Specialist in environmental certification, chemicals regulations and substitution strategies, performance certification and sustainability strategy development.www.alanbestsustainability.com. Co -author of the Croner Guide to REACh. Writer of monthly columns on Sustainability for the Contract Flooring Journal and Annual Guide to Specification and Sustainability. Member of the Chemsec Business Group on behalf of Shaw Industries Group Inc. Member British Standards Institute Technical Committee on Textile floor coverings.

The Flooring Manufacturers Sustainability Alliance (FMSA) has recently been formed with the aim of aiding progress towards meeting the sustainability agendas of members through working together on issues of common interest. As a former Chair of the Flooring Sustainability Partnership (FSP), which was launched by the CFA and BRE, I have been closely involved on behalf of Shaw Europe Ltd in promoting the idea of cooperation in this key area. The FMSA has agreed the following mission statement:Mission Statement The purpose of the FMSA is to work together to improve our ability to assimilate, understand and anticipate sustainability issues, to improve education in the field and to jointly work with and influence organisations and professionals who shape the sustainability landscape within which we operate.The alliance was formed with a group of members which includes major names in flooring manufacture. These include Forbo Flooring, Interface, Milliken, Shaw Europe, Tarkett/Desso and Burmatex. A number of others have expressed interest in joining in the near future and membership is open to manufacturers and distributors who meet simple membership criteria. Details may be obtained from the website www/thefmsa.co.uk

The FSP is a group of flooring manufacturers, architects, contractors, recyclers and government agencies committed to reducing the significant environmental impacts of flooring products. The group meets three time per year under the secretariat of BRE and produces annual reports and other communications regarding progress in reducing these environmental impacts. Alan represents Shaw Industries Group Inc, the world's largest carpet manufacturer, on the Partnership and is the third Chair of the group since its inception in 2009.

Ardeer Eco Ltd was a consultancy formed with a partner PhD Chemist with who I worked on a number of new product development projects based on improved chemical safety and nano chemistry. This combined my previous experience in analytical chemistry with medical sales and training and my interest in sustainability and reducing the number of toxic chemicals in daily use. I Co -authored the Croner Guide to the EU REACh Regulations during this period and worked with a number of start up companies in my base at Lancaster University Environmental Technology Department. Worked with a major carpet contract manufacturer to develop and manufacture a 3rd party certified green carpet tile and secured government procurement contract.

Headed up and built a strategic HR function on behalf of Toms a Danish confectionery giant building up a portfolio of private confectionery manufacturers in the UK. Developed the function covering around 700 staff in 9 locations and was primarily responsible for unifying cultures and management development activities during the years of major expansion. Also represented the company at Employment Tribunals and carried out major staff restructuring programmes in both unionised and non unionised enviroments. Assisted with the development of the MSc degree in food engineering as a member of the Strategic Management Committee at Nottingham University.

Best Associates was principally an HR consultancy with clients covering manufacturing, service industries and health care. Operated and managed the HR function for 3 SME's and implemented Investors in People programmes in a number of private hospitals and food manufacturers. Successfully represented clients at Employment Tribunals and also ran a number of management development programmes and supervisory development workshops. Operated a senior management/director head hunting service. Qualified in Occupational testing and registered with British Psychological Society.

ICI was the UK's largest manufacturing company for 80 years and one of the world's chemical giants. ICI employed 100000 UK staff including several Nobel prize winners. It held many patents for innovative chemicals, paints and medicines including polythene, Dulix non drip gloss paint and beta blockers as well as for DNA forensic profiling as used by law enforcement worldwide. Now broken up to form new giant companies such as Astra Zeneca. Most of my experience was gained on the Astra Zeneca Research site at Alderley Park Cheshire and in senior fiedl medical sales and marketing posts in London and Scotland.