Latest book from Interface founder Ray Anderson makes the business case for sustainability
Fifteen years after setting his company on the path to becoming the world’s first sustainable business, Interface Inc. founder and chairman Ray Anderson has published a new book entitled Confessions of a Radical Industrialist. The book captures sustainability in action, charting the progress of Mission Zero, the global modular flooring company’s drive to achieve a zero environmental footprint by 2020.
In 1994, after reading The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken, Anderson felt what he describes as a spear in the chest: he realised that his company’s ‘take, make, waste’ approach to manufacturing was environmentally and fundamentally flawed. Anderson and Interface subsequently set out on a ‘mid-course correction’, changing the company’s business model to consider and reduce the environmental impact of every creative, manufacturing and building decision made and pioneering the sustainability movement for the industrial world.
Ray Anderson says, “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist presents the business case for sustainability based on Interface’s own experiences over more than fifteen years. I think my story will resonate with readers, particularly in the business world, as it is told not by an environmentalist but by an industrialist who has actually made the transition and can show tangible results.”
Paul Hawken, author of Ecology and Commerce, Natural Capitalism and Blessed Unrest adds, “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist is the true, wise and open-hearted story of how one man took on the myriad environmental problems we face today and created one of the greenest companies in the world.”
Interface is now over half way in reaching its Mission Zero goal with significant achievements to date including:
o A waste reduction programme which has saved costs of $405 million
o As a result of energy efficiency programmes, Interface’s net greenhouse gas emissions are down 71 percent from its 1996 baseline
o A commitment to renewable energy and further changes to production which has allowed for 100% use of renewable energy in the company’s European manufacturing processes
Confessions of a Radical Industrialist is published on 18th February by Random House Business Books. Priced at £11.99 the book can be bought via www.amazon.co.uk
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About Ray Anderson
Ray Anderson is chairman and founder of Interface Inc. He’s a sought-after speaker and adviser on environmental issues and serves on many boards, including that of the David Suzuki Foundation. In 2007 TIME Magazine named him a ‘Hero of the Environment’ and Fortune Magazine has dubbed him America’s greenest CEO. Author of Mid-Course Correction and the hero in award-winning documentary The Corporation, Anderson makes the compelling case that sustainable business pays.
www.rayanderson.com
About Interface.
Interface, Inc. (NASDAQ: IFSIA) is the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet and is based in Atlanta, Ga., USA.
InterfaceFLOR is the commercial modular flooring division with sales offices in over 100 countries. It specialises in the design and production of high-quality, innovative and sustainable modular floor coverings. In addition, FLOR by heuga offers environmentally responsible high design carpet tiles for the home.
Interface was one of the first companies to publicly commit to sustainability, when it made a pledge in the mid-nineties to eliminate its impact on the environment by 2020.
Known as Mission Zero, this goal influences every business, manufacturing and design decision made and underpins all dimensions of the company: people, process, product, place and profit.
Interface is now more than half way to reaching its Mission Zero goal and has been widely recognised for its achievements to date. Its products have also received several awards, specifically for design and innovation. Recent accolades include:
• Number 1 ranking in Globescan’s survey of sustainability experts
• The Queen’s Award for Sustainable Development 2002 and 2008
• Sustainable Manufacturer of the Year, UK Green Building Council and Building Magazine, 2009
• Deutscher Nachhaltigkeitspreis (German Sustainability Award), 2009
• Product of the Year for The Versaflex™ System, Mixology North 2009
For further information visit:
www.interfaceflor.eu and www.interfaceglobal.com
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Last updated : 23-Feb-10
