Paul Hawken, founder and president of Smith & Hawken, a specialty gardening-supply retailer, is winner of the 1991 Business Award given by Chicago-based American Center for Design.
Hawken, named for corporate leadership in environmental and social responsibility, will be honored Tuesday at the group`s annual meeting at the Saddle & Cycle Club.
”Hawken heads a company that is concerned not only with `design excellence,` ” says Fletcher R. Sliker, an official with Steelcase Inc., and head of the American Center nominating committee, ”but he has also carefully imbedded the idea of ecology into the organization and the attitudes that environmental concerns are part of strategic planning. And they make a profit.”
Founded in 1979, Smith & Hawken sells garden tools, supplies and outdoor furniture by mail order. Ten percent of the company`s pre-tax earnings are donated to environmental causes.
More Top Picks Best Electric Wall Heaters
Previous award winners include Apple Computer, Crate & Barrel and Esprit.