When sustainable design advocate Chris Hacker recently joined Johnson & Johnson as Senior Vice President of Global Design and Design Strategy, he signed on for a new job and an enormous mission: to help the behemoth beauty brand go green. Luckily, he's had plenty of experience in that arena; previously, he was Senior VP of Global Marketing and Design for the environmentalist's darling Aveda, where, in 2004, he accepted the Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for excellence in sustainability. After speaking at Compostmodern in San Francisco on January 21, Hacker joins us in LA on January 24 to give a similar presentation for AIGA/LA. While preparing for his west coast tour, Hacker spoke with Alissa Walker about why great design and sustainable design are inseparable.

You've worked with many, many design giants including Dansk, Steuben Glass, Warner Bros., Disney, Sony, Mattel and the lovely Autry Museum of Western Heritage here in LA. But you began your career working for beauty/personal care brands with early positions at Aramis and Estee Lauder, and you've served as VP of design for Aveda and Johnson & Johnson. Is the beauty/personal care field one that presents particular design challenges?

I've actually ended up there by accident! The beauty world is interesting from a design perspective, as it requires thinking about the experience that a person has with the product. It is direct a connection to the emotion of the consumer about how they look and feel. We, as designers, can provide clarity and functional truth to that experience. As an industrial designer by training I was trained in "problem-solving" which is an activity that makes one think about more than just making it "pretty" but makes the consideration of function clear.

At the 2004 AIGA GAIN conference in New York, your presentation "Design expressing values, gaining share" talked about the way Aveda's design relays its corporate values of beauty, environment and well-being. Was a focus on design something that was embedded in their original business philosophy, or did you introduce it?

Design existed at Aveda before I arrived, but was more connected to the hairdresser-side of the business rather than the consumer. What I was able to do was to bring it up to date and make the design experience complete and consistent from product to advertising to the salon or the store.

I also read that you only hired designers who subscribed to Aveda's ideology. Do you think that's the key to creating more powerful work?

It would be incredibly frustrating for a designer to join a company like Aveda without being committed to sustainability. The design process is a little different, materials have to be selected carefully and you must have a way of thinking that keeps things simple and clear. So yes, I did only hire people after walking through that process and explaining it to them and getting their commitment to designing a different way. Not many other jobs offer this kind of focus, so I was more interested in the individual's intent rather than past experience.

We hear so much now about how design-centric companies have a tremendous advantage in today's marketplace and I think Aveda is one of the best examples around. What are some aspects of Aveda design that help to win over consumers?

The total experience is designed from the way the product feels/smells to the sensation of the package to the advertising and the experience the person has when in an Aveda Salon or store. It is a holistic way of thinking about the needs/wants of that person as they come to a salon or spa.

Besides being an expert on leveraging design for corporations, you're also an expert on sustainable design. What will you be speaking about at this year's Compostmodern conference?

I hope to teach the participants about the positive aspects of being environmentally responsible, how to be subversive, how to do great design and save the planet. If we, in the design community, don't take responsibility for the sustainability of what we design, nobody else will. We have the opportunity to make a difference just by specifying the right materials and thinking about the way a product is produced.

Have you ever had a client argue that it isn't possible for them to adapt those recommendations?

I must sheepishly admit that I didn't start acting on the sustainability work until I went to work at Aveda. I got religion!

What companies besides Aveda do you see leading the sustainable design movement?

Patagonia and Timberland.

You've just left Aveda to become Senior VP of Global Design and Design Strategy for Johnson & Johnson. Are they looking to develop the same kind of sustainable identity that Aveda is known for?

I joined Johnson & Johnson for two reasons: I have the opportunity to make design a strong competitive advantage within a highly-respected company and I can use the power as the leader of the design process to bring more sustainability to an already thoughtful company. If my team and I can influence even a small part of the output of this large company, it will make a significantly larger difference on the planet than all the work we did at Aveda.

Update: If you didn't attend Chris Hacker's presentation, here are his 11 things to consider before you design, specify or buy:

1) Do we really need it?
2) Is it designed to minimize waste?
3) Can it be smaller or lighter or made of fewer materials?
4) Is it designed to be durable or multifunctional?
5) Does it use renewable resources?
6) Is reuse practical and encouraged?
7) Are the product and packaging refillable, recyclable or repairable?
8) Is it made with post-consumer recycled or reclaimed materials? If so, how much?
9) Are the materials available in a less toxic form?
10) Does it come from a socially and environmentally responsible company?
11) Is it made locally?

Alissa Walker is editor-in-chief of the AIGA/LA website.