Interface’s Net-Works Program

DESCRIPTION: The story of the Net-Works™ program is that of an environmental sustainability leader—Interface, Inc.—grappling with the challenges of incorporating social sustainability into corporate practices via its supply chain. Net-Works illustrates the potential and the challenges companies face in using sourcing as a component of their sustainability strategy. Further, the process of designing and scaling the Net-Works program highlights the unique challenges of seeking to have social impact through business, as Interface must build a program from the ground up in remote and economically fragile communities. To succeed, Miriam and her team must figure out how to scale the model in order to make it truly impactful, both as an economic development model and as a viable materials-sourcing stream for the business. This case was written by graduate students Makely Lyon (’14), Javier Rivera (’14), Lauren V. Smith, and Pete Wangwongwiroj under the supervision of Professor Andrew Hoffman at the University of Michigan.