Social Responsibility Need Not Hurt the Bottom Line

Is it possible to be environmentally accountable and still turn a profit? Ray Anderson, chairman and founder of Interface, Inc., sure thinks so. He’s revolutionized the traditional industrial system and will share his powerful vision for sustainable commerce at the Inc. 500|5000 Conference, September 23-25, in National Harbor, Md.

inc5000event.com - September 22, 2009

(PRNewsChannel) / Washington, D.C. / How many corporate leaders do you know who trade in their luxury cars for a Prius? What about moving out of the mansion and building an off-the-grid home? Probably not too many, but then again, you don’t see many industry captains who have served as co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development and as an architect of the Presidential Climate Action Plan, either. An acclaimed and trusted expert on corporate sustainability will share his environmental outlook with some of the nation’s most successful private company leaders at the 2009 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony, September 23-25, in National Harbor, Md., just minutes from Washington, D.C.

Ray Anderson is the chairman and founder of Interface, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet. Anderson’s Georgia-based company was recently ranked number one in a GlobeScan survey of sustainability experts and is halfway to its target of “Mission Zero,” or a goal of zero environmental impact. His general session presentation on Thursday will discuss how he’s managed to merge economic growth with social responsibility and how business leaders in other industries can do the same thing.

“If we are to correct this course we are on – this course to environmental destruction – then business and industry must lead, not follow,” says Anderson, author of Mid-Course Correction, which chronicles his epiphany that led to his environmental dedication, and Confessions of a Radical Industrialist, which recounts his journey toward corporate sustainability. “We just need business leaders to understand environmental responsibility and profitability are not mutually exclusive ideas.”

Anderson will share his powerful vision for sustainable commerce at the 2009 Inc. 500|5000 Conference which commemorates the 28th anniversary of the event. In its first issue in 1979, Inc. published a ranking of the 100 fastest-growing small public American companies before expanding the concept to private companies in 1982. The following year, Inc. expanded the list to include 500 companies.

Previous honorees include notable institutions like Microsoft, Oracle, Intuit, GoDaddy, Under Armour, Jamba Juice, Timberland, Clif Bar, Patagonia, American Apparel, and hundreds of other powerhouses.  In 2007, Inc.com published the first-ever Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies while Inc. published the top 10% of the list in print with the annual Inc. 500 issue.

In the petroleum-intensive industry of carpet manufacturing, what Anderson has accomplished is something few could have imagined. He’s managed to increase sales and double profits, while drastically cutting waste and reducing his company’s carbon footprint. He says he looks forward to the Inc. 500|5000 Conference because social responsibility is an issue that affects every member of the Inc. 500 and 5000 lists.

“I’m excited to be in the company of such dynamic and successful business people at this year’s conference,” says Anderson. “I’m extremely gratified to have the chance to focus our collective attention and eventually our energy on this problem of environmental responsibility; a problem we all share.”

Through a career that has seen him change his life, his company and his industry, Anderson has developed a revolutionary environmental vision that he will bring to the Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony, September 23-25, in National Harbor, Md.

Contact: 
Athena Schindelheim
Special Projects Manager, Inc.
Email:
Phone: 212.389.5451

About the Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony:  The 2009 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony celebrates the 28th anniversary of Inc. magazine’s revered ranking of America’s fastest-growing privately held companies. The momentous event brings together current Inc. 5000 honorees and alumni of the list, along with the greater business community to recognize the remarkable achievements of these companies and the great contributions they have made to the global economy. The 2009 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is set for September 23-25 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md. For more information about the 2009 Inc. 500|5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony and to register, visit: www.Inc5000event.com.  Stay connected with Inc. Events by following @IncEvents on Twitter.

About Inc. magazine:  Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. magazine (www.inc.com) is the only major business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies that delivers real solutions for today’s innovative company builders.  With a total paid circulation of more than 700,000, Inc. provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing, and technology.

About Ray Anderson:  Ray Anderson is the chairman and founder of Interface, Inc., the world’s largest manufacturer of modular carpet. Anderson’s Georgia-based company was recently ranked number one in a Globescan survey of sustainability experts and is an industry leader in environmental responsibility. Anderson was named one of Time International’s “Heroes of the Environment” in 2007, served as co-chairman of the President’s Council on Sustainable Development, and as an architect of the Presidential Climate Action Plan. He is the author of two books, Mid-Course Correction and Confessions of a Radical Industrialist.

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