Firth joins The Green Standard as VP of technology
Formerly served as manager of sustainable strategies at Interface
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, June 10, 2008
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Paul Firth, former manager of sustainable strategies at carpet producer Interface, has joined The Green Standard as vice president of technology.
Since its inception in 2000, The Green Standard has been dedicated to advancing a sustainable world through developing resources that support sustainable production and consumption.
Through its education, technology and training programs, The Green Standard helps manufacturers and purchasers look holistically at products and the impacts they have on people and the planet.
In this new position with the group, Firth will be responsible for the development and oversight of all programs and services for manufacturers, including education, technology and training.
The information he develops will focus in part on using life cycle assessment (LCA) as a decision-making tool, which will help manufacturers respond effectively to increased market demand for facts about the economic, environmental and social justice impacts of a product.
“Having Paul in this key position is empowering The Green Standard to significantly expand our resources to support manufacturers in incorporating best practices globally in sustainable product design, manufacture and marketing,” said Deborah Dunning, president & CEO of The Green Standard.
Firth has nearly 10 years experience at Interface, an international company focused on sustainability. His tenure there included performing, managing and growing the company's global LCAs and related initiatives. As manager of sustainable strategies, he developed and managed multiple sustainability certifications for North American divisions, initialized the industry's first Environmental Product Declarations and created an ongoing global environmental assessment framework.
At The Green Standard, Paul will serve as the organization’s liaison with governmental and non-governmental organizations such as the Business & Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn., the Carpet & Rug Institute, the California High Performance Schools and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. He also serves on the advisory council of numerous groups, providing information and support for their work in developing sustainable product standards and other product certification programs.
