Just in time for Earth Day, Appalachian hosted a panel discussion about Beyond Zero, an inspirational roadmap for how business can reverse climate change. Attendees received exclusive, pre-release access to the award winning documentary Beyond Zero.
Panel Moderator
Lee Ball
Lee Ball, App State's Chief Sustainability Officer, will serve as our panel moderator. Dr. Ball's scholarly work focuses on sustainability leadership, sustainability literacy, the valuation of sustainability, biophilic/ecophilic design, and change agency related to community engagement. Read more.
Expert Panelists
Jim Hartzfeld
Jim Hartzfeld is Brambles, Ltd's Head of Sustainability for North America. Jim worked closely with Ray Anderson, Interface founder, to pioneer and implement the most radical, cutting edge, competitive business strategies focused on sustainable business. Read more.
Nathan Havey
Nathan Havey, who wrote and directed Beyond Zero, is an emerging leader in the global movement to evolve capitalism. Read more.
Rajat Panwar
Rajat Panwar is director of the sustainable business in the Walker Colllege and an associate professor of sustainable business management at Appalachian. Read more.
Diana Propper de Callejon
Diana Propper de Callejon is a Managing Director at Cranemere, a holding company that acquires privately held, middle-market companies in the United States and Europe. With permanent capital, Cranemere has no view to exit the companies it partners with, and has a “buy, build, and hold” strategy. Read more.
About the Film
After a life-changing epiphany, the CEO of a global public company embarks on a high-stakes quest to eliminate all negative environmental impacts by 2020. To succeed, they must overcome deep skepticism, abandon the status quo, and ignite a new industrial revolution. Learn more.
Fun Fact: One of the film’s storytellers and Interface’s Sustainability Director, Erin Meezan, spoke at Appalachian’s 2019 Business for Good Conference and its 2016 Global Opportunities Conference.
What viewers are saying:
"The most important business story of the past hundred years"
Garrett Boone - Co-Founder, The Container Store
“Beyond Zero is a fascinating story, not only about inspirational and visionary founder Ray Anderson, but the struggles and determination of a company trying to become a positive force in the world. The film delivers a message that needs to be told: In the end it indeed boils down to people, and business can be more successful and resilient, simply by doing the right thing.”
Paul Polman - Former CEO, Unilever & Board Member, United Nations Global Compact
About This Event
Beyond Zero is held in partnership with Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability and the Walker College of Business and its Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It is an Appalachian Energy Summit and Business for Good event.