Calhoun, Ga.—All of Mohawk Group’s commercial showrooms and design studios are set to achieve the WELL Health-Safety Rating from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), making it one of the first flooring manufacturers to achieve this distinction, the company said.
IWBI’S WELL Building Standard is the first standard to focus on people’s health and wellness within buildings, awarding a WELL Health-Safety Rating based on a facility’s positive impact on community health. The rating assesses interior air and water quality, health service resources, cleaning and sanitization procedures and innovation. Evidence-based and third-party verified, the rating also evaluates each facility’s operational policies, maintenance protocols, stakeholder engagement and emergency plans.
“The WELL seal instills confidence and trust throughout the community as it ensures integrity, consistency and results,” explained Ramie Vagal, senior manager of sustainability. “We believe our ranking communicates our commitment to the health and well-being of anyone who visits or works within our spaces.”
IWBI developed its WELL standard and rating over several years, eventually fine tuning them in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The rating is guided by recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), global disease control and prevention centers and leading academic and research institutions. As of February 2021, IWBI announced that WELL projects reached the 1.5 billion square feet mark across more than 80 countries, signaling tremendous growth from less than a year ago, when the reach was just 500 million square feet in nearly 60 countries.
“The rating is a third-party stamp of approval saying that our showrooms and spaces are clean and safe,” said Jackie Dettmar, vice president of marketing and product development. “A WELL seal outside means people can feel safer inside.”
As a recipient of IWBI’s WELL Health-Safety Rating, Mohawk Group will benefit from specific interventions designed to reduce the risk of disease transmission as well as robust strategies to combat numerous health and safety issues. The rating demonstrates the company’s commitment to public health and wellness, especially in a post-COVID-19 environment. In receiving a rating for all of its commercial showrooms and design studios, Mohawk Group’s WELL rating marks a major milestone and achievement for the flooring industry.