Ray C. Anderson Named to the World Floor Covering Association Hall of Fame
The World Floor Covering Association posthumously awarded Ray C. Anderson a Hall of Fame Award at the Flooring Sustainability Summit in Washington, D.C. Ray’s grandson, John A. Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, received the award.
Read the full story.
Welcome to the Ray of Hope Accelerator 2025 Cohort
Earlier this summer, the Ray of Hope Accelerator announced the ten startups selected for its 2025 program, kicking off in September. This year’s cohort expands the program’s global reach, with first-time participants from Colombia and the Netherlands. “We are so proud of the growth in The Biomimicry Institute’s Ray of Hope Accelerator,” said John A. Lanier, executive director of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. “It is noteworthy, and exciting, to see that this cohort spans three continents and includes companies with substantial leadership from women and immigrants. It shows the power and strength in diversity, a lesson found throughout the natural world.”
Discover the 10 Nature-Inspired Startups
The Ray of Hope Accelerator Returns to New York Climate Week
The Biomimicry Institute will host an inspiring evening on Thursday, September 25 at Brickworks Design Studio, NYC, to celebrate the 2025 cohort during New York Climate Week. Meet ten visionary startups reimagining materials, energy, and infrastructure, drawing on designs from pine cones to aquatic plant roots, to tackle urgent climate and biodiversity challenges. The evening includes networking with innovators, investors, and sustainability leaders, plus a round of fast-paced startup pitches. Register for the event!
Call for Mentors
Do you have experience in business strategy, fundraising, product development, marketing, or scaling early-stage ventures? The Ray of Hope Accelerator is seeking mentors to support nature-inspired startups as they bring groundbreaking solutions to market. This is a volunteer opportunity to share your expertise and make a meaningful impact in shaping the future of climate innovation, and we’d love to hear from you! Apply to be a Mentor.
The Ray Receives Award to Launch Charleston County Pollinator Habitat Initiative
The Ray is honored to be selected as a Summer 2025 awardee of the Pollinate Program, receiving $10,000 in funding from the University of Illinois Chicago’s Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group. This initiative represents a pioneering collaboration between The Ray and Charleston County to convert roadside public lands into thriving ecosystems that benefit both people and the natural environment. Read the full story.
Announcing the Winner of the Carbon Reduction Challenge
The 2025 Carbon Reduction Challenge, cohosted by the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business and the Georgia Tech College of Sciences, brings together students, alumni, and community and industry leaders to tackle pressing environmental issues through creative initiatives and sustainable practices. First place was awarded to Georgia Tech industrial engineering major Aleena Noor, who worked on a project at Ernst and Young in Boston. Aleena saw a unique opportunity to help the consulting firm reduce their carbon footprint in an aging building. Aleena’s project focused on two aspects of the infrastructure – waste diversion and HVAC optimization. Congratulations, Aleena!
Sustainability on Tap
Hands-on, real-world experience: This is the promise of a business school practicum. For over ten years, the Sustainable Business Consulting Practicum has been lauded by students and host companies alike. “What I really liked about the practicum is that the MBA students added value by recommending concrete approaches and solutions to reducing our Scope 3 [value chain] emissions,” says Jacob Yarbrough, senior sustainability manager at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Jacob was grateful for the opportunity to work with talented students who helped the brewery to plot the path towards reaching future goals.
Read the article.
Infusing Sustainability Across the Curriculum
The Center completed its second cycle of grants through the Educational Innovation initiative, which provides support to faculty who commit to implementing sustainability into their courses and pedagogy. The goal of the community is to serve students interested in acquiring sustainable business competencies in Scheller programs, from undergraduate to graduate and executive education. Read about the course infusion.
How IGEL Is Building a Leader-Full Climate Future for Georgia
The Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) offers a powerful, people-centered experience that brings together changemakers from across the state, enabling them to lead boldly toward a more sustainable future.
In a recent interview for the Georgia Climate Digest video interview series, longtime climate justice advocate and IGEL graduate Eriqah Vincent sat down with Monica Thornton, IGEL graduate and board member, and Beth Blalock, IGEL graduate and facilitator, to explore what makes the program so transformative, and why it’s a must for anyone serious about leading on climate solutions in Georgia. Read the blog, and watch the video.
Apply for the 2026 IGEL Class
Applications are open from now until October 3rd. Apply Here.
Grantee Spotlight: Georgia Organics & McIntosh S.E.E.D.
Staff from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and the Sapelo Foundation recently visited Berry Family Farms, a fifth generation family farm in Long County, GA. The visit was part of a statewide tour of Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions and Equity Grant recipients.
Georgia Organics and McIntosh Sustainable Environment and Economic Development (S.E.E.D.) were in the first cohort of the Drawdown Georgia grants in 2023-24 when they received $200,000 over two years to provide education, awareness and technical assistance for 10 Coastal Georgia farmers who sought to implement climate-smart agriculture practices.
Berry Farms applied for and received a cost share from the National Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and received a mini-grant from the Drawdown Georgia funds, allowing them to install a 5 kW solar array to provide clean energy while reducing operating costs.
Read the full story.
The Journey Towards Net Zero
The Drawdown Georgia Business Compact – over 70 members strong – leverages the collective impact of the Georgia business community to achieve net zero carbon emissions in the state through a just, prosperous, and sustainable transition. David Eady, the Center’s director of industry engagement, was featured on the Technology Association of Georgia’s “Sustainability Talk” podcast – highlighting how business drives Georgia’s clean energy future. They had an outstanding turnout at their May 2025 All Hands Meeting, where they shared updates, facilitated meaningful connections, and discussed how to make an impact during the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Atlanta. Recent updates include advancing a Georgia forest carbon market, supporting a new sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) hub, and unlocking carbon credit potential in building retrofits and weatherization.
Grantee Spotlight: Green Team of English Avenue and the Westside Passive Cooling Tree Equity Partnership
The Ray C. Anderson Foundation and Tull Charitable Foundation recently visited the Green Team of English Avenue (GTOEA), representing all of the foundations that fund the Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions & Equity Grants.
They met with the GTOEA founder, Annie Moore, as well as her co-applicants from Carinalis Consulting and Research and Climate Consortium of the Commons, along with her Community Advisory Council and other interested community leaders from the Atlanta communities of English Avenue and Vine City.
GTOEA is using its Drawdown Georgia Grant to address unequitable outcomes that have occurred through the EPA’s removal of legacy lead waste from the soil. The existing lead is a byproduct of the steel industry that once operated in the area. To date, much of the tree cover that once existed in English Avenue and Vine City has been removed, along with truckloads of topsoil. Read the full story.
Connecting the Dots Between Food Waste, Food Access, and Public Health in Georgia
A significant portion of the food we produce is wasted, ending up in landfills instead of nourishing people. This food also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and missed opportunities to support communities facing food insecurity.
Goodr is an Atlanta-based company focused on reducing food waste and hunger. With the motto “Feed more, waste less,” Goodr helps businesses divert edible food waste from landfills by transporting it to nonprofits in food-insecure communities.
Goodr has also opened 29 school-based grocery stores and mobile markets with the goal of giving food-insecure families access to healthy meals in a stress-free and dignified shopping experience. Their newest project is the Goodr Community Market, a standalone store that offers even more opportunities. Read the full blog from Drawdown Georgia.
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