In 1994, Canadian businessman Ray Anderson, CEO of Interface, Inc. (the world's largest commercial carpeting manufacturer), read Paul Hawken's The Ecology of Commerce. This book presents not only the historical scope of environmental destruction by industry but it also acknowledges the power of business to propel change and grow sustainably. Reading it brought about Anderson's self-proclaimed epiphany, and from that point forward, he was driven to reduce the company's operational impact, create eco-innovative products, and involve all the company's stakeholders in his efforts.

Anderson's guidance has since lead Interface to the forefront of meeting the sustainability challenge. A firm believer in industrial ecology and closed-loop manufacturing (zero-waste production methods based on the constant recycling of materials), Anderson has spearheaded a 33-percent reduction in Interface's organizational waste over the last decade. His strong commitment to eliminating petroleum from the company's product line has sparked a firestorm of creativity in recyclable materials, including the creation of Entropy - a carpet inspired by the asymmetrical patterns found in nature. Developed with help from Janine Benyus, an expert in biomimicry, this green product has become Interface's top-selling carpet line, representing about 40 percent of its overall carpet tile sales.

One of the basic precepts of natural capitalism is to move toward a service and flow economy and away from a product-based economy, and Interface is a front-runner in implementing this idea. It leases commercial floor coverings (as opposed to making an outright sale) and installs carpet squares instead of laying huge quantities of carpet. This business model allows for replacing commercial carpeting tiles in heavy-traffic areas without having to pull up perfectly good carpet.

One thing's certain: With Interface's goal of complete sustainability by 2020, this company and its green leader are worth watching.