In the design and construction industries, sustainability is no longer a tick-box exercise; it’s a defining measure of integrity and innovation in design. But as the conversation around ‘green’ solutions grows louder, so does the risk of confusion and mistrust. For design professionals, making responsible choices means cutting through marketing noise to find trustworthy data.
At Karndean Commercial, we believe this authenticity starts with transparency. Our Karndean Evolve™ sustainability strategy is built on the conviction that honest communication and credible data empower professionals to make confident, sustainable decisions and that, by sharing how we’re evolving, we can help others do the same.
Transparency builds trust
Transparency in our supply chain is key to this. That’s why we work with SEDEX, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange. While there are a few frameworks for responsible sourcing, SEDEX is widely recognised as the most comprehensive and credible.
Independent assessment of our supply chains through SEDEX provides us with important information about our suppliers, auditing everything from labour and health & safety to environmental impact, building on our own assessment of factory sustainability performance and the independent social audits we completed in 2023, and offering recommendations for improvement, while its centralised platform lets us track suppliers globally.
This means when you choose Karndean, you can trust that materials are responsibly sourced at every step.
Data-driven decisions
On top of that, every factory we use is certified to ISO 14001 environmental standards and we provide product-specific Environmental Product Declarations(EPDs) so you can see the environmental impact of the products you choose.
Featuring a range of product specific data, from production through operation to disposal at end of life, the EPDs offer reassurance that our products will meet your project’s stringent technical specifications, including LEED and BREEAM certified projects.
Every floor is low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and free from ortho-phthalates and heavy metals. This means that our products achieve excellent post-installation indoor air quality ratings, certified by Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort Gold and FloorScore, and are rated A+ for VOC emissions.
These independently verified reports and certifications provide a complete picture of each product’s environmental impact, from raw material sourcing to end-of-life, helping you make informed decisions. In this way, transparency doesn’t just build trust, it also enables better design.
Embedding transparency into everyday practice
Our sustainability journey has changed the way we work but we know that sustainability isn’t achieved through any single initiative. It’s about creating a culture of continual improvement. Which is why we’ve embedded accountability into our daily operations, including employee training, internal review teams and a robust green claims policy.
Transitioning to a more sustainable business model isn’t easy and no business can achieve sustainability in isolation. We believe that shared standards, open dialogue and collaboration are key to accelerating real change.
By working with our suppliers and customers, sharing knowledge across disciplines and reporting progress transparently, we can all work together to accelerate the shift toward a more accountable, lower carbon built environment.
Change requires the courage to question the status quo and to be honest about the challenges ahead, to be open to collaboration and willing to invest in technology and education. The reality is that meaningful change takes time but inaction is no longer an option.
