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Mid-Course Correction Revisited: The Story and Legacy of a Radical Industrialist and his Quest for Authentic Change
The original Mid-Course Correction , published 20 years ago, became a classic in the sustainability field. It put forth a new vision for what its author, Ray C. Anderson, called the “prototypical company of the 21st century”―a restorative company that does no harm to society or the environment. In Mid-Course Correction , Anderson recounts his eureka moment as founder and leader of Interface, Inc., one of the world’s largest carpet and flooring companies, and one that was doing business in all the usual ways. Bit by bit, he began learning how much environmental destruction companies like his had caused, prompting him to make a radical change. Mid-Course Correction not only outlined what eco-centered leadership looks like, it also mapped out a specific set of goals for Anderson’s company to eliminate its environmental footprint. Those goals remain visionary even today, and this second edition delves into how Interface worked toward making them a reality, birthing one of the most innovative and successful corporate sustainability efforts in the world. The new edition also explores why we need to create not only prototypical companies, but also the prototypical economy of the twenty-first century. As our global economy shifts toward sustainability, challenges like building the circular economy and reversing global warming present tremendous opportunities for business and industry. Mid-Course Correction Revisted contains a new foreword by Paul Hawken, several new chapters by Ray C. Anderson Foundation executive director John A. Lanier, and interviews with Janine Benyus, Joel Makower, Andrew Winston, Ellen MacArthur and other leaders in green enterprise, the circular economy, and biomimicry. A wide range of business readers―from sustainability professionals to green entrepreneurs to CEOs―will find both wise advice and concrete examples in this new look at a master in corporate and environmental leadership, and the legacy he left.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 9, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 10, 2024
Very insightful! My first delve into the business side of sustainability and it was about as interesting as I had expected. Ray seemed like a wonderful man
June 23, 2019
This review is going to bit unusual. I read the first addition of Mid-Course Correction recently. Yes, I was way late to the game, about 20 years late. When this new version, Mid-Course Correction Revisited was released this year, I skipped the first part because I was interviewing the co-author, John Lanier, and wanted to be able to focus on his portion of the book on the podcast we did. http://www.southeastgreen.com/index.p...
When tackling this review I have decided to split it into two sections. This first section is on the first half of the book. Mid-Course Correction was edited for the new release but the heart and focus remains the same. This is what I wrote about it in 2018.
I am honored to have met Ray C. Anderson before he passed and I feel a bit guilty that it took me so long to read this. The most astonishing thing about this book is that it was written in the late 1990s and it feels completely relevant to today. In fact, it sounds like it was written now instead of 20 years ago. That is how much of a visionary Ray was. This book is a combination of business primer, sustainability how-to, and strong message of faith and how it shaped Ray's life and business journey. Anyone interested in business should read this because if you aren't thinking how to innovate your business to be sustainable then you might want to go ahead and start planning on how to shut the company down. There is no more waiting for implementing sustainability in your business plans. The time has arrived to start thinking how can my company be resilient and lighten it's impact on the planet. Your customers want you to lead on this and in a resource constrained world you will have to make adjustments to find new ways to use less virgin resources and more reused content.
The second section is the part that John Lanier, Ray's grandson and Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation wrote. Full disclosure, I am humbly honored to call John a friend. I deeply respect that this was not only a passion project but a also a tender remembrance of grandson and grandfather. John was so thoughtful in his approach. Would his voice match the tone Ray had achieved? How would John bring value to update a book that was 20 years old but still reads like it was written yesterday? Well the answer is nothing to worry about. John does a great job of interviewing leaders to put Ray's vision into perspective and to collect the stories of progress and challenges that we are facing currently.
John also does a wonderful task of summarizing the work of the foundation. The success of the foundation is no small feat. Did you know that Georgia has the leading future sustainable highway in the country? Well you will have to read about it but what is being achieved on that project and others is promoting the evolution of sustainability in unique and modern ways.
If you are a sustainability practitioner or enthusiast, then you probably have heard or read Mid-Course Correction, also know as the Sustainability Bible. It is worth it to read this new version. If you haven't read the original, then I will gently suggest that the new version is worth the read over the original simply because of the additional perspectives provided by the interviews John conducted. Regardless, either one will help elevate your understanding of sustainability and what must be integrated into business and life in general to protect this precious creation of a planet we have been given.
https://amzn.to/2XtCtx8
When tackling this review I have decided to split it into two sections. This first section is on the first half of the book. Mid-Course Correction was edited for the new release but the heart and focus remains the same. This is what I wrote about it in 2018.
I am honored to have met Ray C. Anderson before he passed and I feel a bit guilty that it took me so long to read this. The most astonishing thing about this book is that it was written in the late 1990s and it feels completely relevant to today. In fact, it sounds like it was written now instead of 20 years ago. That is how much of a visionary Ray was. This book is a combination of business primer, sustainability how-to, and strong message of faith and how it shaped Ray's life and business journey. Anyone interested in business should read this because if you aren't thinking how to innovate your business to be sustainable then you might want to go ahead and start planning on how to shut the company down. There is no more waiting for implementing sustainability in your business plans. The time has arrived to start thinking how can my company be resilient and lighten it's impact on the planet. Your customers want you to lead on this and in a resource constrained world you will have to make adjustments to find new ways to use less virgin resources and more reused content.
The second section is the part that John Lanier, Ray's grandson and Executive Director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation wrote. Full disclosure, I am humbly honored to call John a friend. I deeply respect that this was not only a passion project but a also a tender remembrance of grandson and grandfather. John was so thoughtful in his approach. Would his voice match the tone Ray had achieved? How would John bring value to update a book that was 20 years old but still reads like it was written yesterday? Well the answer is nothing to worry about. John does a great job of interviewing leaders to put Ray's vision into perspective and to collect the stories of progress and challenges that we are facing currently.
John also does a wonderful task of summarizing the work of the foundation. The success of the foundation is no small feat. Did you know that Georgia has the leading future sustainable highway in the country? Well you will have to read about it but what is being achieved on that project and others is promoting the evolution of sustainability in unique and modern ways.
If you are a sustainability practitioner or enthusiast, then you probably have heard or read Mid-Course Correction, also know as the Sustainability Bible. It is worth it to read this new version. If you haven't read the original, then I will gently suggest that the new version is worth the read over the original simply because of the additional perspectives provided by the interviews John conducted. Regardless, either one will help elevate your understanding of sustainability and what must be integrated into business and life in general to protect this precious creation of a planet we have been given.
https://amzn.to/2XtCtx8
November 28, 2023
This book written in the 90s resonates 1000% with today’s sustainability and environmental problems.
Ray C Anderson gives wonderful insights on how to achieve actual circularity, years before its time!
I was fascinated by his incredibly relevant analysis and how we predicted all too well what was going to happen with businesses globally.
If you’re interested in sustainability, biomimicry or circularity this is a must read- although one full of so much content it may take a while to digest.
Ray C Anderson gives wonderful insights on how to achieve actual circularity, years before its time!
I was fascinated by his incredibly relevant analysis and how we predicted all too well what was going to happen with businesses globally.
If you’re interested in sustainability, biomimicry or circularity this is a must read- although one full of so much content it may take a while to digest.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews