Citigroup’s Citi Realty Services (CRS) has named InterfaceFLOR LLC its annual Global Environmental Vendor of the Year, and presented the flooring manufacturer with the “Emerald Citi Award.” InterfaceFLOR is one of 17,000 CRS vendors and has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Citigroup that dates back to1989, well before the mergers and acquisitions that ultimately led to the financial giant’s current corporate identity.

“To be acknowledged with this award by one of the world’s most distinguished corporations and singled out from so many of its vendors is an honor we appreciate and is genuinely humbling,” said Michel Belland, InterfaceFLOR’s regional vp, corporate account sales. “It is especially meaningful to be cited for our own environmental accomplishments as well as for the partnership we’ve forged together with CRS in achieving more sustainable initiatives in their business.”

According to Belland, CRS has been aggressively pursuing LEED ratings for its buildings and now boasts the most LEED certified locations in the U.S. It has incorporated renewable energy, converted to LED lighting and added sustainability requirements to its purchasing contracts.

“InterfaceFLOR is supporting CRS’s efforts with our Convert platform products that incorporate recycled content in both backing and face fiber, and with our Tactiles glueless installation system which, studies show, can promote better indoor air quality via low VOCs,” said Belland.

Additionally, in 2004 Citigroup began to participate in InterfaceFLOR’s ReEntry 2.0 carpet reclamation program, which has helped Citigroup divert more than 160,000 pounds of end-of-use carpet from landfills, returning it instead to InterfaceFLOR. By recycling this old carpet tile through ReEntry and InterfaceFLOR’s Cool Blue process, it ultimately makes new carpet tile.