William Clay Ford Jr. has long been a strong advocate, inside Ford Motor Company, of winning through sustainability. Profits will rise, argues the automaker’s executive chairman and the great-grandson of Henry Ford, as it delivers vehicles that are better for the environment, made in plants that are increasingly energy efficient and, consequently, less costly to operate. For years, few in the company seemed to fully embrace this vision. But in the wake of rising oil prices and a global economic crisis, the managerial ranks have rallied behind Bill Ford’s drive for sustainability.

To become a thriving, profitable business again, as Bill Ford readily acknowledges, the company still has challenges ahead, but he says he has never seen it as focused and driven as it is today. When he became CEO, in 2001, Ford was determined not only to turn around a troubled company but also to make it greener: for instance, he spearheaded the remake of the River Rouge plant, once decaying but now a test lab for sustainable manufacturing practices. Ford’s leadership on environmental and manufacturing issues extends beyond his company. Vice chairman of Business Leaders for Michigan (an executive leadership organization in Michigan) and chairman of the Detroit Economic Club, he has used both platforms to help shape the agenda for reviving US manufacturing competitiveness, particularly through sustainable innovation and technology.