Thats why ray andersons story is a good one and confessions of a radical industrialist is an important book. Ray anderson founded interface, the company that makes those adorable flor carpet tiles as well as lots of less whizzy but equally useful flooring and fabric. Since ray andersons passing in 2011, interface is still on track to become a zerowaste company by 2020. Paul lauded ray not only as a visionary and pioneer, but also as a poet and friend. In the future, people like me will go to jail ray anderson is on a mission to clean up american businessesstarting with his own. Ray anderson watch his tedtalk, the chairman and founder of carpet company interface inc. Ray chronicled that experience in midcourse correction in 1998, and today his grandson and the executive director of the ray c.
Simply conforming to government regulations didnt satisfy anderson, who has made the march toward total sustainability an integral part of his companys customer appeal. After discovering carpet tile in europe in the early 1970s, ray c. Its not a perfect book, i must say, and suffers a bit from overstating some points and pontification in spots. Mainstreaming corporate sustainability is a book written for sustainability professionals who wish to scale that mountain. This is a recommended read for anyone interested in the realm of sustainability, specifically on how it applies to business. Ray had a spear in the chest epiphany when he first read paul hawkens the ecology of commerce, inspiring him to revolutionize his business in pursuit of environmental sustainability. Family of interface founder ray anderson carrying on his.
Ray anderson, 77, often called the greenest ceo in america for his crusade to turn his billiondollar carpet company into an environmentally sustainable enterprise, died aug. The book explains his realization of the environmental harm his company was doing. Ray anderson confessions of a radical industrialist. Interface was founded in 1973 by ray anderson, whose decade and a half in the carpet trade. Ray anderson, founder of interface and green business pioneer, died. You usually read about it in books written by scientists or sociologists, but. Anderson was founder and chairman of interface, inc. When reading greenbiz or any of the other numerous media channels that cater to the field of sustainable business, its easy. Now, in the most inspiring business book of our time, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all of industry to share that goal. Its founder, ray anderson, was featured in the documentary film the corporation discussing environmental sustainability in modern business.
Ray anderson is a selfprofessed plunderer turned recovering plunderer. With interface, ray anderson was the embodiment of a man who practiced what he preached. The business logic of sustainability free summary by ray. Then anderson read paul hawkens book, the ecology of commerce. Ray anderson was named one of time magazines heroes of the. Anderson foundation is proud to have provided funding for earthshare georgias new environmental video. Interface, from scratch in 1973, 36 years ago, to produce carpet tiles in america for the business and institution markets, and shepherding it through startup and survival to prosperity and global dominance in its field, i read paul hawkens book, the ecology of commerce, the summer of 1994. Founded in 1997, has become a leading book price comparison site. Anderson foundation brings the story current with a revisiting of that original book, complete with new chapters, a new foreword by paul hawken, an update on interface and its journey and a window into the future for.
Changing the strategy of a successful company is always risky, but anderson felt he had to take the risk. Anderson, founder and former chairman of interface, inc. Fortune magazine has twice included interface, in its annual list of the 100 best companies to work for and now ray andersons has a new book. Ray anderson, founder of interface and green business pioneer, died monday from cancer at the age of 77, leaving an important legacy. When not hiking or writing, he spends his time with family and friends in massachusetts and florida. Ray anderson is more than just the founder and chairman of the worlds largest manufacturer of modular carpeting, hes also the grandfather of corporate sustainability. Open plan office systems were emerging, bringing with them the need to easily access flat wire and walker duct systemsstate of the art infrastructure at the time. Hed spent the last 17 years promoting the benefits of sustainable business practices, not only for protecting the. Ray andersons green business legacy the new york times. Does that sound like a treehugging environmentalist. Join facebook to connect with ray anderson and others you may know. In 1994, interface founder and chairman ray anderson set an audacious goal for his commercial carpet company.
Hes thruhiked the appalachian trail, hiked all of the pacific crest trail, and hiked parts of the continental divide trail. With passion and pride, ray anderson, founder, chairman, and ceo of one of the. The late ray anderson, author and selfstyled radical industrialist. They premiered it on earth day, and john lanier was one of several georgia leaders interviewed for the film. During the talk he read a poem written by one of his employees. With passion and pride, ray anderson, founder, chairman and ceo of one of the worlds largest interior furnishings companies, recounts his awakening to the importance of environmental issues and outlines the steps his petroleumdependent company, atlantabased interface, inc. Get a copy of my book for couples, love metabolism cowritten with gina guddat. As anderson tells his story, it involved something little short of a conversion experienceand yet it began as a response to the market. Then he read paul hawkens book the ecology of commerce. Developing action plans for such a radical change meant that every step of the business had to be rethought, and interface is on the way to achieving ray andersons vision. Paul hawken, whose book started ray on his journey, gives an emotional tribute to ray. Ray tells the full business case for sustainability, proving that for interface, sustainability was so right. In 1973, ray founded interface in lagrange, ga, bringing the.
He proved to the world that swinging for the sustainability. Ray anderson describes to paula gordon and bill russell awakening to a vision of interface, inc. Midcourse correction revisited by ray anderson chelsea. Confessions of a radical industrialist island press. Contains ray andersons passports dated 1974, 1981, 1986, 1995, 2005 2, international driving permit dated 1993, and passports for patricia anderson dated 1984, 1994, 2003. At his carpet company, ray anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional take make waste industrial. Anderson has books on goodreads with 1167 ratings. The late ray anderson, ceo of interface, once coined the phrase striving for mount sustainability. Passports and international driving permit, 19742003.
The two major vehicles for andersons continued influence over corporate america include the company he founded interface inc. Anderson has been called the greenest chief executive in america. When reading greenbiz or any of the other numerous media channels that cater to the field of sustainable business, its easy to forget that such a notion scarcely existed 20 years ago. In the future, people like me will go to jail ray anderson. Anderson was chairman and chief executive of the worlds largest carpettile manufacturer when he read a book that described people like him as thieves and plunderers of the planet. In this remarkable book, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all of us to share. After reading paul hawkens book, the ecology of commerce, anderson made a decision to change the way he operated his business. He recounts the process of transforming the company from a profitdriven company to one heavily focused on reducing waste.
Yet the overall message is important enough to forgive these flaws. Hear ray anderson, founder and chairman of interface, inc. Andersons book recounts his personal experience as founder and ceo of the carpet company interface. Andersons most popular book is confessions of a radical industrialist. He transformed his corporate philosophy, believing that it was industrys responsibility to lead the sustainability revolution. Now, in the most inspiring business book of our time, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all. Anderson s papers were donated to the georgia historical society by the ray c. Textile manufacturer ray anderson of interface is looking to build a truly sustainable company in one of the worlds dirtiest industries.
Imagine what the world would be like if the largest 10,000 corporations all followed the path that ray anderson and interface have blazed. Anderson chronicled the mission zero journey in two books, midcourse correction. His company, interface, manufactured flor carpet tiles and was in the unique position of making a real difference in how business and industry. When paul hawken, author of the ecology of commerce named and shamed ray anderson the founder and ceo of interface, a petroleumintensive carpet manufacturer as a plunderer of the earth in 1994, anderson took the criticism to heart. Ray anderson began hiking in new hampshire and has climbed all the 4,000footers in new england. Ray anderson gave a profound and powerful talk about his decadesdeep commitment to sustainable ways of doing business through his carpet company interface culminating in the mission zero plan. Interface founder ray anderson leaves legacy of sustainability. One of the grandfathers of the figure modelingmilitary miniatures hobby in its current form, mfca grand master ray anderson was making box dioramas even before sheperd paine.
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