KEN ALSTON, Vice President for Marketing Communications and Education, joined McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry in June of 2000. A Chartered Chemist and Fellow of the Royal Society in Chemistry, Ken has worked in global multinational companies in a variety of technical and business roles for over 22 years.

After receiving a degree in Applied Chemistry from Brunel University and a Master's in Business Administration from Henley Management College, Ken worked for SC Johnson Wax in both research and development roles. As Product and Packaging Research Manager, he designed and developed new household products in Europe, and co-authored the company's first International Packaging Strategy that included environmental considerations. As European Marketing Manager in the early 1990s, he developed and test-marketed several "green" or "environmentally responsible" products.

In 1992, Ken was invited to join an expanding corporate environmental department based in SC Johnson's United States headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin. As Manager of Global Product Responsibilities and, later, Director of Sustainable Product Innovation, Ken was responsible for environmental product stewardship, the oversight of environmental metrics, and the direction of SC Johnson's Worldwide Business Council on Environment.

Ken was also a member of the design team for Sustainable Racine that developed and implemented a community-wide sustainability forum at 23 locations. He led the facilitation at one of the forum sites and subsequently facilitated the workgroup that formed to develop environmental goals for the community. Before leaving Racine he chaired an indicators workgroup that developed and reported on the city's initial set of sustainability metrics. He was also a Trustee of the SC Johnson (philanthropic) Fund and Chairman of the Fund's Medical, Health and Environmental Protection committee.

Throughout the 1990s, SC Johnson made great strides in eco-efficiency reporting results that demonstrate clear environmental leadership. Ken's direction laid the groundwork for developing new corporate strategic goals that move SC Johnson beyond eco-efficiency towards sustainability. Bill McDonough and MBDC were prominent among the consultants who helped SC Johnson develop their thinking beyond the confines of the eco-efficiency paradigm.

Until June 2000, Ken's responsibilities included working with the President's Council on Sustainable Development and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development. He co-managed a collaborative project team with the Alliance for Environmental Innovation, working to integrate environmental considerations into business.

Since joining MBDC, Ken has been helping major clients—including Ford Motor Company, Milliken and Visteon Corporation—lead the transition to Cradle to Cradle Design. Under his guidance, MBDC is developing and implementing new curricula using live and web-based training media.