Mohawk Industries has promoted Malisa Maynard to chief sustainability officer (CSO), the global flooring company and Fortune 500 business announced.
Here are four things to know about the announcement:
1. Business Focus and Scale: Mohawk Industries, based in Calhoun, Georgia, creates flooring products for the residential and commercial markets. The company specializes in carpet, rugs, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone and vinyl flooring. Key brands include American Olean, Daltile, Durkan, Eliane, Feltex, Godfrey Hirst, IVC, Karastan, Marazzi, Mohawk, Mohawk Group, Pergo, Quick-Step and Unilin. Mohawk has nearly 14,000 employees listed on LinkedIn. Net sales in Q1 of 2023 were $2.8 billion, down 6.9% compared to Q1 of 2022.
2. Mohawk Industries' Business Challenges and Sustainability Efforts: Natural gas and electricity inflation remained a headwind in the first quarter, though future results will "benefit as lower energy costs flow through our P&L," CEO Jeffrey S. Lorberbaum said in an April 2023 earnings statement.
Lorberbaum added: "Our sustainability strategy includes investments in the production of green energy, which reduces both our expenses and carbon footprint. Our two biomass energy plants lowered our costs and improved our results in the quarter. We also purchased some of our European energy at various times to reduce future cost volatility. Italian energy subsidies have recently been extended at reduced levels through the second quarter of 2023."
3. Malisa Maynard's Experience and Focus: Maynard previously was VP of sustainability at Mohawk since April 2021. Earlier, she spent two decades in Environmental, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) leadership roles at multiple manufacturing companies. She also provided expertise and insight on the sustainability, climate and environmental committees of numerous national trade organizations, the company said.
In addition to leading the Mohawk’s global sustainability strategy and teams, Maynard will partner with operations, engineering, finance, product development, marketing and human resources teams to increase alignment and optimize the Company’s global efforts for carbon reduction, product circularity, resource conservation and commitments to workplace excellence, Mohawk's announcement said.
4. Malisa Maynord's Key Sustainability Priorities: According to the company, she will continue to lead Mohawk’s ESG commitments, which include:
- Implementing innovative methods to reduce consumption of energy and water;
- upcycling the waste stream;
- using more value-added recycled content; and
- marketing new green products that deliver greater value.
Mohawk Industry's New CSO: Why Technology Partners Should Care
By 2027, 25% of Global 2000 companies will have assigned a chief sustainability officer (CSO) responsible for meeting their organization’s ESG goals and making ESG-related IT purchasing decisions, according to IDC.
Technology partners need to extend their sales, marketing, engagement and support strategies to successfully fulfill those CSO needs, Sustainable Tech Partner believes.
