Archive for the ‘CSR’ Category
Posted by Eryn Willard on September 17, 2009
There aren’t many jobs out there where you not only earn a living by performing your duties, but that you have opportunities to win awards, too. Graphic design offers both!
Studio 22 has been honored in the American Graphic Design Awards for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s winning entries are all in the 2008 report category: Diesel Technology Forum Annual Report, Desert Glory Sustainability Report and Strategic Sustainability Consulting Sustainability Report.
Stats on the winners:
While not a sustainability report, Diesel Technology Forum‘s report was reconfigured to be dimensionally smaller and contain fewer pages than in years past. We printed less hard copies and sourced a green certified printer, using vegetable-based inks and FSC-certified 100% recycled/50% PCW paper.
Desert Glory‘s inaugural sustainability report was not printed, and was instead created specifically for web download. We maintained print-quality standards and page count, however, in the event the company wishes to print any reports commercially.
Strategic Sustainability Consulting‘s report – their third with us – was also a web-based report. Creating a digital report was a first for SSC, as we’ve produced printed reports for them from the start. However, with this more flexible medium, we were able to go bold with color, graphic elements and page shape with the knowledge that they would look great on-screen.
This recognition wouldn’t be possible without our incredible clients and the trust they place in us to create these pieces. We thank you!
Tags: design, news, sustainability
Posted in awards, client news, CSR, eco-friendly, FSC, green, news, paper, PCW, reporting, sustainability
Posted by Eryn Willard on July 20, 2009
We are a proud member of the Designers Accord. The following guidelines were inspired by a recent Designers Accord gathering where maintaining sustainable design practices in an (ugh) ailing economy was the topic of discussion. For the record, Studio 22′s stance is that these actions are “baked in” to our process.
1. Analyze what is in your control, such as paper selection, bindings, or packaging/containment method. Make choices as part of the design exploration process.
2. Make it as easy as possible to disassemble the piece (if bound or packaged) for recycling at the end of its life cycle.
3. Estimate quantities based on past usage of similar projects as closely as possible so that you don’t over-produce. Even if you recycle your leftovers, it’s still waste.
4. Cut back on unnecessary wordiness in your text to reduce page count – not only does this help save on production costs, it saves paper and reduces postage expenses.
5. Evaluate how your audience will use your communications piece. Do they want to read an 8-page product brochure, or would they rather have a line sheet with highlights? Making it convenient for the end user can result in reduced materials consumption.
Tags: design, sustainability
Posted in corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, environment, green, paper, sustainability, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on May 7, 2009
What should you do during “recessionary times?” Both.
As stated on Twitter earlier this week (find us @studio_22), consumers 18-34 will be driving green trends in the next decade. We also said that when you promote your products to this group, you should do so in a sustainable way.
If you’re a brand that can demonstrate a genuine commitment to responsible practices, tell consumers your sustainability story. Do it authentically. Brands can gain a competitive edge when they engage consumers on issues that they care about. Do it on a hang-tag. Do it in your catalog. Do it on your website. The person buying your product or service will feel good about making the purchase because it supports a belief that they subscribe to. You’ll provide added value – an important quality at the moment.
Now, about those sustainable communications…those hang-tags, brochures, catalogs, reports. There’s more to a sustainable marketing piece than slapping some ink on 30% recycled content paper. We won’t bore you with substrates here, but care must be taken with the imagery and text, colors, sizing, and ink used in producing your communications. Even the firm you choose to work with has an impact on the footprint of your printed materials. Embracing this concept on the back end will push you even further ahead of the competition in the eyes of your customers.
Tags: branding, sustainability
Posted in bottom line, carbon footprint, catalog, corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, environment, manufacturing, marketing, outdoor, short and sweet, sustainability, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on April 22, 2009
Three pieces have been chosen to appear in Crescent Hill Books’ “Big Book of Green Design” due out this fall, and we are quite excited!
From Amazon: “This book is very much a ‘see what your colleagues are doing’, idea-sharing, inspiration-generating compilation for agencies, freelance designers, printers and other creative professionals. With a foreword by Eric Benson, creator of website named re-nourish and an expert on sustainable procedures within graphic design, the book will be comprised of eight chapters, all fully illustrated with graphic design ideas, drawings, and photographs: Recycled and FSC Papers; Vegetable-Based Inks; Green Clients; Repurposed Design; Natural Elements; Biodegradable; Anti-Packaging; and, Sharing the Word.”
The following sustainably-produced pieces will be featured:
Naukabout brand introduction brochure
Evolution Markets sustainability report
LEROS Point to Point driving guide and informational brochure
Tags: design, news, sustainability
Posted in awards, branding, corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, environment, FSC, news, paper, PCW, sustainability
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 7, 2008
There’s an interesting interview with Cargill, Inc.’s CEO, Gregory Page, in this week’s Newsweek. We thought it timely to mention, as we are wrapping up a project with their Green Hercules Trading division.
You can read the article here.
Tags: news, sustainability
Posted in article, client news, CSR, environment, news, sustainability
Posted by Eryn Willard on June 11, 2008
Call us behind the times, but we recently discovered Patagonia’s Footprint Chronicles website. There, the apparel manufacturing company tells the story of specific products’ marks on the environment. The highly interactive site is not only well designed, but truly informative.
“We believe that to avoid complacency, we must constantly examine our internal processes to improve upon the positive and mitigate the negative,” said Casey Sheahan, president and CEO of Patagonia. “The Footprint Chronicles allows us to do this publicly — sort of learning out loud.”
Site users are also able to leave comments relating to each product detail. Pretty brave on Patagonia’s part!
Not every person or company can be perfect, but we can all implement strategies to reduce our impact. Could you do this in some way with your business?
Tags: branding, ideas, sustainability
Posted in corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, environment, manufacturing, marketing, outdoor, sustainability, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 30, 2007
The recent push from retailers for greener packaging has suppliers realizing a few additional benefits: smaller packaging reduces the amount of space and fuel needed for transporting the products, and reduces the amount of shelf space needed to display the products – thus getting more products on shelves at once.
Surprisingly, Wal-Mart is one of the retailers at the forefront of the packaging reduction movement. Perhaps, because its plan to reduce packaging by 5% in the next 6 years will save the company a projected $3.4 billion.
Solutions to greener packaging can include bio-based and recycled/recyclable content, to simple size reduction.
How can your company reduce the packaging on its products?
If you don’t manufacture products, how can you reduce the amount of resources you use to promote or sell your service?
Tags: branding, marketing, sustainability
Posted in corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, packaging, paper, sustainability
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 16, 2007
Using an ecological footprint calculator developed by TheGreenOffice.com, Strategic Sustainability Consulting assessed our office’s carbon footprint via employee surveys and an on-site visit.
We supplied information such as business miles traveled via air and car, electricity and gas usage, water and paper usage, among other bits of information about Studio 22′s work culture.
This report helps us realize what our footprint is, and how to go about offsetting it. If you’d like to explore a copy of our report, please email us!
Tags: news, sustainability
Posted in carbon offsetting, corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, strategic sustainability consulting, sustainability
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 9, 2007
Recent headlines have said:
“Gen Y Shoppers Drawn To Greener Marketers,”
“Retailers Push Packagers To Think ‘Green’,”
“Good workplaces bring about focused, energetic employees,”
and “Virgin Mobile to Green Up Product Packaging.”
So, the question is…how can your business cater to the growing demand for more sustainable products and services? A few ideas, just for starters:
FOR THOSE PRODUCING PRODUCTS
- Create smaller packaging using recycled (optimal) or renewable, and recyclable material.
- Audit your supply chain. (Did you know that 80% of Honda’s North American suppliers are green certified?)
- “Climate cool” your shipping. Check out the Climate Neutral Network for information.
FOR THOSE PROVIDING SERVICES
- Turn off your equipment when you leave the office each evening; and put it in a sleep or power-down mode when not in use for more than 10 minutes.
- Offset your carbon emissions for all business travel — whether road or air.
- Choose a green design firm (who will specify sustainable options for your promotional pieces) to help you market your services!
FOR BOTH
- Offer green benefits packages to employees.
- Allow time off for volunteer activities.
- Allow employees to telecommute 1 or more days per week.
Tags: ideas, sustainability
Posted in article, carbon offsetting, corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, packaging, paper, sustainability, tips
Posted by Eryn Willard on October 8, 2007
Evidence shows that social and environmental responsibility pays–in the form of improved employee loyalty, better brand recognition, stronger community relations, and fewer environmental problems. But in order to fully realize the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), people need to know about your commitment.
That is why we’ve launched a new division of Studio 22 — SustainabilityReports.com. The new site answers the questions that many executives and business owners have about CSR. Reporting on your practices will connect your organization with its stakeholders–investors, employees, the media, the community.
We’re scheduling kick-off meetings now for the months of October through December. Let us know how we can assist your company in creating a CSR program, or how we can help you communicate what you’re already doing!
Tags: design, news, sustainability
Posted in bottom line, corporate citizenship, CSR, eco-friendly, marketing, reporting, sustainability
