This Standard is intended to enable organizations throughout the carpet supply chain to apply performance requirements to achieve sustainable attributes and demonstrate compliance with levels of achievement through quantifiable metrics. The Standard is inclusive, is based on life cycle assessment (LCA) principles, and provides benchmarks for continuous improvement and innovation. This Standard is intended to allow inclusive participation and encourage the progressive movement of the carpet industry toward sustainability. This Standard identifies requirements of sustainable attribute performance and three levels of achievement by which carpet materials and products can be measured with respect to specific attributes that indicate progress toward sustainability. While this Standard can be used on any carpet product, it is intended to be used for evaluation of commercial carpet products by providing a product evaluation methodology that is additive to emerging commercial green building standards. This Standard does not apply to the packaging of sustainable carpets or to the adhesive or padding products used in the installation of carpet products. This Standard is voluntary, but emphasizes disclosure of information on both impacts and benefits of a carpet or carpet product from an environmental and sustainability perspective. All products or processes can be found compliant to this Standard if they are able to achieve all prerequisites and score the minimum required for compliance as specified in 4.