Sustainability Leader of the Week: Laura Flanigan, Consultant
Interviewed by Will Galloway, Foresight Design Initiative
Laura Flanigan has eleven years of experience in developing, implementing and evaluating customized strategies, frameworks and tools to help clients achieve their visions for sustainable products, business practices and operations. Prior to joining PE INTERNATIONAL, Inc, Laura co-founded the Foresight Sustainable Business Alliance. She holds an M.B.A. Continue reading »
Jane is a global corporate sustainability and CSR expert with over 20 years of experience in developing and implementing sustainability strategies for globally leading companies.
A member of Foresight’s NEXT Steering Committee, Jane chats with us about her career path in the public and private sectors, leadership, and making strides in sustainability.
FDI: How has your career evolved into the field of sustainability and what were your motivations for working in this space? Has it proven to be rewarding?
JM: My interest in corporate sustainability stems from my experience in sustainable development. As a World Bank official, I advised governments in emerging markets on Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) issues and policies. I saw the critical role the private sector plays in economic development. But, I also saw when corporations didn’t manage and measure their social, environmental and economic impact there were negative consequences for both the corporation and for society. Working at Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and helping corporations develop sustainable business practices makes my work especially rewarding. One of the reasons I joined ERM is our sole focus is on sustainable business and because we “walk the talk.” We measure and manage our own environmental and social sustainability such as Continue reading »
Glen Low advises some of the biggest and most successful organizations in the world on “doing well by doing good” (e.g. being profitable while solving some of the world’s biggest challenges). His firm has achieved significant results through an approach that examines whole systems and seeks to accomplish transformational change. A member of Foresight’s NEXT Steering Committee, Glen answered some of our questions about tackling complex issues, getting CEO’s involved in the sustainability conversation, and creating lasting impact.
FDI: What are some of the strategies involved in creating the breakthrough changes within the field of sustainability that Blu Skye has been a part of?
GL: I think it takes a great understanding of the issue from a big picture perspective and the impacts created by the decisions we make. One thing that Blu Skye has been particularly successful at is connecting the human side of the issue with the analytical and technical components. For example, we’ve been working with the apparel industry to create an index tool to help designers and buyers make better, more sustainable Continue reading »
Ari Kobb, Head of Sustainability & Green Building Solutions
Building Technologies Division, Siemens
Interviewed by Will Galloway, Foresight Design Initiative
Ari Kobb has helped lead an evolution at Siemens that has positioned the company as a firm dedicated to leading by example. He sees the impact of his work as having internal and external benefits. A member of Foresight’s NEXT Steering Committee, Ari recently took a few minutes to answer our questions about the role of technology in achieving greater sustainability, and overcoming resistance to change, among other topics.
FDI: Can you tell us a little about the route you’ve taken into the field of sustainability and some of the inspirations that drove it? Continue reading »
Bill Abolt, National Practice Leader
Sustainability, Energy & Carbon Management, The Shaw Group
Interviewed by Will Galloway, Foresight Design Initiative
Bill Abolt has been involved in sustainability issues longer than most in Chicago. Having served as the second commissioner of the Department of Environment, he went on to a series of other senior positions at the city before continuing to blaze trails in the private sector. At the Shaw Group, he’s built the large engineering firm’s sustainability, energy and carbon management practice into a thriving, 65-person national business. A member of the Foresight NEXT Steering Committee, Bill recently took a few minutes to answer our questions about the role of the public versus private sector in the pursuit of greater sustainability, among other topics. Continue reading »
Marvin Klein, Co-Founder and Chairman, PortionPac Chemical Corporation
Interviewed by Will Galloway, Foresight Design Initiative
As founder of a strongly sustainability-focused company in 1964, Marvin Klein was way ahead of the competition. For many years, the human safety and environmental attributes of PortionPac’s products were looked at as irrelevant. While all that has changed in recent years, the company’s principles remain its formula for success. Marvin sat down with Foresight and shared some insightful answers to our probing questions.
FDI: How has the concept of sustainability and the environmental movement changed since PortionPac Chemical Corp. started?
MK: Back in 1964 we founded PortionPac as a responsible company because we knew that it was inherently the right Continue reading »
Bob Langert, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, McDonald’s Corporation
Interviewed by Peter Nicholson, Foresight Design Initiative
“There is always something new and innovative to do in this space,” says Bob Langert, referring to his oversight of McDonald’s sustainability efforts. It’s the beginning of another provocative conversation, one of many we’ve had over the past several years as we’ve discussed various sustainable business topics.
FDI: Do the two new environmental positions you recently posted for the McDonald’s USA business reflect an expansion of effort or new strategy for McDonald’s?
BL: The two new positions represent both. As you know, we’re not just starting the sustainability work at McDonald’s, although, as people have pointed out, we need to Continue reading »
Foresight Sustainability Leader of the Week:
Lindsay James, Director of Strategic Sustainability, InterfaceFLOR
Interviewed by Will Galloway, Foresight Design Initiative
FDI: We were sorry for the recent loss of Interface Founder and Chairman Ray Anderson. He obviously was a great man and an environmental leader. Can you tell us a little about him as a person and what it was like to work with him?
LJ: It was such an honor to work with Ray. He was a visionary thinker with the capacity to look at the world in terms of a systems context. Continue reading »
