Interface has some of the most ambitious climate goals in business, and is achieving them by deeply integrating purpose and sustainability throughout the organization. While Interface may not be a company you’ve heard of, you might step on its products every single day. 

Founded by Ray C. Anderson in the 1970s, Interface designs and manufactures modular commercial flooring, including a revolutionary carbon-capturing carpet tile. Long before such innovative products, Interface was a “typical” company with a negative impact on the environment. In 1994, after a customer asked Anderson what his company was doing for the environment, the founder developed a task force to come up with the answer. Since then, Interface has achieved its “Mission Zero” commitment to be net zero by 2020 (and did so a year early) and has embarked on Climate Take Back, an initiative to create a climate “fit for life.” 

To talk about Ray’s vision and Interface’s radical journey, we welcomed Erin Meezan, VP and Chief Sustainability Officer, to the show.

Listen for Erin’s insights on: 

• How Interface operationalized Ray’s original vision into strategic initiatives that have transformed the way companies approach sustainability. 
• Why and how Interface engages its supply chain partners in achieving sustainability goals. 
• How purpose-driven products and services can mobilize customers under a shared mission. 
• Transformational lessons learned along Interface’s sustainability journey. 

Links & Notes

• Erin Meezan on LinkedIn
• About Interface
• Ray Anderson Obituary
• Ray Anderson’s Author Page
• Interface’s Lessons for the Future
• New York Times | “Has the Carbontech Revolution Begun?”
• Interface’s Sustainability History
• Climate Take Back Video
• The Four Pillars of Climate Take Back
• Carbon Neutral Floors

• (00:00) - Welcome to Purpose 360