In summary, Net Zero 20% decrease target not on track
Year's operations are Carbon Neutral only through offsetting
Ethics statement
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.
Nature (biodiversity: marine, freshwater + terrestrial)
Farmed + laboratory animals
Future generations
COMPANY OBJECTIVES: overview of all company activity using One Planet Living principles
ACTION PLAN: Carbon + nature impact reduction plan
Plan set out until 2033 - updated with actions and progress
- Promote healthy interiors using healthy materials,
- Visual / acoustic / thermal comfort
- Use biophilic elements
- Use healthy design principles to support health
- Look after my health + that of those working with me
- Use certifications to ensure working conditions and pay of workers in supply chain, avoid child labour
- Living Wage Brighton
- Address inequity in the interior design industry
- Guide clients to responsible products and materials - high quality products with a long life
- Pressurise supply chain to improve practices
- Raise awareness within industry
Raise awarenees in the industry for its multiple impacts including climate change through Interior Design Declares + professional body BIID
Advocate for biodiversity - freshwater and marine within my work and my industry
- Be aware of whole lifecycle impact of specifications and designs
- Share learnings
Advocate for terrestrial biodiversity within my work and my industry
- Be aware of whole lifecycle impact of specifications and designs
- Share learnings
Purpose
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.
Vision
To have the most positive impact on improving my industry - and to be in the right place needed to achieve that.
Mission
To deliver beautiful, consciously created spaces and products - and to work with my industry to do the same.
1.
B Corp certification
I've been really fortunate to experience the workings of an ethical business and I have tried to incorporate those learnings from The Body Shop International HQ into my own business. Materialise Interiors is proudly one of the 2,500+ B Corps in the UK , 8,400 globally + 28 in Brighton.
Materialise Interiors 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. Recertification happens every three years with an expectation for improvements each time.
The company has a combined Carbon + Nature Impact Reduction Plan.
Ongoing: review of goal progress in line with company objectives
Measuring date: Fiscal year end (end March)
Reporting dates: Impact Report published on Earth Day 22nd April. Giving Back mid year progress reporting part on the company's birthday (18th November)
B Corp Impact Report
My first Impact Report, published Earth Day 22nd April 2024
2.
Net Zero: 50% reduction CO2 emissions by 2030
SME Climate Hub / UN Race To Zero
SME Climate Hub is a non-profit global initiative that empowers small to medium sized companies to take climate action and build resilient businesses
Progress, 24-25:
WINS
SHARING KNOWLEDGE
Book 'Sustainable Interior Design' for RIBA Publishing launched May 24
SHARING KNOWLEDGE
Panel discussions: Clerkenwell Design Week, New Designers, Decorex, Sustainable Style, FutureBuild
Podcasts: Business + Interiors, A Well Designed Business, Journal of Biophilic Design
GIVING BACK - volunteering
Ongoing: Volunteering - British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) CPD assessment panel, Sustainability Committee: full 5 year term completed Dec 24
Digital carbon
Website carbon reduced from 0.71g (Mar 24) to 0.42g (Mar 25)
GIVING BACK - 5% donation commitment
Ongoing: Ontrack and exceeded
GIVING BACK - charity projects
New Charity project for THE OLD MARKET Mar 25 + HARRIET'S OF HOVE Community Space Mar 24
GIVING BACK - microfinance loans
Ongoing: Loans to women-owned businesses in Global South - new loans to be solar loans or biodiversity related
GIVING BACK - volunteering
Ongoing: Volunteering - running of Interior Design Declares . Responses to the government consultations: FR Consultation + Future Homes Standard. Supported campaigns: Paint With Kindness, not Cruelty / Naturewatch Foundation, Climate & Nature Bill
CHALLENGES
Client engagement
Clients are not always engaged in reducing carbon footprint in their designs
Biodiversity footprint
How to measure this? Embed alongside carbon measuring
Social impact
More work to do here on understanding and measuring of human impact throughout a lifecycle of product or project
Supply chain transparency
Need more screening of suppliers. More carbon-valued products. More EPDs. Difficulties sourcing cruelty free + vegan products without legal definitions + loopholes in law (paint)
Client projects
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
Circular economy suppliers
How to calculate Reused items? See Client project
carbon footprints
Business operations
- software support
Need software to monitor and calculate operational carbon footprints. Action: contacted Free Agent 7/12/22, 7/2/23, 29/3/25
Business insurances
Currently through BIID professional body provider and where it is invested is unknown. Action: asked BIID to investigate more responsible insurance - impacting all members 6/23, asked existing insurer where they invest 2/25
Hidden impacts
Find less obvious negatively impacting products and services (carbon + nature) used by business. Find more responsible providers for insurances, broadband and address anything else missed
Home office limitations
Suggestions: Solar panels and insulation (advised in BHESCO energy survey). Challenging in a leasehold property
Site waste
More work is needed here - ways to engage project teams in reuse and measuring and reduction of site waste
Customer stewardship
Ensuring impacts are managed on their behalf: products, services, waste. Ensuring no greenwashing. Create a Data & Privacy Policy. Improve feedback process.
1.business operation: carbon emission impact
MEASURING fiscal year 24-25
Scope 1: 1.16 kg CO2e (previously 1.58 kg ) DECREASE
Scope 2: Heat, power and light - 0 tonnes CO2e (previously 0 tonnes). EQUAL. Website 0.32g CO2e per view (previously 0.71g) DECREASE
Scope 3 8,387 kg CO2e (previously 3,476 kg) INCREASE
SUB TOTAL 24-25: carbon emissions 10.44 tonnes CO2e (previously 5.054 tonnes) INCREASE
OFFSETS: = 11.067 tonnes CO2e
Nature-based carbon avoidance: 2 tonnes, Cookstoves: 5 tonnes, Wind energy: 2 tonnes, Renewable energy 2 tonnes + 10 sq. m of wildflowers, wetlands and wildlife + 1 tree
TOTAL:
Emissions less offsets = minus 0.627 tonnes CO2e (previously minus 17.99 tonnes)
NOTES:
Progress reported annually to the SME Climate Hub - next reporting deadline: October 1, 2025
This year's increase in carbon value also due to unusual amount of air travel this year - LA book promotion trip
University of Brighton on carbon value calculations support, Clarity over inclusion of measuring impact of clients' projects - not in scope of design service business model.
Now have a Carbon + Nature Impact Reduction Plan
OFFSETTING: Continue with Nature-based carbon avoidance (Gold Standard) + Wildflowers, wetlands and wildlife - habitat restoration (Ecologi + Soil Association)
- Clean Growth UK scope measuring
- Website Carbon
- MotherTree pension measuring
2. business operation: other impacts
Actions:
Only vegan food catering >NEW 24-25<
Naturewatch Foundation filming, book launch, B Corp Month event
Living Wage commitment: >NEW 24-25< Brighton & Hove Living Wage Campaign
www.livingwagebrighton.co.uk
Support nature-related positive action - campaigns, petitions, lobbying
Support with me!
Ask your election candidates to back the cross party Climate and Nature Bill
Support Earth Day 22nd April - join the campaign for free, send a donation to keep the campaign going and the research happening, or sign up to a Great Global Clean Up near you @earthdaynetwork.
Earth Overshoot Day: talk about, promote and donate to
Share Action campaigning against the financing of fossil fuels
Voluntarily compliance disclosures: Carbon: SME Climate Hub.
Nature: **in progress** exploring TNFD and ESRS 3 & ESRS 4, ISSB's S1 / S2
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Involved in local sustainability and Circular Economy groups >NEW 24-25: part of new B Local group<
B Local Brighton, Clean Growth Platform, Circular Brighton and Hove
Ethical banking since day one
Starling Bank, previously The Co-operative Bank
Ethical pension - switch from opaque to ethical pension now means a reduction from 64 tonnes to 23 tonnes CO2e a year and avoids investments in fossil fuels, weapons and animal agriculture.
I used Mindful Wealth for my switch. Use MotherTree measure your financial carbon impact.
Ethical purchasing: always FSC / PEFC certified paper products, buy goods and services from small businesses, women owned, local
B Corp definition of LOCAL: usually within 50 miles. Does not include a local branch of a company headquartered elsewhere.
Electrical waste - computers, old phones, cables and small electricals donated to TechTakeback
https://www.techtakeback.com/
1. Influence my industry
INTERIOR DESIGN DECLARES, co-founder
I feel strongly that our industry needs to open up, be more transparent and share knowledge. We are a highly polluting, resource using, carbon emitting industry.
I am a co-founder and active Steering Group member of INTERIOR DESIGN DECLARES. Set up in March 2021, our initiative encourages change in our industry with the two main objectives being Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss. We are part of BUILT ENVIRONMENT DECLARES (previously known as Construction Declares).
Our pledges here.
Collaborate - Inspire - Educate - Campaign
My company and eight others joined together to get the interior design's declaration set and published.
IDD ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE:
Panel discussion participation for industry events (regular)
4th birthday Social - gathered 45 signatories at Ahrend, London for talks and networking, March 2025
3rd birthday Social - gathered 60 signatories at The Building Centre, London for talks and networking, March 2024
2th birthday Social - gathered 14 signatories at The Edge, London for a round table discussion, March 2023
Futurebuild 2025: panel discussion. 2024: stand and panel discussion
Partnership with Decorex to make the event more sustainably focused and run, along with a series of Decorex X IDD panel discussions. Decorex panel series - 2024, 2023
Sharing learning through our quarterly newsletter
Developed a SUPPLIER QUESTIONNAIRE for designers to use
Partnered the the Naturewatch Foundation for their 'Paint With Kindness, Not Cruelty' campaign - to close the loop hole on animal testing of paint ingredients
Partnered the UK scientist fire retardant chemicals campaign and UK government FR chemical consultation
Campaigns supported to date: 'Paint With Kindness, Not Cruelty' campaign, Climate and Nature Bill, Flame retardant chemicals, Future Homes
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 the United States.
If fellow designers would like to set up a Declaration for their country, please email us at: [email protected]
BRITISH INSTITUTE OF INTERIOR DESIGN,
Registered Interior Designer
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).
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.
Registered Interior designer - since 2013. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬!
BIID ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE:
Updates to the BIID Strategic Plan
Part of the inaugural BIID Sustainability Committee to encourage Sustainability throughout the organisation and our members. One five year term completed.
Co-writer of the Sustainable Specification Guide, launched September 2021, being updated 2024
Devising the Sustainability Strategy for the overarching Strategic Plan for the organisation
Judge for BIID Student Challenge 2021
Mentoring
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) assessment panel member - ongoing
Sustainability Showcase 2022 - delivered talk on Next Generation Materials with Masters student mentee Sadie Millermaggs
Talking part in panel discussions, writing articles on behalf of the BIID - ongoing
INTERNATIONAL VEGAN INTERIOR DESIGN ASSOCIATION,
co-founder + founder member
The International Vegan Interior Design Association (IVIDA) was formed following a series of events which started with Vegan Interior Design Week launched by Australian-German interior designer Aline Dürr, with a follow up week of Vegan Interior Design Sessions co-ordinated with support from Vegan Business Tribe.
Aline and I both felt a community was needed next to assist designers on their journey.
Set up in 2024, IVIDA is the first global initiative dedicated to uniting interior designers, suppliers, and businesses committed to ethical, sustainable and health-supporting design practices.
Our group offers free membership, ensuring accessibility for vegan designers worldwide. We host regular virtual meetings and collaborate through a private Facebook group. 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐮𝐬!
Most recent
2. SHARING KNOWLEDGE: General public
3. CONNECTING TO OTHER BUSINESSES
B Corp community
Networking with fellow B Corporations, sharing knowledge and advice.
BUSINESS DECLARES member
I'ma member of 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
DESIGN DECLARES member
Group of designers, design studios, agencies and institutions declare a climate and ecological emergency.
With 8 acts of emergency: read more HERE
4. CAMPAIGNS
Nature advocacy
Restore Nature Now march June 2024
BUSINESS FOR NATURE signatory July 2024
Organisation supporter of Climate & Nature January 2025
CAMPAIGNING:
PESTICIDE USE BAN Call for ban on pesticide use in urban areas (gardens, parks, other urbans green spaces) - the poisonous pesticide chemicals are used currently are harmful to biodiversity (including bees, butterflies, wildflowers) + humans. We can manage without them (banned by France in 2018, also Denmark + Luxembourg). Sign here: www.pesticidecollaboration.org/go-pesticide-free/
END THE BADGER CULL Call for ending the Badger Cull. Call for an immediate end to all badger culls operated by the UK government in England. Sign here: www.badgertrust.org.uk/end-the-cull/end-the-cull-petition
NATURE RESTORATION Weald to Waves Garden + Greenspaces project. Establishing a 100 mile nature recovery corridor across Sussex. Connecting this fragmented landscape will boost biodiversity, capture carbon, enhance food production and enrich the rural economy. Pledge here: www.wealdtowaves.co.uk/
Animal Welfare advocacy
CAMPAIGNING:
'PAINT WITH KINDNESS, NOT CRUELTY' Naturewatch Foundation campaign collaboration:
The charity Naturewatch Foundation campaign - for current household product animal testing ‘ban’ to be revisited. Loopholes currently exist in the UK ‘ban’ on animal testing of household products which was introduced in November 2015. Sign here: www.action.naturewatch.org/
Campaign is backed by Interior Design Declares and the International Vegan Interior Design Association (IVIDA)
I'm collaborating with the Naturewatch Foundation charity, supporting their 'Paint With Kindness, Not Cruelty' campaign - highlighting loopholes in the ban which has existed in UK law since 2015.
While all finished product paint in the UK is no longer tested on animals in accordance with the ban, there is little clarity over the ingredient testing status. This means while paints are marketed as 'vegan' or 'cruelty free', the paint could be made up from a composition of animal tested ingredients.
Myself and Natalie Harney - Naturewatch Foundation's Animal Experiments Campaign Manager were invited to a meeting with the British Coatings Federation head office to meet their CEO, Sustainability Manager and Regulatory Affairs Manager.
The BCF's members are 95% of the British paint market. We discussed this supply chain opacity issue and how we can begin to work together to improve transparency in the industry. It was an open and positive meeting + I really look forward to sharing our progress.
Inequity in the Interior Design Industry
My industry is not at all diverse and I support the initiatives that are in place to encourage equity and designers from all backgrounds. Through United In Design and the British Institute of Interior Design, I offer mentoring help to new designers and students.
GIVING BACK
Running totals shown, from 2005 to date:
DONATIONS
5% of my company's gross sales are donated to charities, community interest companies & non-profits - this includes offsetting and microfinance lending in developing countries (treeplanting, wind, solar, rainforest preservation, Lend With Care microfinance loans to likeminded fellow small businesses and Gold Standard projects) as follows....
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.
MICROFINANCE LENDING running total: 69 loans. Using the Lend With Care scheme, supporting green energy, community banking, women owned and food production small businesses. New loans to be solar loans where available
Using the Lend With Care scheme, supporting green energy, community banking, women owned and food production small businesses
CARBON AVOIDANCE verified carbon avoidance projects (wind, solar, rainforest preservation): running total: 32 tonnes
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 running total: 16 tonnes CO2, through providing locally-produced cookstoves which are more efficient and safer too use - and decrease the use of wood by around 70%. This reduces carbon emissions by around 2 tonnes per family per year and also leads to reduced smoke & an improved living environment. Consequently, forest areas are protected and women spend less time & energy collecting wood.
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
NATURE RESTORATION & REFORESTATION
*NEW*: WILDFLOWERS, WETLANDS + WILDLIFE RESTORATION, running total: 10 sq m | TREE & MANGROVE PLANTING running total: 3,743 planted | total is part of the Million Tree Pledge www.milliontreepledge.org
25 are planted for each new full project + 25 more upon completion | 25 are planted for every successful client referral | 10 are planted each consultation
23-24: trees and mangroves planted = 560 | 22-23: trees and mangroves planted = 515
NEW: Wildflowers, wetlands and wildlife - habitat restoration (Ecologi + Soil Association) https://ecologi.com/projects/wildflowers-wetlands-and-wildlife
Verified schemes used :
-
Amazon For Life: Restore, Reforest, Reconnect, Santa Cruz - Bolivia
- OneTree Planted (now mangroves planting * and previously trees) ,
- Ecologi - part of Million Tree Pledge,
- previously trees were donated through the Green Earth Appeal
*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
Investment in innovative, ethical businesses. Currently Biohm, Avallen and Brighton Energy Cooperative.
£300 Brighton Enery Co-op
Sharing knowledge: Mentoring: support for designers who are new to the industry with an interest in sustainability
Two currently - student and graduate
1,312 hours donated, running total: pro bono work for charities, community, volunteering, charity + fundraising projects, running of Interior Design Declares, mentoring + volunteering for the British Institute of Interior Design
BE MY DEDICATED CHARITY:
One day (7 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 3 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. 4 dedicated charities per year maximum,
To date: School Bus Project, Mile Oak School Science Bus project, Cycling UK, Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, Ditch The Label, Harriet's of Hove, Old Market Theatre.
MONTHLY SUPPORTER:
YEARLY SUPPORTER:
Peer to peer support
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