Interface is a resource-intensive company whose largest divisions are petroleum dependent. With sales in more than 100 countries and manufacturing facilities on four continents, our company impacts global commerce and ecology.

For the first 21 years of Interface's existence, we never gave serious thought to what we were taking from or doing to the Earth, except to be sure we were obeying all laws and regulations.

In August 1994, Interface's Chairman and CEO, Ray Anderson, received Paul Hawken's book, The Ecology of Commerce. A few weeks later, a professor from a local university gave him a copy of Daniel Quinn's book, Ishmael. These two books not only changed Anderson's life but made him understand why it should change. Subsequently, the whole corporate culture of Interface became infused with sustainability.

Later that year, Interface committed to become the first name in industrial ecology worldwide, in substance, not just in words. Ray Anderson provided his global team with a mission to convert Interface to a restorative enterprise; first by reaching sustainability in business practices, and then becoming truly restorative-a company returning more than it takes-by helping others reach sustainability.

In 1996, Glenn Thomas, a Bentley Mills employee, wrote a poem and gave it to Ray Anderson. The poem, entitled Tomorrow's Child, has since been a part of many of Ray's speeches. He uses the poem to illustrate the impact that sustainability has on future generations.

In leading his team forward, Ray Anderson has often likened achieving sustainability to climbing a mountain higher than Mt. Everest. With this in mind, we have laid out a path designed to achieve sustainability on seven ambitious fronts.

Next: The Seven Fronts