It's important to continuously improve how my business is run - both its footprint, how I work for my clients and ways to influence my industry.
Here I set out my objectives and targets for recording, monitoring and improving - to lessen impact.
I'm I have been really fortunate to experience the workings of an ethical business and I have tried to incorporate those learnings into my own. Materialise Interiors is proudly one of the 1,900 B Corps in the UK , 8,349 globally + 28 in Brighton.
The company has been B Corporation certified from April 2023 - progress will be published each April in the B Corp Impact Report.
As a B Corp in the interior design industry, Materialise Interiors is counted among businesses that are leading a global movement for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Read more on B Corp here
The company has a combined Carbon + Nature Impact Reduction Plan.
My first Impact Report, published Earth 22nd April 2024
All decisions made for this vegan business are through the lens of the voiceless: human and non - human animals, marine + land biodiversity, and future generations.
The objectives below are the main focus of the business's operation and its influence - its Footprint and Handprint.
Using One Planet Living framework
Halve emissions by 2030, achieve net zero before 2050 or sooner. Scopes: 1, 2 and 3 (SME Climate Hub target - under 500 employees)
Measurement of all negative impacts of business on people, planet, animals, supported by necessary study.
Awareness of all negative impacts (people, planet, animals), supported by necessary study.
Donations to charities, community interest companies & non-profits. 5% of company's gross sales (minimum) Volunteering: 40 hours/yr (minimum)
Ongoing: articles, interviews, panel discussions, mentoring, book for RIBA Publishing Sustainable Interior Design
Ongoing: British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) Sustainability Committee, Interior Design Declares Steering Group
Journey + plan - complete with milestones, focuses + goals
My purpose is to open the eyes of the interior design industry to the all the negative impacts it has on animals, people and planet - and to guide it to positive, fair, next generation, regenerative, circular positive alternatives.
My mission is to deliver beautiful, consciously created spaces and products - and to work with my industry to do the same.
My vision is to have the most positive impact on improving my industry - and to be in the right place needed to achieve that.
WINS
Book 'Sustainable Interior Design' for RIBA Publishing out May 24
Panel discussions: FutureBuild, Grand Designs, Decorex & VegFest (2),
Talks: Speak Up Woman, University of Bolton, Mydoma Studio, Thrive
Work with software provider Mydoma Studio to include CO2e values on products + finishes - WENT LIVE Dec 23 - nudging global users of the software to make more conscious specification choices
Website carbon reduced from 697.19kg CO2e/yr, to 84.61kg CO2e/yr) Mar 24
Brighton Energy Coop 'Solar Bond offer' (£300 July 23) For local community projects Cardinal Newman School, Shoreham Port 4 buildings + a warehouse at Newhaven Port
Ongoing: Ontrack and exceeded
New Charity project for DITCH THE LABEL Oct - Dec 23 + began work on for HARRIET'S OF HOVE Community Space Mar 24
Ongoing: Loans to women-owned businesses in Global South
Ongoing: Volunteering - running of Interior Design Declares . Responded to + guided members on responses to the government consultations: FR Consultation + Future Homes Standard
Ongoing: Volunteering - British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) Sustainability Committee + CPD assessment panel
CHALLENGES
How to measure this? Embed alongside carbon measuring
More work to do here on understanding impact and measuring
Not all elements used in projects have a CO2e value. Limited amount of suppliers providing carbon footprint calculations per item, per m2 etc. calculations for services are unknown. Action: ask Brighton Uni for help
How to calculate Reused items? See Carbon Values
Need software to monitor and calculate carbon footprints. Action: contacted Free Agent 7/12/22, 7/2/23.
Currently through BIID professional body provider and where it is invested is unknown. Action: asked BIID to investigate more responsible insurance - impacting all members June 23
Clients are not always engaged in reducing carbon footprint in their designs
Scope 3 - Part 3: Find more responsible providers for insurances, broadband and address anything else missed
Suggestions: Timer on heating, solar panels and insulation (Small 99 calculator + BHESCO energy survey)
Need more screening of suppliers. More carbon-valued products. More EPDs
More work is needed here - ways to engage project teams.
Ensuring impacts are managed on their behalf: products, services, waste. Ensuring no greenwashing. Create a Data & Privacy Policy. Improve feedback process.
MEASURING Fiscal year 23-24
OFFSETS: Renewable energy projects: 6 tonnes + 560 trees = 11 tonnes CO2e
SUB TOTAL 23-24: carbon emissions 11.13 tonnes CO2e (prevously 2.59 tonnes) INCREASE
TOTAL: Emissions less offsets = 0.13 tonnes CO2e (previously minus 6.41 tonnes)
In summary, Net Zero only achieved using offsets - and client projects aren't included.
NOTES:
Measuring tools used:
Commitments:
Starling Bank, previously The Co-operative Bank
I used Mindful Wealth for my switch. Use MotherTree measure your financial carbon impact.
Sussex B Corp, Clean Growth Platform, Circular Brighton and Hove
https://www.techtakeback.com/
FOOTPRINT Scope 3 - Clients' projects IN PROGRESS. This is the largest part of company's footprint and the hardest to influence and improve.
See CHALLENGES
Running totals shown, from 2005 to date:
Homeless and refugee charities, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA Business Friend), WaterAid, Marine Conservation Society, Kit Tarka Foundation, League Agains Cruel Sports, Friends Of The Earth, Surfers Against Sewage, Rowdy Girl Animal Sanctuary, The Green Centre, the RNLI. See list at foot of page.
Using the Lend With Care scheme, supporting green energy, community banking, women owned and food production small businesses
Ecosia - running total: 10,227 searches = approximately 204 trees
NEXT: Nature-based carbon avoidance (Gold Standard)
Verified carbon avoidance projects: (up to end 23) Solar PV electricity generation in Indonesia: 2 tonnes, Renewable Energy Power Project by DDWL, India: 4 tonnes,
To end 22: Wind Energy in Andhra Pradesh, India: 9.10 tonnes, Solar power generation in Tamil Nadu and Telangana, India: 7.20 tonnes, Preserving Amazonian rainforest in Brazil: 3.70 tonnes,
Cookstoves projects: 11 tonnes to date (22-23 = 5 tonnes | 22-23 = 4 tonnes | 21-22 = 2 tonnes) Gold Standard - Fairtrade Project: Improved cookstoves for women, India
23-24: trees and mangroves planted = 560 | 22-23: trees and mangroves planted = 515
NEXT: Wildflowers, wetlands and wildlife - habitat restoration (Ecologi + Soil Association)
Verified schemes used :
Amazon For Life: Restore, Reforest, Reconnect, Santa Cruz - Bolivia
*MANGROVE PLANTING protects coastlines and river banks, restoring biodiversity in ecosystems - and stores 5 to 10 times more carbon than land ecosystems. Total: 1,146
Non-verified planting (by me):
One oak planted at Broughton Hall - thanks to Jarvis Smith of My Green Pod!
Trees (5) planted at Spanglewood, Sussex - thanks to Emma Payne + Paul Spendley
£300 Brighton Enery Co-op
BE MY DEDICATED CHARITY: Two days (14 hours) a month are on offer to one charity. So if you are a charity in need of design help, please contact me.
Terms: Maximum of 6 days spread over 3 months per charity is offered as a donation from Materialise Interiors. Time is logged on a weekly timesheet and covers all input. Any additional help needed during that time is charged at the regular hourly rate.
To date: School Bus Project, Mile Oak School Science Bus project, Cycling UK, Changing Streams CIC, volunteering on the Professional Practice Commitee of professional body the British Institute of Interior Design , Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival
Support with me!
I feel strongly that our industry needs to open up, be more transparent and share knowledge. We are a highly poluting, resource using, carbon emitting industry. I am a Co-Founder and active Steering Group member of INTERIOR DESIGN DECLARES. Set up in March '21. Our initiative encourages change in our industry with the two main objectives being Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. Part of BUILT ENVIRONMENT DECLARES (previously known as Construction Declares).
Our aims: COLABORATE - INSPIRE - EDUCATE - CAMPAIGN
My company and eight others joined together to get the interior design's declaration set and publised. Read our pledges HERE
IN THE UK Fellow UK designers and suppliers of goods and services to the interior design industry, please join us at: www.interiordesigndeclares.co.uk
DECLARATIONS IN OTHER COUNTRIES We are also helping other countries to join our Declaration. To date we have been joined by Finland, who will hopefully be closely followed by Egypt, Australia and the United States.
If fellow designers would like to set up a Declaration for their country, please join us at: www.interiordesigndeclares.com
IDD ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE:
As well as collaborating with my industry through Interior Design Declares, I am involved with the professional body the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID).
We are slowly waking up to our responsibilities to people, planet and animals. We need to share knowledge and improve our learnings to carry out out work with a far lower impact.
The British Institute of Interior Design is a non-profit organisation is owned and governed by its members and maintains high standards for our profession, acknowledging and educating on our impacts and making it inclusive for those missing from the industry who should be enjoying this complex yet exciting career path.
Business Declares is a not-for-profit organisation formed by senior leaders with a range of experience from the SME, B Corp and FTSE100 sectors. We are official members of the UN Race to Zero team for COP26. We believe that business has a major part to play in tackling the climate, ecological and social emergency. Better Business Act signatory
Group of designers, design studios, agencies and institutions declare a climate and ecological emergency.
With 8 acts of emergency- read more HERE
My industry is not at all diverse and I support the initiatives that are in place to encourage BAME designers and suppliers. Through United In Design and the British Institute of Interior Design, I offer mentoring help to new designers and students.
If fellow designers would like my help in operating their business more responsibly - get in touch as I offer a peer to peer support services