Design studios need to “climify” their work
Four quick thoughts on why it’s important for design studios to “climify” their work to future proof their studio.
1. Attract new clients who want to build a climate-positive future
There are many companies out there trying hard to unf*ck the planet. Make them understand your stance on humanity’s biggest challenge. Plant your flag in the ground. Be bold. If they themselves are taking a stand, they will appreciate you doing the same.
2. Nudge existing clients towards climate action
Don’t worry if your existing client isn’t focused on sustainability. You can implement simple changes and make climate-minded design decisions without much effort; implement better frameworks that focus on reducing carbon and waste, research and suggest alternative materials first, recommend local suppliers to reduce transport emissions, design modular elements that can be updated rather than replaced. Don’t even say the “S-word”, just do it.
3. Keep and attract employees who seek purpose in their work
It’s no secret people, especially young professionals, want to spend their time on work that aligns with their values—many of those values are related to building and living in a climate-positive world. Consider factors like; types of clients you sign on, the resources used on projects, and the impact of the work after it’s “shipped”, ie environmental, societal, cultural.
4. Revamp your services to scale up impactful work
There is no better time than now to re-assess your services and how you work. Take some time to audit the footprint of your services, invest in educating your design team to become climate designers, learn how to incorporate things like life-cycle analysis, circular design, regenerative design principles into your work.
Business-as-usual got us all into this mess. It’s time to question norms and reimagine how designers and design studios show up in the business world. We hold tremendous power and influence. Let’s use it.
