William McDonough

William McDonough is a globally recognized leader, pioneer, and innovator in sustainable

design and development. He co-authored Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make

Things (2002), widely recognized as a seminal text of both the sustainability and the Circular

Economy design movements.

As an architect, McDonough has designed notable landmark buildings in the sustainability

movement. Additionally, he advises commercial and government leaders worldwide on ESG,

Circular Economy, and the design of products. McDonough co-created the Cradle to Cradle

Certified® Products Program, an independent, science-based, third-party, multi-attribute

standard widely recognized as the pre-eminent global standard for the design of safe, healthy

products.

In recognition for his visionary work, McDonough received the Presidential Award for

Sustainable Development (1996), the first U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge

Award (2003), the National Design Award (2004) and the Fortune Award for Circular Economy

Leadership (2017).Time magazine recognized him as a “Hero for the Planet,” noting: “His

utopianism is grounded in a unified philosophy that—in demonstrable and practical ways—is

changing the design of the world,"

Recently, McDonough was named to the inaugural TIME100 Climate List of the 100 Most Influential Leaders Driving Business Climate Action.