WaLking thE taLk
Listening to Nigel Signal, Sustainability Manager, InterfaceFLOR, talk about work
and play, leaves no doubt that he is living the gospel he preaches. By Kevin Kwang
aving been in the carpet industry for sustainable solutions we have to offer as they embark on green
the past 33 years, it’s safe to say that building alternatives.
nigel Signal is familiar with almost every
facet of the business. it’s no wonder A good leader is one who leads by example. Do you think
then that when he speaks about the you’ve accomplished this? How?
company’s philosophy and experience on i guess the best way to answer this would be to ask the people
a sustainable business model for growth, i work with. in truth, i’d like to believe i’ve had some influence.
people sit up and take notice. Since his On a personal level, my wife, Suzanne, and i have certainly
appointment as Sustainability Manager in 2007, he has been at made a conscious effort to reduce our carbon footprints.
the forefront of the company’s efforts to spread the word about For instance, one of the first things we installed in our home
interfaceFLOR’s leadership in providing sustainable solutions were ceiling fans; and since we moved into our apartment in
for green buildings. november 2007, the first time we used our air-conditioning was
actually in april or May 2008! also, i ride my motorbike to work
What made you want to join InterfaceFLOR? three times a week, instead of a car, and cycle the other days
in the late ’90s, i attended a breakfast meeting hosted by – all in an effort to minimise my carbon footprint. Ultimately, it’s
interfaceFLOR to hear its Chairman, Ray anderson, speak. these nitty-gritty details that make a difference.
During Ray’s presentation, i realised that interfaceFLOR was the
type of organisation i’d want to work for. So when an opportunity Any interesting culture shocks since you moved here?
to join them arose in 2000, it wasn’t a difficult decision. When we moved to Singapore in april 2007, and before we
bought our apartment, Suzanne and i were living in a serviced
As Sustainability Manager, what is your main inspiration residence. after a while, we realised that all our waste was
in embracing an eco-friendly way of life? going down a chute, and Suzanne decided to approach the
it’s realising that each of us has a role to play in preserving management to provide bins so that we could sort out the
the earth for future generations. Working for interfaceFLOR rubbish and facilitate the recycling process. We thought they’d
has helped me understand the key role business has to play in taken our suggestion onboard when the bins soon appeared,
creating a more sustainable future for everyone. in the end, it but we later discovered that after the rubbish has been sorted,
all boils down to the individual choices we make every day, both they are just thrown back together when the waste is collected!
at home and at work. While it came to nothing that time, it makes a difference when
people voice out, provide a different perspective and confront
So what exactly is your job scope? the status quo in our way of living.
My role as Sustainability Manager in asia gives me the
opportunity to share many of the ideas interfaceFLOR has What do you enjoy doing during your free time?
developed in our journey towards becoming a truly sustainable During the weekend, you’ll often find us riding our bikes at East
business. Of course, we still have a lot of work to do, but we Coast or relaxing by the pool. We’re only just starting to explore
are now recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable Singapore, and enjoy discovering the variety of foods available
corporations. in addition, i’m given the opportunity to here. Of course, we also enjoy spending time together at home
meet with customers in the region and present many of the over a quiet meal.
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