Ray Anderson

Ray Anderson's speeches are climate-focused as they bring attention to the role that businesses play in degrading the environment.

From the humble beginnings as a industrial engineering graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, he pursued the carpet industry at Deering, Milliken & Company and Callaway Mills. His career truly began with the founding of Interface Inc., a modular carpet manufacturer. About 22 years into operation, he became inspired to become environmentally sustainable, and was a man who craved action. At Interface, he pushed projects like Mission Zero, aiming for zero climate impact -- almost unimaginable for any business.

With an aggressive environmentally accountable approach to steering his company, he earned international acclaim and countless awards which recognized his role as a global citizen, like the Time's Heroes of the Environment standing and Greenlaw's Lifetime Achievement award. His company prospered as well, as Interface Inc. was featured on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens and Companies Changing the World list.

A man in the carpet industry is not necessarily the conventional world savior, but as Ray Anderson's speeches would reveal, anybody can be passionate about spurring change and innovating results.