How do I book William McDonough to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like William McDonough for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for William McDonough, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for William McDonough or any other speaker of your choice.

What are the speaker fees for William McDonough

Speaking fees for William McDonough, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book William McDonough are $50,000 - $100,000 for live events and $30,000 - $50,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire William McDonough, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does William McDonough speak about?

William McDonough is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Animals & Wildlife, Architecture, Business, Business Leadership, Conservation, Creativity, Design, Earth Day, Economy, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Environmental Activism, Ethics & Integrity, Finance, Home & Decor, Innovation, International Business, Journalism, Marketing, Sales, Science, Success, Sustainability, Technology

Who is William McDonough's agent?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like William McDonough for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book William McDonough for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker's or celebrity's engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event's completion. We provide all of the services you need to host William McDonough or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you're looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you're in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

William McDonough | Speaking Fee

William McDonough Biography

William McDonough is a globally recognized leader 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. He also co-authored "The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability--Designing for Abundance," further contributing to critical discussions on resource use and sustainable practices.

He advises global leaders through McDonough Innovation and is an architect with William McDonough + Partners. His architecture firm, established in 1977, is noted for designing many primary icons of the sustainable architecture movement, including major projects for companies such as Gap Inc., Nike, and Herman Miller. Through his firm MBDC, he created the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program and co-founded the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, which administers the program. Cradle to Cradle Certified® is an independent, science-based, third-party, multi-attribute product standard recognized by the world’s leading retailers, including Amazon, Home Depot, Walgreens, and Walmart.

McDonough has been active with the World Economic Forum for 25 years and served as the inaugural chair of their Meta-Council on the Circular Economy. He has co-founded four not-for-profit organizations, including GreenBlue, Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and Fashion for Good—a joint-industry initiative aiming to transform the global apparel chain into a force for good. His leadership roles extend to education, where he serves as an Alumni Research Professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business Administration and as a Consulting Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University.

McDonough received the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development (1996), the first U.S. EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award (2003), and the National Design Award (2004). He was also recognized with the Fortune Award for Circular Economy Leadership (2017). Time magazine acknowledged him as a “Hero for the Planet,” emphasizing that his philosophy is “changing the design of the world.” Fortune magazine also named him one of the World's 50 Greatest Leaders in 2019, highlighting his ongoing influence in the field of sustainable design and architecture.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on William McDonough and other top speakers and celebrities.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 06/04/2024.

William McDonough Speaking Topics

Create More Good, Rather Than Do Less Bad

William McDonough believes that we can create a delightfully diverse, safe, healthy, and just world, with clean air, soil, water, and power--economically, equitably, ecologically, and elegantly enjoyed. Why not? McDonough discusses why efficiency alone is not going to solve the problems we face as a planet--efficiency, sustainability, and the reduction of carbon-footprint only slow the inevitable. Rather than striving to do less bad, McDonough advocates for a new paradigm geared towards increasing positive impacts. Through his illuminating discussion, McDonough maps out:

What it means to build like a tree and rethink design to create products, industries and processes with positive impacts

How modern businesses and communities are accepting the challenge of improving the planet by moving beyond efficiency with the protocols of eco-effectiveness

How companies can leverage efficiency to become 100% renewably powered

Why we are faced with a materials problem rather than an energy problem and what that means for industry
Putting Eco-Effectiveness into Practice for a Cradle to Cradle World

Internationally recognized for his innovative and groundbreaking design ideas, William McDonough explains how we can change the impact of human industry on the environment while encouraging economic success. He takes audiences on a captivating journey, describing how we can all become thoughtfully engaged in a magnificent design assignment that can be understood on a personal level. Audiences gain an understanding of this powerful paradigm for viewing the world for positive impact at all levels as an individual, a professional, and a citizen of the global community. In his stimulating and innovative presentation, McDonough describes:

The best and worst in the history of human design from Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Edison

Puts to rest myths and misconceptions surrounding the effectiveness of banning materials and explain the importance of separating the organic cycle from the technical cycle

Explains the importance of enterprise large and the transformative nature of commerce itself, acting in society's best interest based on the simple notion that the first job of business is keep your customers alive and thriving

Presents new strategies of change for eco-intelligence to help guide our endeavors at every level from the making of molecules to the planning of regions

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

In an eye-opening and provocative presentation based on the book he co-authored with German chemist Michael Braungart, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, American architect William McDonough challenges the way we think about waste, recycling and designing for a planet approaching nine billion. He explains that the widely accepted goals of sustainability and eco-efficiency actually create unbelievable amounts of waste and pollutionthey simply wont be enough. Instead of focusing on reducing footprint, McDonough urges that products be designed to continuously travel in nutrient cyclesbiological (they go back to the soil) or technical (they stay in the use and production cycle safely forever). With this Cradle to Cradle framework in mind, McDonough has shaped the design of everything from carpet to corporate campuses. He shows audiences that:

Design is the first signal of human intention and the key to solving the planets most pressing problems

Recycling is ineffective it is really just a process of downcycling products into low-grade materials that will eventually become waste

Anyone involved in making anything can put eco-effectiveness into practice

Businesses can lead the way on climate change with velocity and scale

If revolutionized, human industry does not have to damage the natural world • products can be designed in a way that they will actually act as revitalizing nutrients for the environment when they are no longer needed

William McDonough Videos

SCW20: Featured speaker - William McDonough - YouTube

"Cradle-to-Cradle Design for the Circular Economy" - Architect and author William McDonough, founder of the Cradle to Cradle™ products ...
What if waste did not exist? | William McDonough

What if we could eliminate the concept of waste altogether? This is exactly what Cradle to Cradle aims to do, a green nonprofit that seeks to ...
William McDonough explains steel's place in his 'Cradle to Cradle ...

William McDonough, architect, designer, thought leader, author and originator of the 'Cradle to Cradle' concept is a globally recognised leader ...

See All Videos »

William McDonough Books

The Upcycle: Beyond Sustainability--Designing for Abundance
The Hannover Principles: Design for Sustainability, 10th Anniversary Edition
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

Speaker Lists Featuring William McDonough

Speakers on Architecture & Urban Planning

The keynote speakers in this list include award-winning architects, city planners, real estate developers, and futurists at the forefront of innovation, sustainability, and emerging technology in cities and urban...

Browse All Keynote Speaker Lists »

FAQs on booking William McDonough

How do I book William McDonough to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like William McDonough for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for William McDonough, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for William McDonough or any other speaker of your choice.
What are the speaker fees for William McDonough

Speaking fees for William McDonough, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book William McDonough are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire William McDonough, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does William McDonough speak about?

William McDonough is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Animals & Wildlife, Architecture, Business, Business Leadership, Conservation, Creativity, Design, Earth Day, Economy, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Environmental Activism, Ethics & Integrity, Finance, Home & Decor, Innovation, International Business, Journalism, Marketing, Sales, Science, Success, Sustainability, Technology.
Where does William McDonough travel from?

William McDonough generally travels from Virginia, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
Who is William McDonough’s agent?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like William McDonough for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book William McDonough for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host William McDonough or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

William McDonough is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Create More Good, Rather Than Do Less Bad, Putting Eco-Effectiveness into Practice for a Cradle to Cradle World and Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. The estimated speaking fee range to book William McDonough for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. William McDonough generally travels from VA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Adrian Grenier, Dr. Michio Kaku, Peter Diamandis, Paul Polman and Martin Eberhard. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling William McDonough for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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