Author Bio
Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, educator, lecturer, entrepreneur, journalist, and best-selling author. He is known around the world as one of the leading architects and proponents of corporate reform with respect to ecological practices. His writings and work have caused CEOs to transform their internal corporate culture and business philosophy towards environmental restoration. He serves as co-chair of TNS-International, a non-profit educational foundation that assists organizations and businesses in twelve countries in creating a long term commitment to environmental sustainability as a core part of their overall policy and practices.
He has founded several companies, including Smith & Hawken, Datafusion, a knowledge synthesis software company, and several of the first natural food companies in the U.S that relied soley on sustainable agricultural methods. He is author of dozens of articles, scientific papers, and six books including The Next Economy (Ballantine 1983), Growing a Business (Simon and Schuster 1987), and The Ecology of Commerce (HarperCollins 1993). The Ecology of Commerce was voted in 1998 as the #1 college text on business and the environment by professors in 67 business schools. He has just completed Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution (Little, Brown. September 1999) with Amory and Hunter Lovins.
His books have been published in over 50 countries in 27 languages. Growing a Business became the basis of a 17-part PBS series which Mr. Hawken hosted and produced. The program, which explored the challenges and pitfalls of starting and operating socially responsive companies, was shown on television in over 115 countries around the world. He serves as co-chair of The Natural Step-International, a non-profit educational foundation that teaches and supports environmental systems thinking in corporations, cities, and governments.
He has given keynote addresses to the following organizations and events: AT&T, The Liberal Party of Canada, Apple Computer, Citicorp, Weyerhaeuser, Commonwealth Club, The King of Sweden Environmental Seminar, General Foods, State of Washington, Southwestern Bell, American Bookseller's Association, Inc. 500 Conference, Urban Land Institute, SRI International, Harvard University, Department of Commerce, Yale University, Prince of Wales Conference on Business and the Environment-Cambridge University, Herman Miller, National Wildlife Federation, American Society of Landscape Architects, American Institute of Architects, American Institute of Graphic Arts, American Solar Energy Association, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Cleveland City Club, Conference Board, U.S. Forest Service, Ontario Hydro, the EPA, and over 500 others.
He has served on the board of many environmental organizations including Point Foundation (publisher of the Whole Earth Catalogs), Center for Plant Conservation (with Don Falk), Conservation International, Trust for Public Land, Friends of the Earth, and National Audubon Society. Among recognition and awards received are the Small Business Administration "Entrepreneur of the Year" in 1990, the Utne 100 in 1995: "One Hundred Visionaries who could Change our Lives", Western Publications Association the Maggie award for "Natural Capitalism--as the best Signed Editorial/Essay--in 1997, Creative Visionary Award by International Society of Industrial Design, Design in Business Award for environmental responsibility by the American Center for Design, Council on Economic Priorities' 1990 Corporate Conscience Award, American Horticultural Society Award for commitment to excellence in commercial horticulture, Metropolitan Home Design 100 Editorial Award for the 100 best people, products and ideas that shape our lives, the Cine Golden Eagle award in video for the PBS program "Marketing" from Growing a Business, Inc. Magazine's "Dream Team" - Twelve Best Entrepreneurs of the 1980's (including Steven Jobs, H. Ross Perot), California Institute of Integral Studies Award "For Ongoing Humanitarian Contributions to the Bay Area Communities", Esquire Magazinee award for the best 100 People of a Generation (1984), and several honorary doctorates.