John Lanier

Co-Author, Mid-Course Correction Revisited: The Story and Legacy of a Radical Industrialist and his Quest for Authentic Change; Executive Director, Ray C. Anderson Foundation

The grandson of sustainable business pioneer and Interface Founder Ray Anderson, John Lanier is the executive director the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, created following Anderson's death in 2011. He is furthering the work of his grandfather by writing the rest of his story – literally and figuratively. Mid-Course Correction Revisited (Chelsea Green, May 2019) is a reissue of Ray’s 1998 book with an update on the company’s journey to sustainability, and new chapters by Lanier that capture the lessons learned from the Interface journey and the implications for this next generation in business and industry.

Lanier earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law, and he holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in History and Economics from the University of Virginia. An Atlanta native, Lanier and his wife, Chantel, have two children, Joseph Ray (J.R.) and Cecilia.

Economics
Resilience
sustainability

Live Event Appearances

Past event

Can a Circular Economy Salvage the Climate?

Produce, consume, dispose: if you’ve ever made a purchase, you’re familiar with the steps of a traditional linear economy. Raw materials are extracted, produced into goods, and used — sometimes only once, in the case of your morning Starbucks — before turning into waste.

Podcast Guest Appearances

Can a Circular Economy Salvage the Climate?

May 7 2019 - 12:00pm

Produce, consume, discard: we all know the routine. Raw materials are extracted, produced into goods, and used – sometimes only once – before turning into waste. And believing that recycling that Starbucks cup or Smartwater bottle is the best we can do for the planet is the wrong way to think about it, says John Lanier of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation.

REWIND: Aligning Profits with Planet / The Circular Economy

Can trees and businesses get along? Business leaders know that consumers are concerned about the environmental footprint of the products they buy. Does that lead to greenwashing or meaningful improvements?

“There are many legitimate leaders out there deeply concerned at a personal level,” says Gretchen Daily, Professor of Environmental Science at Stanford. “And also recognizing their responsibility as leaders in this corporate enterprise that really governs the planet and trying to change it.”