Sustainability
2024
Emerald Carpets
Report
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024
Table of Contents
We exceed expectations with every order,
for every customer, every time.
Introduction
Serving the Trade Show,
Exhibitions, and Special
Events Industry Since 1975
American-Made,
High-Quality Carpets
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2024
Leadership Statement
Who is Emerald Carpets
Trade Shows & Special Events
Emerald Carpets Mission & Values
Visual History of Emerald Carpets
Sustainability Program Overview
Sustainability Statement & Pillars
Commitments
The Journey Ahead
Environmental Stewardship
Setting the Standard in the Trade Show Industry
Circularity as the Solution
Greenhouse Gas Results
Climate Action
Life Cycle Assessment Results
Circularity Strategy
The Emerald Carpets Family
Employee Well-Being
Training & Professional Development
Health & Safety
Community Engagement
Local Engagement
Philanthropy
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EMERALD CARPETS
EMERALD CARPETS
EMERALD CARPETS
Sustainability has come to the forefront of the trade
show industry, and Emerald Carpets is taking steps
to set the standards and lead the way. As a vertically
integrated manufacturer, all carpet materials are
domestically sourced and manufactured in the
United States, providing minimal distribution and
direct oversight of operations and product quality.
Through our consolidated extrusion, tufting, dying,
and finishing operations, we ensure every aspect of
our operation aligns with the highest standards of
our stakeholders and meets the growing expectations
of sustainability standards.
Who is Emerald Carpets?
Emerald Carpets is the leading provider of high-quality flooring solutions that enhance exhibitor experiences at
trade shows and special events across the United States. Emerald Carpets collaborates with a diverse clientele,
including convention centers, general contractors, exhibit builders, and venue managers. By offering reliable
and visually appealing flooring solutions, we play a crucial role in enhancing trade show environments’ overall
ambiance and professionalism. Our commitment to quality and unmatched customer service helps create an
inviting atmosphere that attracts and engages attendees, making every event memorable and successful.
Trade Shows & Special Events
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Leadership
Statement
Emerald Carpets believes in the trade show and special events industries. Face-to-face interaction is vital for a
healthy economy and business growth across every economic sector, and there is no better marketing channel
than the trade show format.
As such, Emerald Carpets takes a long-term view of how we service our markets and our people. Our values guide
us to make lasting investments for all our stakeholders, including the communities who support our operations.
It is imperative that we focus on building a sustainable future. Reducing our environmental impact is an important
pillar of our company culture. Beginning with the method we use to process an order, to the way we ship, return,
reuse, repurpose, and eventually recycle, we are steadfast in our dedication to creating more efficient processes
and innovative new products that move us toward full circularity.
We know that we will not achieve our goals without an engaged workforce. We are devoted to providing our em-
ployees with a safe and welcoming workplace environment where they can grow professionally and personally.
Community involvement also adds to a sense of purpose beyond what we do as a business.
The future of Emerald Carpets is centered on a legacy of industry-leading sustainability. We are truly grateful for
our partners who have been instrumental in our growth and helped guide us along this journey.
The Emerald Carpets Team
EMERALD CARPETS
EMERALD CARPETS
EMERALD CARPETS
Emerald Carpets
is founded.
Developed our first
carpet with fibers
that had been
blended and twisted
with post-industrial
recycled content.
Established our first
distribution facility
dedicated to cutting,
sorting, tagging, and
shipping carpeting
for the trade show
industry.
Began the
development of a
proprietary backing
system that would
meet or exceed
the requirements
of the trade show
industry and be 100%
recyclable.
Began supplying
returned carpet
to recyclers to be
shredded, pelletized,
and used to produce
injection molded parts.
Established our first
facility in Dalton,
Georgia, dedicated to
the reclamation and
cleaning of carpets
and subsequent
fulfillment of orders
in the eastern United
States.
Established our
second facility in
Las Vegas, Nevada
dedicated to the
reclamation and
cleaning of carpets
and subsequent
fulfillment of orders
in the western United
States.
Established
Sustainability
and Waste
Department
within our
organization.
Purchased
Renewable
Energy
Certificates (RECs)
to cover 100% of
our operational
electricity
consumption.
Established a new
distribution complex
dedicated to booth
carpet reclamation
and distribution.
Conducted our first
GHG inventory for
our baseline.
Established
ourselves as an
EPA Green Power
Partner.
1999
1975
2000
2005
2016
2018
2019
2022
2024
2022
2023
2024
Building trust through honesty, fairness and an
obsession with customer service, Emerald Carpets
fosters enduring relationships with both employees
and customers.
Everything we do is centered around world-class
customer service and satisfaction. We exceed our
customer expectations.
Accurate, on-time and cost-conscious decisions are our
focus. Having served the trade show, exhibitions and
special events industry for over 45 years, we have a
solid understanding of its unique operations. Through
experience, attentive communication, meticulous quality
control, and cost analysis, we are equipped to meet our
clients’ needs. Our lean organization allows us to make
and implement decisions quickly and effectively.
Completed first Life
Cycle Assessment of
our primary product
line.
2024
Emerald Carpets Missions & Values
Our Philosophy
Visual History of Emerald Carpets
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EMERALD CARPETS
EMERALD CARPETS
45
Year legacy
2022
500+
Employees
states plus
Canada.
1000’s
of shows
established GHG baseline
~250,000
gallons of water saved
annually by switching to
foam cleaners.
renewable energy for all
electricity consumption.
100%
of our facilities have
LED lighting.
100%
of employees at all
facilities receive
regular safety
training.
Purchased enough renewable
energy to power
uses aisle
Average
uses booth
Average
years
salaried
8.5
years
hourly
2.5
average employee retention rates.
ALL
Facilities
States - Georgia/Nevada
to optimize training and
distribution
100% of
employees
have access to
Emerald Care
Closet and
Health Clinic.
300
11
100%
quality checks
before shipment.
50
American homes.
employees receive professional
development training.
Service all
Purchased
Emerald Carpets
Impact Snapshot
Sustainability Program
Overview
At Emerald Carpets, sustainability is at the heart of our mission. It is central to our story, from the products
we design and reuse to the thriving trade show and special events culture we support. We are committed to
reducing our environmental impact, enhancing the communities we serve and operate within, and helping to
set the standard for sustainability within the trade show industry and beyond. Our dedication to sustainability
aligns with our reputation as an innovative, customer service-obsessed company, and is essential to our
ambitions well into the future. At Emerald Carpets, we’re proud to lead the way in providing flooring solutions
that focus on:
Sustainability Statement & Pillars
Climate
Action
Climate change is a
global crisis facing
humanity and the
planet that urgently
needs to be addressed
to ensure a thriving
future for future
generations and avoid
the worst impacts of
climate change. Emerald
Carpets seeks to be a
part of the solution and
take action to reduce
our contribution to the
global problem.
Innovating Towards
Circularity
Take-make-waste product
manufacturing has
numerous sustainability
challenges associated
with them and that is
why Emerald Carpets
is prioritizing circular
systems and solutions
in our business. The
goal is to design with
the end in mind, keep
products in use for as
long as possible, and offer
recycling solutions at the
product’s end-of-life.
Prioritizing
Our People
People are at the heart
of all we do and the
Emerald Carpet’s family
is always top priority.
Providing a safe,
healthy, and thriving
work environment is
essential, and finding
ways to elevate our
staff’s well-being and
personal development is
a constant goal.
Enhancing
Communities
The communities we
operate in along with
the communities we
support are paramount
to the success of
Emerald Carpets.
Thriving communities
lead to a thriving
Emerald Carpets and
we will always prioritize
being a pillar of the
communities we serve
in any way that we can.
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Commitments
The Journey
Ahead
Emerald Carpets has always been proud of our sustainability initiatives. We are committed to continuing to
innovate and invest in resources, technologies, and processes to improve performance and reduce impacts to
deliver value in the most sustainable way possible.
While sustainability has always been a part of what Emerald Carpets does, we have amplified our efforts to
measure, track, and understand our environmental and social impacts as a company. This is an essential first
step to determining what we can do to reduce our impacts or enhance our positive efforts. To showcase this
commitment, we have established a set of initiatives to work towards those impact reductions:
•
Continue providing affordable healthcare at our
employee clinic.
•
Continue to grow our training and certification
program for employees.
•
Provide enhanced safety training to ensure continued
avoidance of accidents.
Invest in Our People
•
Continued investment into R&D to prioritize circular
design principles and ability to remanufacture our
carpets.
•
Continued improvements to infrastructure to support
circular systems.
Production Innovation
& Circularity
•
We purchased RECs for 2022 and are committed
to purchasing 100% renewable energy for Emerald
Carpets operations annually.
•
Continue to be a certified EPA Green Power Partner.
100% Renewable
Energy
•
We are committed to diverting 100% of waste from
landfills.
•
Dedicated Waste Department in place to divert waste
through repurpose or recycling.
ZERO Waste
•
Commit to referencing the latest ESG reporting
frameworks such as GRI and SASB as means to enhance
sustainability data collection and reporting.
•
Continual data improvement and KPI’s to track
progress.
•
Commit
to
transparency
to
completing
GHG
Inventories and Sustainability Reports annually.
Establishing Material
KPI’s
•
Commit to equipment-level energy monitoring to
determine the greatest opportunities for energy and
GHG reductions.
•
Allows for strategic decisions to be made regarding
operations.
Equipment Level
Data Improvements
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SetÝng the Standard
for Environmental
Responsibility in the
Trade Show Industry.
At Emerald Carpets, sustainability is
more than just a concept. It is a core
tenant of our philosophy, woven into
our manufacturing and distribution
processes as a result of our commitment
to providing the most environmentally
responsible carpets for the trade show,
exhibitions and special events industry.
Through
innovative
practices
and
culture deeply rooted in sustainability,
we are redefining industry standards
and setting benchmarks for greener
practices.
“Emerald Carpets
doesn’t rest on
past achievements;
instead, we are
actively shaping a
roadmap for an even
more sustainable
future.”
In the pages ahead, we will outline the work
we have completed to date, the opportunities
for impact reductions we have identified, and
exactly how we intend to address those im-
pacts. As we continue on this journey and de-
velopment of our sustainability program, we
are excited for the outcomes, innovation, and
constant improvement of our sustainability
efforts that we intend to share along the way
while we help set the standard for sustain-
ability across the trade show industry.
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The Multifaceted Benefits
of Carpeting
Setting the Standard in The Trade Show Industry
Environmental Stewardship
The trade show industry plays a vital role in the global economy by fostering networking, innovation, and business
growth across various sectors. It provides a unique platform for companies to showcase their products, services,
and advancements to a targeted audience, facilitating direct engagement with potential clients, partners, and
industry leaders. Trade shows drive competition and collaboration, often leading to significant business deals and
strategic partnerships. Additionally, they serve as key venues for market research, offering insights into industry
trends and customer preferences. The face-to-face interactions and experiential opportunities that trade shows
offer are invaluable for building brand recognition and driving economic activity. Humans will always crave the
connection that only an in-person gathering can offer.
The choice of flooring is essential to all trade shows. Trade show carpet significantly enhances the overall aesthet-
ics and ambiance by providing a polished, cohesive look that complements the exhibitors’ displays. Additionally,
carpet improves acoustics by dampening noise, increases comfort for attendees walking long hours, and enhances
safety by reducing slip hazards and providing a cushioned surface.
At Emerald Carpets, we believe that it is not only possible but also a responsibility to build a thriving trade show
industry with as little impact on the natural world as possible. For that reason, we are dedicated to reducing waste
and greenhouse gases throughout our operations and events to drive our industry toward a sustainable future.
Acoustics: The carpet
absorbs
background
noise, which enhances
face-to-face marketing.
Comfort: The carpet is less
fatiguing to the attendee
than hard surface flooring
or concrete floors.
Carpeting isn’t
merely about
aesthetics. It plays
a crucial role in:
Ambiance:
Crafting
a
welcoming
environment is crucial, and carpeting
significantly contributes to this. As the
trend towards more experiential spaces
and corporate events grows, carpet
allows show organizers and contractors
to provide unique experiences for their
attendees.
Health & Safety: With it’s non-slip
properties and cushioning, carpets
offer an added layer of safety. Carpet
also traps airborne dust and pollutants,
which can be easily cleaned by
vacuuming and avoiding unnecessary
chemicals and water consumption in
the cleaning process.
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The circular economy is an innovative economic model that focuses on designing products and systems that are
regenerative and restorative by intent. It aims to extend the lifecycle of materials and eliminate waste.
Circularity as the Solution
Carpet is
ordered and
shipped for
events.
Carpet is cleaned,
refurbished, and
resized.
Carpet is used
and returned to
Emerald Carpets.
Carpet is
returned to
inventory for
assignment.
This holistic approach conserves resources and promotes sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Emerald Carpets believes that circularity is the key to addressing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Focusing
on circularity is a core principle in how we operate our business and the guiding force of our sustainability
strategy. We believe that establishing a system based on the principles of circularity is critical to creating a
sustainable trade show industry.
1.
The ultimate goal of circularity is to keep materials at their highest and best use for as long as
possible. A key attribute of this model is product durability, which emphasizes creating high-
quality, long-lasting items that reduce the need for frequent replacements.
2.
Eliminating waste is another central principle, achieved by rethinking production processes to
minimize excess and encouraging the reuse and recycling of materials.
3.
Designing for end-of-life involves planning the entire lifecycle of a product from the outset, ensuring
that at the end of its use, it can be disassembled, reused, or safely returned to the environment as
non-toxic, reusable inputs for new products.
What
We Do &
How We
Do It
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Scope 1 greenhouse gas emissions are direct emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by a company, such
as fuel combustion in company-owned vehicles and the natural gas used at facilities.
These emissions made up 18.2% of the total emissions calculated. To address these emissions, Emerald Carpets is
working on:
•
Installing submetering to improve the data collection process.
•
Actively monitor usage at an individual equipment level to prioritize upgrades and replacements.
•
Enforce no idling policy on all our sites.
•
Ensure forklifts have the most efficient routes to optimize usage and minimize travel through warehouses.
•
Shipping carpets in bins to reduce forklift emissions and ease of installation at the show site.
•
Optimize our trailer loading process.
•
Ensure all lighting has been switched to LEDs and explore the use of occupancy sensors.
Scope 1: Facilities
& Vehicles
CLIMATE ACTION
Measuring our greenhouse gas emissions is essential
for Emerald Carpets as it enables the identification
and management of our carbon footprint, facilitating
informed decisions to reduce our impact on climate
change. By having this high-level view into where the
largest sources of greenhouse gases stem from, we
are able to target our largest sources of emissions
and work to reduce them. Moving forward, Emerald
Carpets is committed to annually measuring and
tracking our greenhouse gas emissions with the
ultimate goal of reducing our impact.
GHG RESULTS
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*GHG inventory results are based on 2022 with select categories
from scope 3 including water, waste and business travel.
4,857 mt
CO2e
Indirect emissions
from the generation
of purchased energy
Scope 2
Indirect emissions that
occur in value chain,
including emissions
upstream and
downstream
Scope 1
18.2%
29.4%
52.5%
Scope 3
Direct emissions from
owned or controlled
sources
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Emerald Carpets is committed to
purchasing renewable energy annually
in order to continue covering our Scope
2 emissions from electricity.
Water Management
Waste Management
Emerald Carpets acknowledges the importance of water
conservation and has taken active steps to reduce our
water consumption. We took a significant step in this
direction by switching our water-based cleaners to foam
cleaners. This switch alone has reduced our annual
water consumption by an estimated 250,000 gallons
per year.
As the largest source of emissions, solid waste
contributed 51.7% of total emissions. Emerald
Carpets has already taken many steps to address
this source of emissions, including hiring a
dedicated waste department with the sole
mission of developing local partnerships to divert
waste from landfills via repurposing, reuse, and
recycling. Ultimately, our aim is to divert all of the
waste we create from landfill.
Scope 2: Electricity
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Our Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions are the indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity at
our facilities.
On top of measures aimed at improving the energy efficiency at our facilities, such as installing exclusively LED
lighting, Emerald Carpets has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) that cover 100% of our electricity
needs. RECs represent proof that electricity has been generated from a renewable energy source, support the
development of green energy projects, and offset conventional energy use. The emissions from electricity use are
now completely covered by wind energy.
In 2024, Emerald Carpets joined the EPA’s Green Power Partner program. It is a voluntary initiative that encourag-
es organizations to use green power to reduce the environmental impacts associated with conventional electricity
use. The program supports and recognizes the efforts of companies and other organizations that commit to using
renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and low-impact hydro.
Scope 3: Water & Waste
Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are all indirect emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, including both
upstream and downstream activities. In this first inventory, wastewater, business travel, and solid waste categories
were included as part of Scope 3. In future inventories, Emerald Carpets will include all relevant Scope 3 catego-
ries. This will provide a more complete picture of our greenhouse gas impact and ultimately allow us to make even
more informed decisions on how to reduce our emissions.
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