Case Study: Leading the Flooring Sector in Transparent Sustainability Messaging.

About Karndean Designflooring

Karndean is a leading manufacturer of resilient flooring with a 52-year legacy, serving residential and commercial customers across the UK, Europe, North America, and Australia. Still family-owned, the company’s purpose-led mission is rooted in longevity—ensuring it remains a trusted business for the next 50 years.

Sustainability, once considered a supporting activity, is now central to Karndean’s long-term strategy. As Jamie Shaw, Head of Sustainability, explains:

“Sustainability isn’t a bolt-on anymore. It’s becoming baked into how we operate day by day—from top-level strategy to on-the-ground communications.”

Biggest Challenges in the Sector

Jamie points to education as the biggest barrier to avoiding greenwashing:

“Often, the people producing communications aren’t from a sustainability background. They might simplify messaging to make it more digestible, but in doing so, it becomes vague—or even misleading.”

He also notes that a lack of supporting data can lead to weak claims, not because of bad intentions, but due to missing infrastructure behind the scenes.

Why Join The Anti-Greenwash Charter?

Karndean signed The Anti-Greenwash Charter to demonstrate transparency, manage reputational risk, and stay ahead of evolving regulations in sustainability marketing.

“We saw it as a way to show we’re a trusted communicator—and to put in place the kind of process that helps us avoid missteps in a fast-changing regulatory landscape.”

Jamie highlighted growing concerns at board level around greenwashing cases in the US and Europe, where businesses had made unchecked claims and faced legal consequences. The Charter offered Karndean a proactive path forward:

• A governance framework for sustainability communications

• Independent verification to build customer trust

• Alignment with emerging global regulations on environmental marketing

Experience as a Signatory

The process of becoming a signatory was straightforward but meaningful.

“You laid out each step clearly, which helped us understand what was involved. It wasn’t something to be taken lightly—but it was a positive and valuable process.”

Key developments since joining the Charter include:

• Green Claims Policy: Developed for each of Karndean’s regional entities, helping standardise and formalise how sustainability claims are reviewed and approved.

• Delegated responsibility: Rather than centralising accountability with the Head of Sustainability, each business unit now shares ownership of their claims and content.

• Content Review: External feedback helped sharpen messaging and ensure that sustainability communications are clear, accurate, and backed by evidence.

“Having a fresh pair of eyes outside the industry was incredibly helpful—it gave us confidence that our communications made sense to someone encountering them for the first time.”

The Impact

The Charter has had a measurable internal and external impact:

• Increased confidence at senior levels that sustainability messaging is being responsibly managed across territories

• Greater trust from customers, particularly in the commercial sector, who value the reassurance that claims are independently assessed

• A competitive edge: As one of the first in the flooring sector to adopt the Charter, Karndean stands out from competitors who lack a formal green claims process

“We’re not necessarily selling more products because of the Charter yet—but it gives us an immediate level of trust in new conversations. It’s a point of difference.”

Internally, employees also feel reassured that the company is committed to responsible sustainability practices—not just operationally, but in how it communicates those efforts.

Advice to Others

Jamie’s advice to others is clear:

“Do it. If you’re genuinely trying to do the right thing, then joining the Charter just makes sense. And if you’re not ready to sign up, maybe it’s time to question your communications.”

Looking Ahead

Karndean is keen to continue developing its relationship with the Charter, including:

• Deeper collaboration on sustainability reporting and website content

• Employee training to improve understanding of green claims risks and responsibilities

• New tools that allow teams to quickly assess content before publishing

“Time is limited. Tools that allow for quick content checks—while maintaining independent oversight—would be a game-changer for us.”

Ready to Strengthen Your Commitment to Responsible Communications?

Join The Anti-Greenwash Charter and position your organisation as a leader in responsible, transparent communications. Take the next step today and start your journey toward greater accountability and trust.

👉 Apply to become a signatory now