Tarkett Partners with Four Leading Healthcare Organizations Expanding its Commitment to Flooring Systems that Support Health and Wellness

CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio, March 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of ongoing efforts to provide flooring systems that advance health, healing and wellness in the healthcare built environment, Tarkett, the worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, announced today collaborative partnerships with four leading healthcare organizations: NXT Health, Planetree, Practice Greenhealth, and The Center for Health Design (CHD). The partnerships are integral elements of the Tarkett North America Healthcare Program and the company is the first flooring manufacturer to take this holistic approach.

Partners were strategically chosen to provide a well-rounded methodology to the topics and trends that are shaping the healthcare industry today. This includes fostering and promoting Generative Spaces – a place where the experience of the participants is one that both fulfills the functional requirements of the space and also materially improves the health, and/or quality of life for those that live, work, play and heal in that space.

A primary goal of the North America Healthcare Program is to establish flooring as an active part of the healing environment, enabling Generative Space through safety, quiet, comfort and other contributing factors. To help accomplish that objective, Tarkett has established collaborative partnerships with the following healthcare organizations: 

NXT Health – The mission of NXT Health is to sponsor collaborative design innovation in order to enhance the healthcare experience and improve the delivery of care. This is demonstrated in the NXT Patient Room 2020 in New York City. Tarkett has an exclusive agreement with NXT Health as one of four global founding partners that supports the efforts of the organization to solve the complex issues within healthcare (others include DuPont, Osram-Sylvania and Skanska). Tarkett will be showcasing its advanced flooring in the NXT Patient Room 2020 and will also be collaborating on design and research initiatives.

Planetree – The global leader advancing patient-centered care solutions, Planetree has been partnering with health care organizations for nearly 40 years to personalize, humanize, and demystify the healthcare experience by putting the needs of individuals first. To achieve this aim, Planetree guides organizations through a structured process that enables and inspires caregivers to transform the health care experience they provide. With its model of patient- and resident-centered care being implemented in a diverse range of hospitals, continuing care communities, outpatient clinics, and consumer health libraries across the world, Planetree is demonstrating that patient- and resident-centered care is not only an empowering philosophy, but also a viable, vital, and cost-effective model of care. Tarkett has formed an exclusive, collaborative agreement with Planetree to determine best-use flooring applications for healthcare environments.

Practice Greenhealth – A nonprofit membership organization, Practice Greenhealth was founded on the principles of positive environmental stewardship - and best practices by organizations in the healthcare community. Tarkett is the first and only flooring manufacturer to become a member of Practice Greenhealth. Practice Greenhealth is the nation's leading healthcare membership community that empowers its members to increase their efficiencies and environmental stewardship while improving patient safety and care through tools, best practices and knowledge.  To learn more about Practice Greenhealth, visit www.practicegreenhealth.org.

The Center for Health Design (CHD) – is a nonprofit organization that engages and supports professionals and organizations in the healthcare and design industry to improve the quality of healthcare facilities and create new environments for healthy aging. CHD's mission is to advance best practices in healthcare facility planning, design and construction, to optimize the healthcare experience and contribute to superior patient, staff and performance outcomes.

Throughout 2014, Tarkett will be working with CHD's research collaborative, known as "The Pebble Project" on best practices and applications in healthcare flooring.

"Collaborative partnerships are a crucial part of the foundation of our healthcare program. These new alliances enable us to have a more thorough understanding of all the processes and considerations in the healthcare built environment," said Cynthia Hubbell, Director of Healthcare Development for Tarkett North America. "Through these relationships we have access to the innovations, trends and thought leaders in healthcare, which helps us deliver floor system solutions that meet the patient-centered needs of today's healthcare industry."

There are six core values in the comprehensive Tarkett Healthcare Program, which include patient-centered care, innovation, research and development, sustainability, life safety, and addressing the needs of group purchasing organizations (GPOs).  To learn more about how Tarkett's North American commercial line of flooring products may be applied to the healthcare industry, visit www.tarkettna.com. 

About Tarkett
Tarkett is a global leader in innovative and sustainable solutions for flooring and sports surfaces. With a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood & laminate, synthetic turf and athletics track, the Group serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. With almost 11,000 employees and 30 production sites, Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields. Committed to sustainable development, the Group has implemented an eco-innovation strategy and promotes circular economy. Tarkett net sales of 2.5 billion euros in 2013 are balanced between Europe, North America and emerging economies. Tarkett is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A, ticker TKTT, ISIN: FR0004188670). Tarkett's North American headquarters are in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. For more information about Tarkett global, please visit www.tarkett.com. To learn more about the company's North American commercial flooring solutions, including Johnsonite and Tandus Centiva, visit www.tarkettna.com.

SOURCE Tarkett