched in the flooring industry.

For guidance in this process we look, wherever possible, tooutside, independent reputable sources. Here is our roadmap:•
Utilize independent, 3rd party, peer-reviewed, ISO-basedLife Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to ensure correct
decision making and provide indication of areas for
improvement.
•

Pursue applicable LCA-based independent productcertifications that are based on ANSI accredited standards
organizations wherever possible to ensure benchmarking.

•The overall system must be rigorously controlled to ensure
repeatability through ISO-14001 certification and compliance.

•

Provide transparency and reporting through the publicationof our annual Health, Safety, and Environment Report, which
can be downloaded at www.forboflooringNA.com.

As long as the sun shines,
and the rain falls,
we can produce Marmoleum®.

Forbo’s history of environmental commitment

2

1990

1992

1993

1995

1996

1997

1997

1998

1998

2000

2000

2001

2004

2004

2005

2007

Start
employment
of Health,
Safety andEnvironment
Specialists

ISO 9001
CertificationFirst
LCA Study
Completed

SecondLCA Study
Completed

Scandinavian
Nordic Swan
Label Granted

ISO 14001
Certification

WinnerSequoiaAward

Government
GrantedSelf-regulating
Company

Received theNetherlands
Environmental
Quality Mark(Milieukeur)

Given theGerman TÜV
Environmental
Label

Third
LCA Study
Completed

Received theAustrian
Eco Label UZ42

GermanNature Pluscertificate
granted

Australian
Environmental
Choice label
received

Received
New ZealandEnvironmental
Choice label

Received
SMART©
label

3

field to field

life cycle assessment
Why LCA (Life Cycle Assessment)?

Establishing an Environmental Footprint

What is more important to you – clean water? Or clean air?
Obviously both. Unfortunately, however well-intentioned,
decisions are made regularly on our behalf that may have
undesirable consequences. Why? Because a process or product’s influence upon the environment can result in a relatively
complex outcome. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle (in that order) is
great guidance from a simplistic perspective. But, in particular,
recycling as well as down-cycling, upon closer scrutiny may
have significant detrimental environmental impact in manycases. Therefore such single attribute claims require carefulconsideration.

A manufacturer must establish the full impact its products andprocesses have on the environment - this is known as an environmental footprint. The best way to establish this is to conduct an
ISO-compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Life Cycle Assessment
is the full assimilation of the environmental impact of a given
product, process, or service throughout its lifespan.

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
The development of a company’s environmental profile should
be grounded in the simplest terms.
ReduceReuse
RecycleMost of us are aware of these three words most closely
associated with thetriangle. The order of the 3 R’s areimportant. A company must first choose to improve its environmental performance by Reducing energy demands, use ofnatural resources, and waste. Reuse scrap back into manufacturing and when possible gathering that waste from otherprocesses. Finally, Recycle what cannot be used by finding ahome for the waste in another product or process.

The term “life cycle” refers to the fundamental understanding thata fair, holistic assessment requires the analysis of all processelements, inclusive of raw material extraction, processing,
manufacturing, distribution, use, and end of life outcome,including all intervening transportation steps. This is the life cycleof the product. This assessment can be used to optimize theenvironmental performance of a single product or to optimize theenvironmental performance of an entire company.

Life Cycle Assessment equally measures a
product’s environmental footprint throughits entire life cycle against 12 Environmental Impact Categories (EIC). A bio-based
product’s Life Cycle (like Marmoleum) canbe organized into 3 categories covering allprocess elements:

Gate to Field covers the Distribution,
Installation, Use and Maintenance, andEnd of Life Outcome. Impacts here areoften represented by manufacturers as life
cycle costing, yet life cycle costing only
measures the financial, non-environmental
impacts.

Forbo offers an independently done, 3rdparty peer reviewed, publicly disclosed LCA
for any and all products that are promotedon their environmental attributes. We do
this to eliminate the marketing distortions
and emotional appeals so prevalent in theindustry today.

1. Field to Gate
2. Gate to Gate
3. Gate to Field/Final Disposition

The effects of the seven Process Elements
are measured equally against the following
12 Environmental Impact Categories (seechart below): Global Warming, Acidification,
Eutrophication, Natural Resource Depletion,
Solid Waste Generation, Ecological Toxicity,
Human Toxicity, Ozone Depletion, Smog
Formation, Indoor Air Quality, Embodied
Energy Content, and Habitat Alteration. The
cumulative impacts of all process elements
across all impact categories forms the fullLife Cycle Assessment.

Marmoleum® is one of the first floor
coverings to publish an independently
done, peer reviewed LCA study.
A downloadable version of this report canbe found on: www.leidenuniv.nl/cml/ssp/
publications/lcalinoleum.pdf

Forbo Flooring Systems manages aninternal program called “Field to Field,” asMarmoleum is 97% organic based and76%, by weight, bio-based. Our goal is toreturn as much benefit to the earth as it
has given us through its fields, farms, andforests.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has
developed environmental management standards (ISO 14000)
that incorporate LCA protocol (ISO 14040).

Field to Gate covers the processes of Raw
Material Acquisition, and Pre-processing.
These process elements, generally involving outside companies and suppliers, areoften overlooked by many manufacturers
when stating their environmental impact,
either due to lack of commitment to finddata, or direct avoidance of significant negative impacts.

The ISO 14001 environmental management standards exist to helporganizations repetitively duplicate, measure and report, andimprove how their operations impact the environment. Further,
they enable compliance with applicable laws, regulations, andother environmentally oriented requirements.

Gate to Gate covers the impacts within amanufacturer’s facility. This is the easiest
for a manufacturer to control and usually
the information is made available to the
public.

Life Cycle Assessments are the foundation
to scientifically understanding a product,
process, or service’s full impact on the environment. The information learned from an
LCA can help a company identify areas thatneed attention, chart future environmental
improvements, and develop new productsthat have a lower environmental burden.
ISO compliant LCAs should be the basis of
any legitimate environmental certificationor label, and can be used for comparing
materials for selection. This information is
also critical for the validation of any lawful
marketing that references sustainability.

Process Elements (Product Life Cycle)
field to gate
raw materials
Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville, AL photo: Michael Parker

4gate to gate

pre-processing

production

gate to final disposition (field)
distribution

installation

use & maintenancecomposting, recycling,
and/or disposal

Environmental Impact Categories
globalwarmingeutrophication

acidification

natural resource
depletion

habitat alteration

ecological
toxicitysolid waste
generationozone
depletion

human toxicity

indoor air
qualitysmog formation

embodiedenergy content

Companies Environmental Performance need to be measured across the entire life cycle of the product not just during
production and the end of its useful life. The impacts should include all of the Process Elements and the effect of theProcess Elements against all of the Impact Categories.

5LEED®

contribution beyond the credits

The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and CanadianGreen Building Council (CaGBC) define LEED® as follows:
What is LEED®?
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green
Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark forthe design, construction, and operation of high performancegreen buildings. LEED® gives building owners and operators thetools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on
their buildings’ performance. LEED® promotes a whole-building
approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five
key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site
development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection,and indoor environmental quality.
As clearly stated in their definition, LEED® does a very good job ofassessing the building as a system. A building, however, is really acollection of thousands of products combined to form an operational system. So although establishing criteria for products, LEED®
does not provide clarity on specific product selection.
LEED® is a point-based rating system for evaluating the environmental profile of a building. No single product can obtain a
LEED® credit. Marmoleum helps in contributing to LEED® point
accumulation as follows:

The LEED® Rating System evaluates products of six categories,in which one can obtain credits:• Sustainable Sites• Water Efficiency• Energy & Atmosphere• Materials & Resources• Indoor Environmental Quality• Innovation in Design & Process

Forbo products contribute to:
LEED® NC (New Construction)
Category Materials & Resources:
MR Credit 2.1: Construction Waste Management
MR Credit 2.2: Construction Waste Management
MR Credit 4.1 Recycled Content
MR Credit 4.2 Recycled Content
MR Credit 6 Rapidly Renewable Materials
Category Indoor Environmental Quality:
IEQ Credit 4.1 Low-Emitting Materials
Option 3 - Flooring Systems (LEED® for Schools)
LEED® CI (Commercial Interiors)
Category Materials & Resources:
MR Credit 2.1: Construction Waste Management
MR Credit 2.2: Construction Waste Management
MR Credit 4.1 Recycled Content
MR Credit 4.2 Recycled Content

LEED® beyond the credits… (understanding what the contribution of a manufacturer’s product toward LEED® credits implies). Many manufacturers think that by listing
the LEED® credits they feel their product contributes to, or in some cases, want you tothink they contribute to, is enough. This, on the surface, can make unequivalent
products look to have equal contributions for LEED® projects. This is not necessarily
the case when it comes to those LEED® credits that are financially based. Materials &Resource credits that involve Recycled Content and/or Rapidly Renewable Materials
ARE financially based.
For example:
On a project that is making the decision to apply for the Recycled Content Credit(s),Marmoleum will apply $2.25 per every $10.00 spent on flooring material towards thiscredit. This is based on Marmoleum’s Pre-Consumer (Post Industrial) Recycled
Content of 45%. This compares to $0.25 for vinyl and rubber floors that normally contain less than 5% Pre-Consumer Recycled Content for the same $10.00 investment.
Another example:
For that same $10.00 being spent on flooring materials, Marmoleum Sheet (33%
RRM) will apply $3.30 and Marmoleum Tile (23% RRM) will apply $2.30 towards the
Rapidly Renewable Materials Credit. This compares to $1.00 for rubber, or otherbio-based flooring, that normally has less than 10% rapidly renewable ingredients in
its construction.
So when you look beyond the LEED® compliance of a product and look towards itstrue LEED® contribution, Forbo Marmoleum is in a LEEDership position.

C-TEC, a Newark, Ohio based career andtechnical public school, has recently installed
approximately 11,000 sq. yds. of Forbo’s
Marmoleum in its new and renovated 313,165
sq. ft. USGBC LEED® Silver Certified schoolbuilding. The flooring product is frequently
discussed by groups touring the facility
marvelling as the twenty various colors ofMarmoleum blend beautifully together in astunning installation by Legacy Flooring ofColumbus, Ohio.

Category Indoor Environmental Quality:
IEQ Credit 4.1 Low-Emitting Materials
LEED® EB (Existing Buildings)
Category Materials & Resources:• Credit 2 Optimize Use of Alternative Materials• Credit 3 Optimize Use of IAQ Compliant Products
Note: Although Forbo does not currently have manufacturing
facilities that qualify for Materials and Resource Credits 5.1 and
5.2 Regional Materials, there is an exception for projects in thenorthern midwest where flax is grown and seeds are pressed(extraction point).

“Marmoleum has made a huge difference inthe attitude of the building” says Superintendent Ronald Cassidy. “The rooms and hallways
are fresh and it is amazingly soft to walk on.”“Maintaining Marmoleum is really pretty simple, just clean it with a light application of cold
water” says Facility Manager Rick Orr. “We will
never have to strip the floor. Once a year welight scrub and apply 1 or 2 coats of Johnson’s
Matte Finish Water Based Wax. Our custodianslove it and it’s there for the long term. This regiment of cleaning has drastically reduced operational costs as well,” continues Orr. “They saythat seeing is believing, so I invite anyone tovisit and talk with the people that maintain thefloor every day.”More information on the USGBC, CAGBC, and the LEED® Rating
System can be found at www.usgbc.org and www.cagbc.org.
For updated information on LEED® compliance, please visit
www.forboflooringNA.com.

LEED®-CI Certified Project:
6

St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, B.C. photo: Johann WallJohnston Davidson Architecture + Planning Inc.
D.L. Watts Flooring Ltd.

LEED® Silver Certified Project:

C-TEC, Newark, OH
L. Robert Kimball Architects
Legacy Flooring of Columbus

photo: Nicole Dixon
7labels, certifications, and standards

SMART© Consensus Sustainable Product Standards

Going back to the definition of sustainability, the most confusing and difficult area toaddress is the topic of individual productcertification. In our economy, driven bycapitalism, where there is confusion, there
is profit opportunity. As such, numerousorganizations have introduced numerous
labels, certifications, and standards to themarket, further confusing an alreadycomplex landscape. Forbo focuses on
standards developed by independent
organizations utilizing an American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited,consensus process. There is no way toknow the validity or degree of arbitrary
decision making behind a standard notdone in this process.

SMART© (Sustainable Materials Rating Technology) Consensus Sustainable Product Standards (CSPS) evaluates the environmental performance of building products over their life, providing the definitive standard for what constitutes a "sustainable" building product. Credits
are earned for satisfying each criteria, and different levels of certification are awarded based on total credits earned. The SMART© Consensus Sustainable Product Standards was instituted by MTS, representing all stakeholders involved in the building industry, and is open to
public scrutiny.

Nicholas J. Begich Middle School, Anchorage, AK
photo: Ken Graham Photography.com

Another level of complexity is created by
Trade Organizations. Environmental labels,
certifications, and standards need to raise
the bar, to extend and test the manufacturer striving for approval. Trade Organizations, by definition, need to cater to their
entire membership, and, as a result, willdefer to the lowest common denominator,
rather than rewarding leadership activities
with distinction. They clearly fulfill their
responsibility in contributions toward
safety and standardization within productcategories, but when forward leading
momentum is required, it is a built-in
conflict of interest.

Evaluating different sustainable labels, certifications, and standards
When evaluating the validity of any label, certification, or standard, including one for sustainable products, the most important
process lies in the development of the associated criteria. The following simple questions should be asked:
How were the criteria developed?
Criteria developed following a clear and transparent process, including involvement and balloting by all relevant stakeholders.
• This approach is how ASTM, ISO, and USGBC and CaGBC standards have been developed, following ANSI guidelines.
- or Criteria developed following a closed process.
• These types of labels, certifications, or standards, however well intentioned, potentially put the scope and definition into
the arbitrary hands of consultants, trade organizations, and single attribute special interests, often in a non-transparent
process.
Did the development of the label, certification, or standard incorporate ISO-compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), utilizing
all process elements and Environmental Impact Categories?
Ensures the label, certification, or standard does not address a single attribute, but rather the overall environmental footprint,
inclusive of the triple bottom line.

By using the 24 Sustainable & Environmental Product Evaluation Criteria as the background in the development of the SMART© Consensus
Sustainable Product Standards the building product Score card was created. The use of the Sustainable Materials Rating Technology©
score card allows for transparent communication of a building product’s economic, environmental, and social impact to be evaluated andrated Sustainable, Sustainable Silver, Sustainable Gold, or Sustainable Platinum.
Sustainable & Environmental Product Evaluation Criteria
1. Sustainable: Triple Bottom Line
2. Consensus: ANSI Accredited Process
3. ISO Compliant Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
4. Independent Certification
5. Third Party Global Auditing: Manufacturer & Supplier Facilities
6. Climate Change Pollution Reductions
7. Encourages No or de Minimums Toxins Including Endocrine Disruptors
8. Eliminates Stockholm Treaty Toxic Chemicals
9. Decertification for NoncomplianceKey
10. Rules Preventing Industry Trade Association Dominanceenvironmental benefits criteria
11. Approved Standard
social benefits criteria
12. Performance Based: Tangible Impact Measureseconomic benefits criteria
13. Reasonable Costs Associated with Use & Implementation
14. Accessibility: Multiple Products Across Multiple Platforms
15. Multiple Levels of Compliance / Certification Certified, Gold, Platinum
16. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Requirements for Environmentally Preferable Purchasing(EPP) Product Certifiers
17. Requires Product Performance Durability
18. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Environmental Marketing Requirements
19. Public Access to Criteria & Methodology
20. ISO 14020 Environmental Label Principles
21. Requires Continuous Improvement
22. Requires Product Reuse / Reclamation Consistent With FTC Requirements
23. ISO 14024 Environmental Label Requirements
24. ISO 14021 Environmental Label Requirements

The SMART© Flooring Standard is the only independently done, peer reviewed consensus based
standard that meets the environmental principles most inline with Forbo Flooring Systems’ corevalues and sustainable objectives.

USA
In 1997, Desk Top andBulletin Board were
declared winners of themuch coveted AWFS
Sequoia Award. The
Sequoia Award, presented
by the Association of
Woodworking andFurnishing Suppliers, isgranted to organizations
within the industry that
demonstrate environmental innovation and leadership in conservation
techniques, applications
and processes.

The Netherlands
In 1998 Marmoleum®,
Walton and Corklinoleum
received the Netherlands
Environmental Quality
Mark. This Dutch Eco label
covers the whole life
cycle. In addition, packaging and product information must all meet strict
requirements. Products
carrying this label, such as
Marmoleum®, have a low
environmental impact.

Scandinavia
The Nordic Swan Labelaims to stimulate environmentally minded purchasing behavior by disseminating information
among users. Maintaining
this label is an indicationof continued commitment
to ever improving performance, as with each recertification the performance standard is raised.

Germany
In 2004 Forbo was the first resilient flooring company
to obtain the Nature Plus certificate for Marmoleum®.
Nature Plus is a Europe-wide environmental productlabel testing products on environmental, health andfunctional characteristics.

8

Austria
In 2001 Marmoleum®
received the Austrianenvironmental label
UZ 42. By receiving thislabel we prove that weoffer an environmentallyfriendly option in resilient
flooring. For UZ 42
products are evaluated oncontents of halogens,
heavy metals, bactericides
and fungicides and on
emissions. The environmental impact during
production, use anddisposal is also assessed.
UZ 42 is only given to
products that areamongst the mostenvironmentally friendly
alternatives available.

Australia
The ‘Good Environmental
Choice’ Ecolabel is awarded to those products thatmeet or exceed voluntarystandards of environmental performance. The verification procedure is managed via a Documented
Quality Management System and Certification Program Manuals which havemade significant use of
the ISO 14 000 series. The
program considers key
environmental impacts
along the product’s life
cycle and delivers independent product environmental information for awide range of consumer
and building products.

Which label, certification, or standard meets all 24 criteria?
•
Certified Organic Products . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Cradle to Cradle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
CRI Green Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Energy Star . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
EPEAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
EU Product Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Forest Stewardship Council . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Global Reporting Initiative . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Green-e Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Greenhouse Gas Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Green Seal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
GreenSpec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
National Sanitation Foundation . . . . . NO•
RFCI’s Floor Score . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . NO•
Sustainable Forestry Initiative . . . . . . . NO•
SMART© Flooring Standard . . . . . . . . . YES

New Zealand
The New Zealand Ecolabeling Trust is a voluntary,
multiple specification
based environmental
label, initiated andendorsed by the New
Zealand Government to
reduce the environmental
impact of products. It
provides a credible andindependent guide for
consumers who want topurchase more environmentally friendly
products.

Several of these labels, certifications, or standards are industry specific, single attribute focused,
and are appropriate for the segment they were developed for. However, none of them are as
appropriately suited for the evaluation of sustainable criteria for broad-based product selection
as SMART©.
Jack Evans Police Headquarters, Dallas, TX
photo: Mark Trew

9

10

11

symbol key

movement forward

process elementon the local front

air

raw material acquisitiontransportation/distribution

pre-processing

installation, use & maintenancewater

manufacturing

end of life

habitatSince the publishing of our Marmoleum LCA in 2000, Forbo has taken several steps tolower Marmoleum’s environmental impact.
•

1997-2006 production facility energy efficiency index (EEI) shows improvement of
15.1%. The EEI expresses the amount of electricity and gas per m2 of productproduced.

•

2000-2006 production facility overall water reduction of nearly 5% overall(Drinking water for sanitary use and ground water for processes).

•

2000-2006 production facility solid waste was reduced by 50% while increasing
production over the same time frame. 25% of our solid waste was diverted from thelandfill by recycling in 2006.

•

2001 product innovation Introduction of Tall Oil (a post-industrial waste) to replacea portion of the linseed oil in Marmoleum resulting in an improvement of oureutrophication impact by 40%.

•

2002-2006 production facility emission reductions CO2 emissions reduced by 22% .
NOx emissions down 6.5%. Overall VOC emissions down 46%.
• Emissions that affect the ozone layer have been lowered by 66% over 2000 levels.
• During this time, production volumes increased substantially.

•

2005 product innovation Introduction of TopShield. TopShield dramatically reduces
the need for chemical use in cleaning and maintenance. Along with this improved
performance, TopShield also shows positive effects on environmental impact whencalculated through the LCA methodology. The chart on the next page clearly
demonstrates that environmental performance and functional improvement can go
hand in hand.

•2006 production facility capital investment Forbo installs individual KWh meters on
all equipment and systems that give more clarity about how much energy eachdepartment, machine or process consumes, as a means to determine further energy
reduction opportunities.

landenvironmental impact
category

environmental impact
category

process element•

2003 - Forbo, and all sample vendors, replaced indoor electric lighting methods of“bleaching” linoleum material for sample use with outdoor greenhouses. The greenhouse uses natural sunlight to dissipate the drying room yellowing that naturally
occurs in linoleum after production. This method has not only provided
a faster turn around time for Forbo, but has also resulted in a 27%
savings in energy consumption in our Hazleton facility.

•

2005 - Forbo announces and funds an industry leading sample “take back” program.
This program allows the design community and others to return any samplingproduced by Forbo free of charge. Forbo will arrange for sampling to be shipped backor picked up by our local employees. The sampling will be reconditioned and reused if
the style is current, or, substantially recycled or used in our composting if
discontinued. This program includes loose samples, folders, strap sets, and box sets.

•2005 - Previous method of printing technical specifications and data is replaced withelectronic data downloadable from website, and available on CD.

•

2006 - Forbo Way to Win (FWW) Introduced. The one constant in the past years at
Forbo has been “change”. Change demands new approaches, new methods, and newthought processes. Preservation of the status quo creates failure, not the status quo.
The FWW is a simple set of guiding principles to lead Forbo in a consistent, positive
manner. Inspiring, Daring, and Caring are the basis of the FWW.
• People who are committed to values, quality, and performance. Who give their allwith eagerness, skill, and energy. Who ensure that every contact with us – andeverything we do – becomes a rewarding experience for all concerned. So that ourcustomers and business partners become convinced and convincing ambassadorsfor our company and our brand.
• With this simple commitment, Forbo has partnered with its employees to develop
and implement personal commitments in helping the environment. These
individual commitments have ranged from recycling targets to energy reduction in
our employees homes, children’s schools, to places of worship.

•2007 - Forbo announces Marmoleum Scrap Composting Pilot Program with Ace Waste
of Reston, VA. (www.acewasterecycling.com) This program, which collects jobsite
scraps from the Mid Atlantic Region along with roll ends and trimmings from our NE
distribution facility, has diverted nearly 20 tons per month of solid waste since its
inception. This program has reduced the solid waste from the distribution facility by
85%. While still in its pilot phase, it is anticipated to go throughout North America,
partnered with additional environmentally committed waste composting andrecycling companies.

* please check website for updates on our local initiatives
Marmoleum Scrap Composting Program
Forbo Warehouse, Hazleton, PA

Comparison previous situation (baseline) vs. Topshield (new maintenance) 2.5 mm linoleum
102
100

•

2007 production facility green power Forbo converts its Assendelft site to 100%
renewable green energy. The Assendelft location is our largest production facility andis the main factory for Marmoleum production.

98
96
baseline94

new maintenance92•

2007 production facility capital investment Preparations are made to replace all
Freon-containing cooling systems. The new system is scheduled to come online inearly 2008.

90
88
86
[C14] odor

[C13] eutrophication[C12] acidification(Huijbregts, 1999)[C10] terrestrial ecotoxicity[C9] sediment ecotoxicity
salt water[C8] sediment ecotoxicity
fresh water[C7] aquatic ecotoxicity
salt water[C6] aquatic ecotoxicity
fresh water[C5] human toxicity[C4] global warming (100)2007 Forbo donates a portion of global sales of specific Marmoleum products to theWorld Wildlife Federation (WWF).

[C3] depletion of theozone layer•[C2] photochemical oxidant
formation (Derwent)

2007 Forbo Marmoleum receives MTS SMART©
Consensus Sustainable Product Standards –Sustainable Platinum level certification
under the Sustainable Building Product Standard.

[C1] depletion of abiotic
resources

12

•

13

sustainability in the corporate culture
In order to bring some clarity to the term “sustainability,” we haveidentified the following factors:• why manufacturers should utilize LCA as a tool and guide for
reducing their environmental footprint and the outcomes ofForbo’s publicly disclosed LCA’s• how the LEED® rating system has impacted the built
environment, and Forbo’s contributions to credits within thesystem• the reasons for demanding a rigorous, consensus based, third
party validated, sustainable product standards and why
SMART© is a benchmark standard
This comprehensive approach would not be possible without
sustainability being woven into the very core of our corporate
culture. Sustainability is viewed as a never ending process at
Forbo, as there is no environmentally perfect product or process.
Sustainability must start in the board room and not the marketing
department. Marketing activities, unsupported by boardroom
level investments, are doomed to a nice story, pretty pictures, andcomplete environmental failure (aka “greenwash”).
Natural raw materials are only the start of our strong environmental performance. State of the art processes ensure that eachproduction stage causes minimal environmental impact. On
average, 12% of our total capital investments are spent on
measures designed to further improve health, safety, and environ-“Following our surveys of bestpractices to best yield, we have been able
to give the farmers more prescriptive
practices to optimize their yields while
minimizing their environmental footprint.
The movement to precise in drill-row fertilizer placement and the incorporation ofminimum/no till procedures are now thenorm for 74.4% of all flax growers.
Because of your introduction (to us)of both Forbo’s corporate culture ofenvironmental sustainability and Life Cycle
Assessment, starting behind the farm gate,
has had payoffs already.
(Forbo) has been on the groundworking with the Flax Canada 2015 Inc.,
flax growers and provincial governments
to set a hurdle rate for the manufacturingindustry. I’m looking forward to carrying
this message to an ever widening
audience in agriculture.
John Oliver
Chair, FC2015 Inc.

14“”

mental performance (the triple bottom line). All decisions as they
pertain to product improvement, development, and innovation go
through the PCB (Product Coordination Board). This board consistsof the persons globally responsible for all factory production, R&D,
product management, international environmental committees,
and overall business management. In order to insure that our
mission stays on course we have incorporated “design for theenvironment” into the decision making process. This “design for
the environment” is a checks and balances environmental policy
developed by Forbo’s international environment committee. At
different stages in the decision process, “go” / “no go” points havebeen set to ask various environmental questions. If the environmental policy has not been achieved then it is a “no go” until
compliance to the policy has been met.
Triple bottom line commitments include not losing sight of oursocial equity obligations. Every Forbo business unit globally has
been directed to support and actively participate in relevant local
environmental organizations. It is our goal to help educate thepublic, and play an active role in the sustainable movement both
locally and globally. In North America, we were charter membersof the USGBC, CaGBC, the Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments (ASBE), and the Institute for Market Transformation to
Sustainability (MTS). Currently in our “field to field” efforts in North
America, not only are we improving our environmental footprint,
but supporting the socioeconomic position of today’s farmer.

Through our partnership with the International Flax Council andsupport from the Canadian Department of Agriculture, Forbo is
assisting in the communication of “best practices” to flax farmers.
It is clear that the decisions they make in the field have a direct
impact on their local environment, as well as the environmental
footprint of Marmoleum. These efforts also carry the goal of
tripling flax production in western Canada by 2015.
Work on the grower end is the first field in our “field to field” program. End of life is the other field. Today’s farmer and even generalcontractors may find value in the results of our pilot composting
project. After diverting thousands of tons of Marmoleum scrap in2007, in such a project, we anticipate a roll out program to mainstream this throughout North America in the coming years. The
program started in our US warehouses where a project teamdesigned and built containers out of reused lumber and cardboard
from pallets and shipping braces. These containers of reused lumber and cardboard, along with the Marmoleum scrap they hold,get ground up with public yard waste to make compost. This compost is suitable for use in farmers’ fields, vegetable gardens, andhome flower beds. Long term prospects of the program envision afuture for Marmoleum scrap to never leave the job site, but rather
be ground on site by a licensed contractor along with other products such as drywall scrap, and untreated lumber. This would eliminate the need for a take back program resulting in the lowest footprint possible. Partnering with leading companies like Ace Waste
in Washington, DC has helped to open our eyes as to how we canput the natural raw materials of Marmoleum back into the earth
where they came from.
The final aspect of the corporate commitment to sustainability is“transparency”. It is always easy to communicate the good things
that you do, however, the sign of true sustainable commitment is
to publicly disclose all aspects of one’s environmental footprint .
As stated earlier, there is no perfect product or process and public
disclosure of full impacts and improvements is necessary for transparency. This can be done in many ways. Forbo annually publishes
a Health, Safety, and Environment Report available to all interested
parties (www.forboflooringNA.com). Further, our LCA data is also
made readily available. All Forbo employees and stakeholders areencouraged to share their ideas on “creating better environments”
within and outside of our organization.

“

The opportunity to help close
the loop on a flooring product thatis comprised completely of organic
materials is incredibly exciting. The
current testing we have underway
is proving that this goal (dubbed“field to field”) is very muchachievable.
In the next few months, weshould see finished compost available from Forbo scrap, and thenwill see that this material is completely indistinguishable fromother high quality composts. Once
accomplished, making the “field tofield” program more widely available is our next goal.
Another outcome of this projectis to see Forbo scrap used directly
on construction sites in the future.
We are starting to see this now
with wallboard, when it is groundup and land spread. There is no
reason the Forbo scrap can’t also
be similarly processed.
Ken Mogul
President
Ace Waste“”

15

LEED®, follow, or get out of the way.
Marmoleum versus PVC and other flooring

the opportunity to make a difference“Lead, follow, or get out of the way”. This famous marketing slogan helped inspire employees and consumers alike to save a dying automobile company. Much of the same applies to environmental stewardship and the sustainability movement today. It requires inspired
individuals to take it upon themselves to make a difference by their leadership actions as opposed to words. Waiting for the government or other regulatory action to follow takes far too long and allows too many adverse impacts in the interim period.

The flooring industry is an evolutionary business, not revolutionary.
It evolves over time, however, there are occasional historical benchmarks of dramatic shifts in the market. One of those occurred in
the 1970’s when, for environmental and health reasons, the market
rapidly shifted from VAT (Vinyl Asbestos Tile) to VCT (Vinyl Composition Tile). This was driven by the asbestos component in VAT. VCT,
which is the cheapest most expensive floor covering you can purchase, is THE base grade commercial resilient flooring used in theindustry today. This is driven by first cost concerns, rather than costof ownership. It is now time for the market to make a major shift
again.

The following depicts some examples of the time lag between health and environmental risk identification and regulatory action.
Element

Risk Identified

Regulatory Action Taken

Lead (Paint)

1949

1970

21 years

Lead (Gasoline)

1920

1986

66 years

Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane(DDT)1962

Worldwide agricultural ban in 1972

10 years

Asbestos

1970

1989

19 years

PVC w/(DEHP), (DBP), (BBP),

2003

California bans the use of these six(DINP), (DIDP), (DNOP)

Time Delay

plasticizers in children’s toys in 2007

The time lapses beg to ask the question, “How do you know that Plasticized PVC isn’t tomorrow’s health concern?”
Clearly the answer is you don’t.

Forbo is a “Marmoleum first” manufacturer,
however, the truth is that Forbo is also a
PVC flooring manufacturer. Why? Forbocurrently competes primarily in the commercial market with a strategic businessgoal of being the global leader in commercial resilient flooring. As a result, there arecertain performance requirements (i.e. slipresistant flooring), visuals (i.e. wood grain
pattern), or maintenance characteristics(i.e. surgical suite) for which Marmoleum is
not yet suitable. Forbo applies LCA
methodology to optimizing the environmental profile of the production of its PVCbased products as well, but they compriseless than 10% of the total volume sold.
PVC is a polarizing term in the industry
today. What is even more confusing is that
PVC may not be the most detrimental
plastic floor! Several manufacturers have
jumped on the marketing bandwagon of
producing a “non-PVC” , “PVC-free”, or othersimilar termed floor. This is presumed apositive development only on the basisthat PVC is an environmental negative. No
independently done, third party peer
reviewed LCA analysis is published on thesefloors and, in Forbo’s own analysis of and/or
development of these floors, many actually
have a worse environmental profile than
traditional PVC-based alternatives. This
only further serves the need for independent, LCA-based product standards.
16

For improved health and cost performance, it is time to move awayfrom a high chemical usage for cleaning and maintenance, plasticized PVC-based product, to the only occupancy ready productwith a third party, peer-reviewed publicly disclosed LCA analysis
showing its exceptional environmental and performance profile,
MCT – Marmoleum Composition Tile.
The Market Signals Align
Plasticized PVC, a petroleum based raw material, is rapidly increasing in price. As such, VCT, which utilizes PVC as a raw material, has
rapidly increased prices in the market. At the same time, the environmental and health concerns about plasticized- PVC continue topenetrate the market. VCT product price increases have dramatically narrowed the gap between the installed prices of VCT and theinstalled prices of MCT, making market transformation rapidly
achievable.
Forbo will guarantee that MCT will INSTALL for $2.75-$3.45 ft2 (inCanada: $3.50-$3.95 ft2), material, adhesive, and labor inclusive(exclusive of subfloor preparation and moisture mitigation).
In addition, MCT offers the following benefits:
•

•
•
•
•
•

Occupancy Ready finish (Topshield), meaning the floor does
not require any initial coats of finish(visit www.floorcostcomparison.com)
10 times higher indentation resistant, and better stain resistance
Inherent bacteriostatic efficacy including MRSA and C-difficile
Natural anti-static properties to repel dust and dirt, making it
easy to maintain a clean and healthy environment
Made from readily renewable raw materials
Passes CHPS 01350 and other stringent IAQ standards

Grosse Pointe South High School, Grosse Pointe, MI
photo: Beth Singer Photography

IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE.

Vinyl Asbestos Tile (VAT)
1970’sVinyl Composition Tile (VCT)
1980’sMarmoleum Composition Tile (MCT)2008 and beyond

17triple bottom line thinking – triple bottom line actions
Companies today are valued in many different ways. There are
hard and solid financial evaluations of fiscal strength, but there arealso enormous valuations placed on intangible assets such asbrand. For many companies, “brand” is worth more than all their
tangible assets combined. What is the value of a company thatthinks and acts in terms of economics, ecology, and EQUITY (thesocial kind)?
On a practical level, the triple bottom line means expanding the
traditional accounting methodology of evaluating a business’
performance beyond the financial, taking into account environmental and social equity aspects. Forbo has taken tangible steps
in recognition of this, the first of which was the publishing of theannual Health, Safety, and Environment report in parallel to our
Fiscal Annual Report. This practice began in 1999 and the current
report can be downloaded from www.forboflooringNA.com (under“Environment”), and provides complete transparency to our overall performance.
We believe Marmoleum provides a microcosm of the way the
triple bottom line should work. Not only is it a global product interms of application, but it is a global product in terms of production. Agriculture-based and recycled industrial by-products form
the raw material basis and are supplied from three continents.
Economies of the supply chain vary from developing third world
countries, to highly mature industrialized nations.
We take our role in developing economies very seriously. Again
applying “Compliance Plus” principles to move beyond “no childlabor” our major suppliers in this area are also required to invest in
schools for the children of their workers.
The following is an excerpt from an audit letter from Forbo’s jutesupplier:

Likewise we have maintained our commitment to the economies
and people that built our company. We have maintained our large
production base, while investing heavily in production efficiency,
to compete effectively on a global scale in our original Western
European manufacturing facilities. While difficult economic times
have forced plant closures over the years, Forbo has never closed aflooring production facility to re-open it somewhere else withlower labor costs.
Finally, most Forbo Flooring Systems products are installed by local
labor. To this extent, Forbo offers the most comprehensive installation training available in the floorcovering industry. Forbo offers
the following training programs:
1. On-site and local installation clinics.
2. Associate Mechanic certifications are offered in Hazleton, PA,
Dallas, TX, and Reno, NV , also in conjunction with the national
INSTALL Program of the Carpenters Union.
3. Master Mechanic certifications are offered in Hazleton, PA,
Dallas, TX, and Reno, NV.
4. Training the Trainer for the INSTALL Program.

conclusion
We ask you to go back and look at the definitions of sustain again and reflect on them in Forbo’s perspective:

sus·tain (s∂-stan)tr.v. sus·tained, sus·tain·ing, sus·tains
1. To keep in existence; maintain.
Marmoleum, our core product, has been in continuous production for over 150 years and continues to be an innovative leader incolor, design, and performance still today.
2. To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for.
Forbo’s triple bottom line commitment ensures that all stakeholders expectations and needs are fulfilled.
3. To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop.
As a charter member of the USGBC, CaGBC, MTS, and ASBE, Forbo has long been a supporter of the environmental movement.
4. To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage.
Forbo’s continual innovation in product and styling makes sustainability easy to design with.
5. To bear up under; withstand.
Forbo’s commitment to ongoing education and transparency is communicated through the most professional and educatedorganization in the industry.
6. To experience or suffer.
Forbo has remained committed to sustainable products and processes during bad economic times as well as good and havesustained this effort for decades.
7. To affirm the validity of.
Forbo strongly supports consensus based, independently certified sustainable product certifications and Marmoleum carries more
independent environmental certifications than any other floor covering in the world.
8. To prove or corroborate; confirm.
Forbo, through transparency and full disclosure, guarantees that our stakeholders committed to sustainability truly are accomplishing
their goals.
9. To keep up competently.
Forbo remains the world leader in linoleum and sustainable floor covering solutions.

“below: jute in natural form

We would like to confirm that we arecomplying with all national laws andregulations concerning• Social and working conditions:
We have taken several steps likerunning of school for the children of ourworkmen, conducting health check up
programme, Regular cleaning of labourlines etc.”

“”

18

19

Forbo Flooring Systems
P.O. Box 667
Humboldt Industrial Park
Hazleton, PA 18202
ph: 570-459-0771
1-800-842-7839
fax: 570-450-0258
www.forboflooringNA.com
www.floorcostcomparison.com

Forbo Flooring Systems
Canadian office
25 Pollard Street
Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1A8
ph: 416-661-2351
1-866-661-2351
fax: 416-661-5362
www.forboflooringNA.com
www.floorcostcomparison.com

Forbo Flooring Systems uses FSC-certified paperand cardboard and soy-based ink in the printingof its marketing and corporate materials.
Additional copies of this brochure, and other
Forbo literature, can be downloaded fromwww.forboflooringNA.com
01/08/10K/MDW