CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (Nov. 16, 2023) — TIME named William McDonough, an architect and globally recognized leader in sustainable development and design, to the inaugural TIME100 Climate list, recognizing the 100 most innovative leaders driving business climate action.
As a pioneer of the concepts of Cradle to Cradle Design™, the Circular Economy and the Circular Carbon Economy, and the co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking The Way We Make Things, McDonough has had a positive impact on the worlds of design and sustainability. McDonough’s design approach, to follow nature’s principles and utilize positive regeneration to enrich the human experience, has made him a sought-after advisor and speaker, helping nations and companies embed sustainable growth principles into their culture and realize a positive vision. In his work, McDonough has worked with CEOs from companies such as Ford Motor Company, Gap, Google, Herman Miller, Hero MotoCorp, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, Unilever, and Walmart.
To his credit are architectural designs for iconic structures like the Ford River Rouge truck plant, which features North America’s largest living roof, and the NASA Sustainability Base, which generates more energy than it consumes and uses 90% less water than comparable structures. McDonough’s process to manufacture safe and healthy products through MBDC, the original creator of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Products Program, has been adopted by hundreds of brands and is now featured by Amazon as part of its ‘Climate Pledge Friendly’ badge. The world’s leading retailers, including Amazon, Home Depot, Walgreens, and Walmart, recognize the product standard.
To assemble the list, TIME’s editors and reporters fielded nominations and recommendations from industry leaders and partner organizations like Global Optimism and The B Team, as well as TIMECO2’s Advisory Council, then worked to assess the candidates on a variety of factors, including recency of action, measurable results, and influence.
The full list is now live on Time.com and will appear in the December 5, 2023 issue, available on newsstands on Friday, Nov. 24th.
Follow @TIME for updates about the list.
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