Ray Anderson: The business logic of sustainability

譯者: Pei-Jan Hung 審譯者: Shelley Krishna Tsang

Believe me or not, I come offering a solution

信不信由你，我是來分享一個解決辦法

to a very important part of this larger problem,

針對一個全面性的重要問題

with the requisite focus on climate.

也就是氣候變遷

And the solution I offer

我提供的辦法

is to the biggest culprit

是對於那些人類造成的

in this massive mistreatment of the earth

重大元兇並

by humankind,

對地球產生嚴重的破壞

and the resulting decline of the biosphere.

導致生物多樣性的減少

That culprit is business and industry,

元兇就是商業和工業活動

which happens to be where I have spent the last 52 years

自從我1956年從喬治亞理工學院畢業以後

since my graduation from Georgia Tech in 1956.

52年來就一直持續存在著的問題

As an industrial engineer,

身為一名工業工程師

cum aspiring and then successful entrepreneur.

創業家、成功的企業家

After founding my company, Interface, from scratch

我在1973年，也就是三十六年前

in 1973, 36 years ago,

白手起家建立了我的公司Interface

to produce carpet tiles in America

在美國製造方塊地毯

for the business and institution markets,

銷售給企業或是研究機構

and shepherding it through start-up and survival

我帶領我的公司從草創初期到站穩腳步

to prosperity and global dominance in its field,

而後成為世界領導品牌

I read Paul Hawken's book,

我讀過保羅‧霍肯的書

"The Ecology of Commerce,"

"商業生態學"

the summer of 1994.

在1994年的夏天

In his book, Paul charges business and industry

保羅在他的書中指責工商業活動

as, one, the major culprit

為導致生物圈減少的

in causing the decline of the biosphere,

罪魁禍首

and, two, the only institution that is large enough,

並稱這些公司也是唯一夠大

and pervasive enough, and powerful enough,

夠普遍、夠有力的機構

to really lead humankind out of this mess.

去帶領人們走出這一團混亂

And by the way he convicted me

順帶一提，他還在書裡指責我

as a plunderer of the earth.

為地球的掠奪者

And I then challenged the people of Interface, my company,

之後我開始給我公司的夥伴一個挑戰

to lead our company and the entire industrial world to sustainability,

帶領我們公司，及整個工業界往永續發展的目標前進

which we defined as eventually operating

最後我們將自己這個石油密集產業

our petroleum-intensive company in such a way

定下一個目標-

as to take from the earth

只使用那些可以

only what can be renewed by the earth, naturally and rapidly --

快速地被自然更新的地球資源當作原料

not another fresh drop of oil --

不再使用任何一滴原油

and to do no harm to the biosphere.

並且不傷害生物環境

Take nothing: do no harm.

不任取資源、不傷害地球。

I simply said, "If Hawken is right

我簡單地說道，如果霍肯是對的

and business and industry must lead,

那工商業必定得領導大眾

who will lead business and industry?

誰又來領導工商業?

Unless somebody leads, nobody will."

除非有人挺身而出，否則將群龍無首

It's axiomatic. Why not us?

這是無庸置疑的，為什麼我們不跳出來登高一呼?

And thanks to the people of Interface,

感謝我公司Interface的夥伴

I have become a recovering plunderer.

我因而有機會改過向善

(Laughter)

(笑)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

I once told a Fortune Magazine writer

我曾告訴過一位《財富》雜誌的編輯說

that someday people like me would go to jail.

像我這種人總有一天會坐牢

And that became the headline of a Fortune article.

這則新聞成為該期《財富》報導的頭條

They went on to describe me as America's greenest CEO.

他們接著稱我為「美國最環保的公司總裁」

From plunderer to recovering plunderer,

從罪魁禍首到洗心革面

to America's greenest CEO in five years --

到美國最環保的公司總裁,只花了五年的時間

that, frankly, was a pretty sad commentary

老實而言，對1999當年的美國總裁們

on American CEOs in 1999.

那真是一個非常諷刺的評價

Asked later in the Canadian documentary, "The Corporation,"

而後我被加拿大紀錄片公司The Corporation問道

what I meant by the "go to jail" remark,

我所謂"坐牢"是什麼意思?

I offered that theft is a crime.

我指出竊盜是一種罪行

And theft of our children's future would someday be a crime.

而竊取我們孩子的未來在將來也必定成為一種罪名

But I realized, for that to be true --

但我瞭解這必定成真

for theft of our children's future to be a crime --

偷竊孩子的未來將被定罪

there must be a clear, demonstrable alternative

今日必需要有一個明瞭的解決之道

to the take-make-waste industrial system

對於我們這個"取得資源，做成商品，再被拋棄"的工業制度

that so dominates our civilization,

該制度同時支配著我們的現代社會

and is the major culprit, stealing our children's future,

是偷竊我們幼苗未來的最大元兇

by digging up the earth

藉由開採地球資源

and converting it to products that quickly become waste

並將其轉變為一下子就被丟進垃圾場

in a landfill or an incinerator --

或焚化爐的廢物

in short, digging up the earth and converting it to pollution.

簡而言之，剝削地球資源並將其轉成污染源

According to Paul and Anne Ehrlich

根據保羅及安‧赫里克

and a well-known environmental impact equation,

和一個舉世皆知的環境影響方程式

impact -- a bad thing --

負面的影響，這是我們所不想要的

is the product of population, affluence and technology.

等於人口乘上財富乘上科技

That is, impact is generated by people,

也就是說，負面影響是人為造成的

what they consume in their affluence,

人們用他們的財產消費

and how it is produced.

即對環境產生了影響

And though the equation is largely subjective,

雖然這個方程式非常主觀

you can perhaps quantify people, and perhaps quantify affluence,

但也許你可以將人口量化、甚至將財富量化

but technology is abusive in too many ways to quantify.

但科技被大量地濫用以至於無法以數值呈現

So the equation is conceptual.

所以這個方程式是一個概念

Still it works to help us understand the problem.

協助我們了解整個問題

So we set out at Interface, in 1994,

所以我們Interface在1994年開始著手

to create an example:

創造一個榜樣

to transform the way we made carpet,

轉變我們製造地毯的方式

a petroleum-intensive product for materials as well as energy,

一個不論是材料或能源消耗來說皆大量依靠石油的產品

and to transform our technologies

同時改變我們的技術

so they diminished environmental impact,

即可減少對環境的衝擊

rather than multiplied it.

而非使其惡化

Paul and Anne Ehrlich's environmental impact equation:

保羅和安‧赫里克的環境影響方程式:

I is equal to P times A times T:

I(負面影響)等於P乘上A乘上T

population, affluence and technology.

P為人口、A為財富、T為科技

I wanted Interface to rewrite that equation so that it read

我希望Interface公司改寫它為別種形式:

I equals P times A divided by T.

I等於P乘上A除以T

Now, the mathematically-minded will see immediately

現在，這個方程式在數學意義上可告訴我們

that T in the numerator increases impact -- a bad thing --

T在分子的話將會造成負面影響擴大

but T in the denominator decreases impact.

但T在分母的話反倒可以減少負面影響

So I ask, "What would move T, technology,

所以我便問道"什麼東西可以把T，科技

from the numerator -- call it T1 --

從原本的分子，稱之為T1

where it increases impact,

科技將帶來負面影響

to the denominator -- call it T2 --

將他改移到分母，稱其為T2

where it reduces impact?

科技就可以減少環境衝擊

I thought about the characteristics

我想到第一次工業革命

of first industrial revolution,

的幾個特質

T1, as we practiced it at Interface,

T1，就如同我們以前在Interface做的

and it had the following characteristics.

具有下列幾種特性

Extractive: taking raw materials from the earth.

開採的:從地球資源中取得原料

Linear: take, make, waste.

線性的:取得資源，做成商品，再被拋棄

Powered by fossil fuel-derived energy.

用石油當作動力來源

Wasteful: abusive and focused on labor productivity.

浪費的: 濫用資源且強調勞動生產率

More carpet per man-hour.

工時越長，製造越多地毯越好

Thinking it through, I realized that all those attributes

思考過後，我了解到為了把T移至分母

must be changed to move T to the denominator.

必需將這些因素做個改變

In the new industrial revolution extractive must be replaced by renewable;

在新的工業革命中我們必須用可再生的資源取代原本的原料

linear by cyclical;

線性的浪費改為可循環利用

fossil fuel energy by renewable energy, sunlight;

化石燃料必需被可更新能源取代，即太陽能

wasteful by waste-free;

改掉人們揮霍浪費的習慣

and abusive by benign;

不濫用資源、對環境和善

and labor productivity by resource productivity.

注重資源生產率而非勞動產率

And I reasoned that if we could make those transformative changes,

我認為只要我們能做到以上這些改變

and get rid of T1 altogether,

就可以把T1去除

we could reduce our impact to zero,

將影響減低至零

including our impact on the climate.

其中也包括對氣候的影響

And that became the Interface plan in 1995,

這就成了Interface1995年的策略

and has been the plan ever since.

一直到今日

We have measured our progress very rigorously.

我們每年都詳盡地計算著我們的進展

So I can tell you how far we have come in the ensuing 12 years.

我可以告訴你我們這十二年來到底做了什麼

Net greenhouse gas emissions

溫室氣體排放量

down 82 percent in absolute tonnage.

每噸下降了82個百分比

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Over the same span of time

在同期

sales have increased by two-thirds and profits have doubled.

銷售量上升了三分之二同時利潤成雙倍成長

So an 82 percent absolute reduction

之後八成二的溫室氣體減少量

translates into a 90 percent reduction

增加變成減少九成

in greenhouse gas intensity relative to sales.

的溫室起體排放量，跟原先相比

This is the magnitude

這一個數字、這個降幅

of the reduction the entire global technosphere

應該被所有的科技業者體認到

must realize by 2050

並且在2050年前實踐

to avoid catastrophic climate disruption --

以避免氣候的劇變與災難的形成

so the scientists are telling us.

這也是科學家告訴我們的

Fossil fuel usage is down 60 percent per unit of production,

我們每單位產量降低了六成的化石燃料使用量

due to efficiencies in renewables.

都歸功於再生能源的使用

The cheapest, most secure barrel of oil there is

世界最便宜、最安全的能源用油

is the one not used through efficiencies.

是那些因為利用率太低而未被充分使用的原油

Water usage is down 75 percent

在我們的全球方塊地毯生產工廠中

in our worldwide carpet tile business.

用水量也減少了七十五個百分比

Down 40 percent in our broadloom carpet business,

在我們1993年開發的廣幅地毯產品製作產線中

which we acquired in 1993

用水量同樣減少四成

right here in California, City of Industry,

就在這裡，加州，工業重鎮

where water is so precious.

水資源特別貴重的地方

Renewable or recyclable materials are 25 percent of the total, and growing rapidly.

再生材料和可回收材料佔全部的百分之二十五，並快速成長著

Renewable energy is 27 percent of our total,

再生能源佔全部的百分之二十七

going for 100 percent.

並朝百分之百邁進

We have diverted 148 million pounds --

我們總共讓一億四千八百萬磅

that's 74,000 tons --

也就是七萬四千噸

of used carpet from landfills,

的二手地毯，免於被丟進掩埋場的命運

closing the loop on material flows

結束了原物料難逃的宿命

through reverse logistics

僅僅只靠改變我們的一點想法與邏輯

and post-consumer recycling technologies

而使用者回收服務

that did not exist when we started 14 years ago.

這個我們14年前剛開始時還不存在的東西

Those new cyclical technologies

這些新的循環利用政策

have contributed mightily to the fact that we have produced and sold

對我們2004年以來

85 million square yards of climate-neutral carpet

銷售掉8千5百萬平方碼的氣候無害地毯

since 2004,

有著極大的貢獻

meaning no net contribution to global climate disruption

換句話說，我們沒有對氣候造成更進一步的危害

in producing the carpet throughout the supply chain,

不論是從製造產品到供應鍊方

from mine and well head clear to end-of-life reclamation --

從礦山、油井開始一直到產品回收利用

independent third-party certified.

並且獲得了公正第三方的認可

We call it Cool Carpet.

我們將它命名為"酷冷地毯"

And it has been a powerful marketplace differentiator,

是一個成功區分市場的產品

increasing sales and profits.

增加了銷售量和利潤

Three years ago we launched carpet tile for the home,

三年前我們開始製造家用方塊地毯

under the brand Flor,

以Flor這個品牌名稱

misspelled F-L-O-R.

故意拼成F-L-O-R

You can point and click today at Flor.com

你可以在Flor.com找到相關訊息

and have Cool Carpet delivered to your front door in five days.

同時網路訂購在五天內就可以送到你家門口

It is practical, and pretty too.

又美又實惠的產品

(Laughter)

(笑)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

We reckon that we are a bit over halfway

我們認為我們的任務進行到了一半

to our goal: zero impact, zero footprint.

對於最終目標-不留影響、不留足跡

We've set 2020 as our target year for zero,

我們希望在2020年達到此一目標

for reaching the top, the summit of Mount Sustainability.

攀上名為"永續經營"的山頂

We call this Mission Zero.

我們將其稱為"任務零號"

And this is perhaps the most important facet:

該任務是最重要的一個方案

we have found Mission Zero to be incredibly good for business.

我們了解到任務零號將可以為商業環境帶來極大的利益

A better business model,

一個更好的商業模型

a better way to bigger profits.

更好的方法以獲取更多的利潤

Here is the business case for sustainability.

這就是讓企業永續經營的辦法

From real life experience, costs are down, not up,

從真實經驗看來，成本不升反降了

reflecting some 400 million dollars

這反映出我們在追求零污染的同時

of avoided costs in pursuit of zero waste --

節省下了四億元的支出

the first face of Mount Sustainability.

這只是永續經營計劃中的其中一面

This has paid all the costs for the transformation of Interface.

還順便支付了所有做為Interface轉型的成本

And this dispels a myth too,

也打破了大眾錯誤的迷思-

this false choice between the environment and the economy.

只能在環境保護與經濟發展中擇一

Our products are the best they've ever been,

這是我們有史以來最棒的產品

inspired by design for sustainability,

靈感來自永續發展

an unexpected wellspring of innovation.

真是一個意想不到的創意泉源

Our people are galvanized around this shared higher purpose.

這個更崇高的目標也激勵了我的夥伴們

You cannot beat it for attracting the best people

沒有其他更好的核心價值可以吸引人才

and bringing them together.

並且團結整個工作團隊了

And the goodwill of the marketplace is astonishing.

市場的好評也出乎我們意料

No amount of advertising, no clever marketing campaign,

不需廣告、不需精心策劃的行銷活動

at any price, could have produced or created

你原本需要花掉多少資本

this much goodwill.

才能達到這種廣告效果

Costs, products, people, marketplaces --

成本、產品、員工、市場

what else is there?

還有什麼沒涵蓋到的主題?

It is a better business model.

這的確是一個更佳的商業模型

And here is our 14-year record of sales and profits.

這是我們十四年來銷售量和利潤的記錄

There is a dip there, from 2001 to 2003:

在2001年至2003年間有下滑的趨勢

a dip when our sales, over a three-year period,

我們的銷售量在那三年間

were down 17 percent.

下降了17個百分比

But the marketplace was down 36 percent.

但總體市場環境下降了36個百分比

We literally gained market share.

這樣看來，我們市場佔有率反倒提高了

We might not have survived that recession

如果沒有以上這些優勢

but for the advantages of sustainability.

我們可能就無法在景氣蕭條時倖存下來

If every business were pursuing Interface plans,

如果每家企業都像Interface般追求永續發展

would that solve all our problems?

那麼我們的問題會被解決嗎?

I don't think so.

我不認為如此

I remain troubled by the revised Ehrlich equation,

我對修改過的赫里克方程持保留態度

I equals P times A divided by T2.

I等於P乘上A除以T2

That A is a capital A,

這裡的A是大寫的A

suggesting that affluence is an end in itself.

代表財富是人們追求的目標

But what if we reframed Ehrlich further?

但如果我們再多改寫一點赫里克方程式呢?

And what if we made A a lowercase 'a,'

如果我們把大A改成小寫的a

suggesting that it is a means to an end,

代表財富是我們達到目標的手段之一

and that end is happiness --

只不過那目標是"快樂"

more happiness with less stuff.

多點快樂、少點東西

You know that would reframe civilization itself --

你知道那將會顛覆我們整個現代社會

(Applause) --

(掌聲)

and our whole system of economics,

和我們所有的經濟系統

if not for our species, then perhaps for the one that succeeds us:

就算不是為了人類也是為了那些繼承人類的物種

the sustainable species, living on a finite earth,

他們可以永續生存，一同生活在這顆行星上

ethically, happily and ecologically

合乎道德地、幸福美滿地、環保地

in balance with nature

與自然和諧共處

and all her natural systems for a thousand generations,

並繁衍下去，產下數千代

or 10,000 generations --

或萬代子子孫孫

that is to say, into the indefinite future.

瓜瓞綿綿，無窮無盡

But does the earth have to wait for our extinction as a species?

但地球會等到我們人類滅絕之後嗎?

Well maybe so. But I don't think so.

很可能吧，但我才不這麼想

At Interface we really intend to bring this prototypical

在Interface我們打算把這種永續觀點

sustainable, zero-footprint industrial company

零足跡的工業模範

fully into existence by 2020.

在2020年之前實踐

We can see our way now,

我們可看見我們的道路

clear to the top of that mountain.

將直通永續經營的山頂

And now the challenge is in execution.

而如今最大的挑戰在於執行

And as my good friend and adviser Amory Lovins says,

就如同我的好友兼顧問阿默莉‧蘿芬所言

"If something exists, it must be possible."

如果某樣東西存在，那它就是有可能實現的

(Laughter)

(笑)

If we can actually do it, it must be possible.

如果我們可以做到，那就有可能成真

If we, a petro-intensive company can do it, anybody can.

如果我們，一個石化密集產業的公司可以達成，那每家公司都可以達成

And if anybody can, it follows that everybody can.

又如果每家公司都可以做到，也就是說每個人都可以做到

Hawken fulfilled business and industry,

霍肯成功地為工商業指派了新任務

leading humankind away from the abyss

帶領人們走出環境污染的深淵

because, with continued unchecked decline of the biosphere,

如果再這樣不知節制地破壞生物圈

a very dear person is at risk here --

那麼我們最愛的人將會被曝露在危險之中

frankly, an unacceptable risk.

坦白說，一個大災難

Who is that person?

那人是誰?

Not you. Not I.

不是你，不是我。

But let me introduce you to the one who is most at risk here.

讓我告訴你是誰會曝露其中

And I myself met this person in the early days of this mountain climb.

我前幾天在爬山的時候遇到他

On a Tuesday morning in March of 1996,

在1996年三月的某個星期二的早晨

I was talking to people, as I did at every opportunity back then,

我正在跟其他人講話，那是我的習慣

bringing them along and often not knowing whether I was connecting.

把我的想法告訴他們，雖然我並不知道我們正建立起某種關連

But about five days later back in Atlanta,

但我回到亞特蘭大的五天左右以後

I received an email from Glenn Thomas,

我收到一封電子郵件，是葛蘭‧湯馬士寄來的

one of my people in the California meeting.

我曾經在加州開會時的遇過他

He was sending me an original poem

他送給我一首自己寫的詩

that he had composed after our Tuesday morning together.

是他在禮拜二和我一起爬完山之後特別作的

And when I read it it was one of the most uplifting moments of my life.

當我讀完這首詩，我覺得那是我一生中最振奮的時刻

Because it told me, by God, one person got it.

"老天，終於有人了解了。"我這樣想

Here is what Glenn wrote. And here is that person, most at risk.

以下是葛蘭所寫的內容，曝露在危險之中的人也就是:

Please meet "Tomorrow's Child."

"未來之子"，也就是這首詩的標題

"Without a name, an unseen face, and knowing not your time or place,

我不知你的名字，也不認得你的樣貌，更不知道你何時何地出生

Tomorrow's child, though yet unborn,

未來之子，尚未出生

I met you first last Tuesday morn.

我卻在上禮拜二的早晨遇見你

A wise friend introduced us two.

聰明的好友介紹我們兩個認識

And through his sobering point of view

從他沉重的觀點中

I saw a day that you would see, a day for you but not for me.

我看到了未來你將面臨的一天，屬於你的未來而非我的未來

Knowing you has changed my thinking.

體會到這點改變了我的想法

For I never had an inkling

是我從來未考慮過的

that perhaps the things I do might someday,

或許我現在做的一切

somehow threaten you.

在未來可能間接傷害到你

Tomorrow's child, my daughter, son,

未來之子，我的女兒、我的兒子

I'm afraid I've just begun to think of you and of your good,

我太晚才想到你們、以及你們的未來

though always having known I should.

雖然我知道我應該早點考慮到

Begin, I will.

我會開始實踐

The way the cost of what I squander, what is lost,

補償那些因我揮霍而付出的代價

if ever I forget that you

我忘了你有天

will someday come and live here too."

將也會來此並居住生活下來

Well, every day of my life since,

自從我聽到"未來之子"

"Tomorrow's Child" has spoken to me

之後的每一天生活都銘記在心

with one simple but profound message,

它告訴我們一個簡單但深刻的訊息

which I presume to share with you.

這也是我想跟你分享的

We are, each and every one,

我們是互相且獨立的個體

a part of the web of life.

同時又是這星球上生命圈的一份子

The continuum of humanity, sure, but in a larger sense, the web of life itself.

是人類的一份子，當然，但從巨觀來看，仍然是地球上的一份子

And we have a choice to make

我們可以選擇

during our brief, brief visit

在我們這極短的人生旅程中

to this beautiful blue and green living planet:

去加害或幫助

to hurt it or to help it.

這顆美麗、富有活力的藍星

For you, it's your call.

對你來說，全看你如何做決定

Thank you.

謝謝你們

(Applause)

(掌聲)