Tarkett announces its collaboration with Clean Hospitals to contribute to safer hospitals through improved environmental hygiene

Paris, July 10, 2020 - Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative flooring and sports surface solutions, announces joining the Clean Hospitals network to contribute to improve hospital hygiene and to promote effective, sustainable and evidence-based cleaning guidelines.

With millions of patients¹ affected by nosocomial² infections worldwide each year, many of which are avoidable, Clean Hospitals aims to increase patient safety and raise awareness on the importance of hospital environmental hygiene.

Led by Professor Didier Pittet, World Health Organization Expert from the Faculty of Medicine of  Geneva University Hospitals (Switzerland), Clean Hospitals is a not-for profit association which brings together the industry, members of academia, hospitals, governmental bodies, and key stakeholders from various countries.

Tarkett has developed more than 70 years of experience in healthcare:  today, one hospital out of two in Europe is equipped with Tarkett flooring. Tarkett will share its longstanding expertise on flooring with Clean Hospitals’ working groups and will contribute to advance research on cleaning and infection control protocols on flooring.

Fabrice Barthélemy, Tarkett’s CEO, said: “Healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance are two key issues in healthcare facilities, which have been exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis. Joining the Clean Hospitals network is an important step to support the healthcare community. We will contribute to accelerate the adoption of the best hospital floor cleaning protocols that respect people’s health and the environment. The collaborative and scientific approach of Clean Hospitals with a strong focus on patients’ lives and healthcare workers’ safety fully meets Tarkett human-conscious design commitment.”

Pr Pittet: “The great achievement of Clean Hospitals is to be able to make people work together to make the best and most appropriate decisions. This sharing of experience and knowledge is unique and is key. Working together with our stakeholders allows us to react as a network when there is an identified need to create awareness, look at research, new innovations, methods and support training and education. This initiative commits to make healthcare facilities safer through strengthening and streamlining healthcare environmental hygiene. Clean Hospitals is happy to welcome Tarkett. This collaboration will bring a different expertise area within the group and we know that the difference is a wealth.”