The first Sustainability Leadership Award has been won by Ray Anderson, founder and chief executive of Interface, the world’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer.
Anderson was given the award by Zurich-based Sustainable Asset Management group (SAM).
He transformed his US-based company in 1994 after reading a book called The ecology of commerce by Paul Hawken.
Interface subsequently developed a reputation as a leading company in the field of environmental performance by making big reductions in its raw materials use, emissions and waste.
SAM, which provides research for the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, set up the award to recognize individuals whose work ‘has led to concrete results in corporate sustainability’.
It said Anderson had achieved ‘significant progress towards sustainability’ through ‘a shift in thinking and focus’ at Interface ‘rather than the injection of vast amounts of fresh capital’.
SAM will present the award annually.