Ray C. Anderson Foundation Awards $100,000 “NextGen” Grant to Net-Works™
ZSL and Interface, Inc.’s Powerful “Inclusive Business” Program Brings to Life Anderson’s Dream of a Restorative Enterprise
March 24, 2014 /3BL Media/ - The Ray C. Anderson Foundation recently awarded a $100,000 “NextGen” grant to the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) who, in partnership with Interface, Inc., has created an innovative program called Net-Works. Net-Works is a cross-sector collaboration designed to tackle the growing environmental problem of discarded fishing nets in some of the world’s poorest coastal communities, while at the same time supporting one of Interface’s ambitious Mission Zero® goals to source 100% recycled nylon. NextGen grants are those awarded by decision of the five adult grandchildren of Ray Anderson, the late founder and chairman of Interface, Inc.
“Net-Works embodies Ray’s idea of what a ‘restorative enterprise’ might look like,” said Jay Lanier, Ray’s grandchild and an account executive of Interface, Inc., remembering a question his grandfather frequently asked: “How do we make the world better with every square yard of carpet that we sell?”
Together, Interface and ZSL are challenging the status quo to reimagine the company’s supply chain in a way that improves its ability to source recycled content, while simultaneously cleaning up oceans and lakes and lifting people from poverty. It is an ambitious program, and it’s working. To date, they have collected 61,845 kgs (136,345 lbs) of discarded fishing nets, helping 4,500 villagers in 14 collection sites in Danajon Bank and Bantayan Islands, Philippines. Stretched end to end, these nets would reach nearly 1 ½ times around the globe.
