He proved to the world that swinging for the sustainability. 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. Ray said, the only way the earth can change is if business, the most pervasive and influential force on the planet, is willing to lead. In an effort to discover the answer to that question, he read a book. Rays passion for sustainability and his desire to preserve the earth for future generations has inspired thousands of individuals and sparked a movement, both within interface and in the carpet industry and beyond. Ray anderson watch his tedtalk, the chairman and founder of carpet company interface inc. Ray anderson, sustainable biz pioneer, answers grists questions, interview by grist nov. Founded in 1973 by ray anderson, interface has grown into one of georgias largest corporations, with manufacturing facilities located in the united states, the united kingdom, and australia. The business logic of sustainability ray anderson teded.
Anderson was the founder of interface, the largest producer of commercial carpet tiles. In the future, people like me will go to jail ray anderson. Paul hawken, whose book started ray on his journey, gives an emotional tribute to ray. Anderson, a leading green business advocate and founder of interface, one of the worlds largest carpet manufacturers, died this week. Seventeen years and a sea change later, ray estimated that interface was more than. Interface was founded in 1973 and brought a european style of carpet tiles which could be easily replaced if part of the carpet became stained or worn to the united states. He founded interface in 1973 to equip the emerging, technologydriven office of the future with a new kind of carpet, a floor covering that could change along with its owners needs, as he writes. Ray anderson started his company, interface, back in the 1970s to make carpet. Fifteen years later his company, renamed interface, was the biggest carpettile maker on the planet. How interface proved that you can build a successful business. Anderson went on to pen three books about the experience.
Ray anderson, who turned his carpetmanufacturing business green and profitable. Ray is one of the pioneers for the corporate sustainability movement. Meanwhile, anderson continues to move interface toward his goal of complete sustainability, making products in a way that will not rob future generations of raw materials or energy resources. Interface pioneered an environmental revolution in flooring. At his carpet company, ray anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional take make waste industrial system on its head. Ray andersons green business legacy the new york times. Anderson july 28, 1934 august 8, 2011 was founder and chairman of interface inc.
Ray anderson founded the company that makes covetable flor carpeting. Ray anderson founded a carpet company, interface, which became the biggest modularcarpet seller in the world. Ray anderson set out to make his business sustainable long before green was the flavor of the month. After discovering carpet tile in europe in the early 1970s, ray c. The business logic of sustainability free summary by ray. Anderson was founder and chairman of interface inc. This group of advisors begins to help interface with its new mission. Ray anderson, founder of interface and green business pioneer, died.
Green business video ray anderson interface carpet. Ray chronicled that journey in two books, midcourse correction 1998. Now, in the most inspiring business book of our time, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all. Midcourse correction revisited by ray anderson chelsea. What ray anderson calls his conversion experience occurred in the summer of 1994, when he was asked to give the sales force at. Then he read paul hawkens book the ecology of commerce. In it anderson recounts his eureka moment as founder and leader of interface, inc. This book has been a great inspiration and educational tool for me as i work to build sustainability thinking into my own companys culture. 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. Ray anderson founded the company that makes covetable flor. 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. The extent to which interfaces people have embraced the challenge is the ultimate tribute to the companys founder, ray anderson. How a carpet maker became an unlikely hero of the environmental movement. Milliken and callaway mills, and, in 1973, he set about founding a.
For 20 years, he ran the business in compliance with government regulations but never thought much about. Ray anderson, founder of interface and green business pioneer, died monday from cancer at the age of 77, leaving an important legacy. Our modular system helps customers create beautiful interior spaces which positively impact the people who use them and our planet. Reading paul hawkens the ecology of commerce in 1994. His company, interface, manufactured flor carpet tiles and was in the unique position of making a real difference in how business and industry. With innovations like glasbac backing, which set the industry standard for performance, and intersept, our proprietary preservative, original carpet tile products were strong on technical benefits but weak on aesthetics. In 1994, anderson, the founder, ceo and chairman of modular carpet tile. Like any business man, he wanted to shake up the market and make a. 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. 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.
On july 28, 2012, anderson s family relaunched the ray c. Ray anderson s midcourse correction gives a compelling argument on the importance of sustainability in the workplace, and how we should utilize technology as a force for change. But behind the fresh design is a decadesdeep commitment to sustainable ways of doing business culminating in the mission zero plan. Anderson chronicled the mission zero journey in two books, midcourse correction.
In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce. Over at interface, andersons presence still looms large over one of the worlds largest manufacturers of modular carpet and flooring materials. In this remarkable book, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all of us to share that goal. During the talk he read a poem written by one of his employees. 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. Ray andersons midcourse correction gives a compelling argument on the importance of sustainability in the workplace, and how we should utilize technology as a force for change. Ray anderson has evolved from determined entrepreneur to sustainabilityminded philosopher. Meet ray anderson, americas green industrialist time. In 1973, ray founded interface in lagrange, ga, bringing the concept of free lay carpet tile to america and beginning a revolution in commercial floorcovering. Interface complied with government regulations, but never went further.
Ray anderson is amazing and his sustainability story is a demonstration of true leadership on environmental issues. In 1973, ray founded interface in lagrange, ga, bringing the. Interface was founded in 1973 by ray anderson, whose decade and a half in the carpet trade had led him to create one of. Now, in the most inspiring business book of our time, anderson leads the way forward and challenges all of industry to share that goal. To see how things were going with interfaces mission zero, i. In 1994, at the height of his success with interfacea company he had built from a dream, grit and determinationhe was challenged with a question that would define the rest of his life. At the lectern before them stood a man of medium build with lean, handsome features and a georgia drawl. In short, he has become a corporate version of a rock star, drawing lots of media and public attention. He was known in environmental circles for his advanced and progressive stance on industrial ecology and sustainability. Interface founder ray anderson leaves legacy of sustainability. It put forth a new vision for what its author, ray c.
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. A look inside the most sustainable company on earth greenbiz. After reading paul hawkens book, the ecology of commerce, anderson made a decision to change the way he operated his business. Simply conforming to government regulations didnt satisfy anderson, who has made the march toward total sustainability an integral part of his companys customer appeal. In 1994, interface founder and chairman ray anderson set an audacious goal for his commercial carpet company. Family of interface founder ray anderson carrying on his. In doing so ray proved that business can indeed do well. Anderson came to green passions relatively late in his business life. Ray dives into the world of sustainability and begins to shape business practices with a sustainable lens. He built interface, a carpet manufacturer based in georgia, into a multibilliondollar business over the course of several decades. The title is confessions of a radical industrialist. He built the business into a global leader in the commercial carpet industry.
Summary 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. Ray anderson 19342011, founder of carpet company interface, pioneered sustainable business practices. Anderson died on august 8, 2011, twenty months after being diagnosed with cancer. He was a serious carpet guy, focused on building his company and making great products. Ray anderson is a selfprofessed plunderer turned recovering plunderer. Anderson, called the prototypical company of the 21st centurya restorative company that does no harm to society or the environment. But behind the fresh design is a decadesdeep commitment to. I had the pleasure of spending a weekend with him at a workshop sponsored by his company, interface carpet. He discusses his upbringing and the initial formation of.
Hes the chairman of interface carpet, and hes the author of a new book. Its founder, ray anderson, was featured in the documentary film the corporation discussing environmental sustainability in modern business. He is an honours graduate of georgia institute of technology. This clip is taken from the canadian documentary film the corporation that chronicles ray andersons paradigm shift that led him to initiate a new direction for his company. Anderson was founder and chairman of interface, inc. He discusses his upbringing and the initial formation of his carpet tile company, interface.
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