Confessions of a Radical Industrialist

Profits, People, Purpose - Doing Business by Respecting the Earth

By: Ray C. Anderson, Robin White

Narrated by: Ray C. Anderson

His story is now legend. In 1994, after reading The Ecology of Commerce by Paul Hawken, Ray Anderson felt a "spear in the chest." The founder of Interface, Inc., a billion-dollar carpeting manufacturer, realized that his company was plundering the environment and he needed to steer it on a new course. Since then, Interface has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 82 percent, and the goal is to reach a zero environmental footprint by 2020.

Thoughtful and winning, Confessions of a Radical Industrialist shows how Anderson revolutionized his company, while in the process bringing costs down, improving quality, making it one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For - and driving up profits.

©2009 Ray C. Anderson (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Part cheerleader, part scold, part dreamer... [Anderson is] the rarest of hybrids: a born-again green industrialist." ( Fortune magazine)

Career changing book!

The blueprint for a sustainable organization. Can't recommend this book enough!

Enlightening !

This author has kindle a fire in me that has the potential to burn for the rest of my days! It is now my time to develop and implement my own system to help fix what we as human have broken in this earth.

Relevant and Impactful Sustainability Story

Excellent book from Ray Anderson on his personal journey implementing sustainable and environmentally friendly business and manufacturing processes. His experiences, triumphs and failures lend wisdom to an industry that is challenged with staying competitive and relevant. He offers many stories from outside and inside his business on important sustainability themes. Many metrics and studies are also presented to drive points home.

The chapter I found most inspiring was social sustainability. This is a point that I hadn't paid much attention to and is a critical pillar to creating and sustaining a healthy community. Again, he offers many real and touching stories to give life to the topic.

I've purchased copies of this book for several friends as I believe his story resonates with business professionals of all backgrounds.

Ray anderson transformed the industrial landscape.

for any company who's interested, this is a blueprint for how to become sustainable as a business and also sustain the planet

Gold Standard

This is probably my 5th time through this book, each time I am inspired by the climb of MT Sustainability. Truly ahead of his time, may god bless his soul. I can only imagine what a revised edition would say in today’s world. But had he been given the chance I’m positive Ray would be leading the charge.