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.

All decisions made for this vegan business are through the lens of the VOICELESS human + non - human animals

  • biodiversity (marine, freshwater + terrestrial) 
  • farmed + laboratory animals
  • future generations

 

The  objectives below are the main focus of the business's operation and its influence - its Footprint and Handprint.

Objective overview using One Planet Living mindmap

COMPANY OBJECTIVES: overview of all company activity  using One Planet Living principles

Action Plan: Carbon reduction + biodiversity net gain

ACTION PLAN: carbon reduction + biodiversity net gain

Plan set out until 2033 - updated with actions and progress

UN SDG 3
  1. Promote healthy interiors using healthy materials,
  2. Visual / acoustic / thermal comfort
  3. Use biophilic elements
  4. Use healthy design principles to support health
  5. Look after my health + that of those working with me
UN SDG 10
  1. Use certifications to ensure working conditions and pay of workers in supply chain, avoid child labour
  2. Living Wage Brighton
  3. Address inequity in the interior design industry
UN SDG 12
  1. Guide clients to responsible products and materials - high quality products with a long life 
  2. Pressurise supply chain to improve practices 
  3. Raise awareness within industry
UN SDS 13

Raise awarenees in the industry for its multiple impacts including climate change through Interior Design Declares + professional body BIID

UN SDG 14

Advocate for biodiversity - freshwater and marine within my work and my industry

  1. Be aware of whole lifecycle impact of specifications and designs
  2. Share learnings
UN SDG 15

Advocate for terrestrial biodiversity within my work and my industry

  1. Be aware of whole lifecycle impact of specifications and designs
  2. Share learnings

Purpose

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.

Vision

My vision is to have the most positive impact on improving my industry - and to be in the right place needed to achieve that.

Mission

My mission is to deliver beautiful, consciously created spaces and products - and to work with my industry to do the same.

B Corp certification

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 2,000+ 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.  Recertification happens every three years with an expectation for improvements each time.

The company has a combined Carbon + Nature Impact Reduction Plan.

  1. Ongoing: review of goal progress in line with company objectives
  2. Measuring date: Fiscal year end (end March)
  3. 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

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 out May 24

SHARING KNOWLEDGE

Panel discussions: Clerkenwell Design Week, New Designers, Decorex, Planned: Biophilic Design Conference, Sustainable Style

Podcasts: Business and Interiors, A Well Designed Business, Journal of Biophilic Design

Software development

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

Digital carbon

Website carbon reduced from 697.19kg CO2e/yr, to 84.61kg CO2e/yr)    Mar 24

Investment

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 

GIVING BACK - 5% donation commitment

Ongoing: Ontrack and exceeded

GIVING BACK - charity projects

New Charity project for DITCH THE LABEL Oct - Dec 23 + began work on for 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 . Responded to + guided members on responses to  the government consultations: FR Consultation + Future Homes Standard

GIVING BACK - volunteering

Ongoing: Volunteering - British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) Sustainability Committee + CPD assessment panel

CHALLENGES 

Biodiversity footprint

How to measure this? Embed alongside carbon measuring

Social impact

More work to do here on understanding impact and measuring

Client project carbon footprints

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 Carbon Values

Software support

Need software to monitor and calculate carbon footprints.  Action: contacted  Free Agent 7/12/22,  7/2/23.

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  June 23

Client engagement

Clients are not always engaged in reducing carbon footprint in their designs

Find less obvious carbon used by business

Scope 3 - Part 3: Find more responsible providers for insurances, broadband and address anything else missed

Home office limitations

Suggestions: Timer on heating, solar panels and insulation (Small 99 calculator + BHESCO energy survey)

Supply chain transparency

Need more screening of suppliers. More carbon-valued products. More EPDs. Difficulties sourcing cruelty free + vegan products without legal definitions + full of loopholes

Site waste

More work is needed here - ways to engage project teams.

Customer stewardship

Ensuring impacts are managed on their behalf:  products, services, waste. Ensuring no greenwashing. Create a Data & Privacy Policy. Improve feedback process.

1. FOOTPRINT business operation: carbon emission impact

Fiscal year 23-24  MEASURING  

  • Scope 1: 1.49 kg CO2e (previously 0 )   INCREASE
  • Scope 2: Heat, power and light - 0.2 tonnes CO2e (previously 1.3 tonnes).  REDUCTION. Website 0.71g CO2e  per view (previously 0.78g) REDUCTION
  • Scope 3   9,440 kg CO2e (previously 1,178.27kg)  INCREASE  

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:

  • Progress reported annually to the SME Climate Hub  - next reporting deadline: October 1, 2025
  • Baseline year 2019 not fully measured yet
  • Measuring impact of clients' projects??   Calculation not yet included.  Still work to do here, although progress with software and in discussions with University of Brighton on carbon value calculations. Materials bought for clients are Category 1 Scope 3, Purchased Goods & Services. If specified only they are “Advised Emissions” and  go into Use of Goods and Services, in Scope 3, but this is an evolving area of accounting.  See CHALLENGES
  • Pension was a personal pension previously, so not included in business expenditure - from 2023 it is a company pension, so is now included in the company's measuring and a reason for this year's increase in carbon value. However it is ethically invested and measures 23 tonnes rather than 64 tonnes with previous opaque pension.  Currently no way of differentiating this on Net Zero reporting - as the Greenhous Gas Protocol doesn't include pensions. FCA Sustainabfility labelling is coming. NB. other avoided impacts of chosen pension are animal agriculture/fur/leather, tobacco, gambling and weapons. Also investment in plant based meat alternatives 
  • This year's increase in carbon value also due to unusual amount of air travel this year - LA book promotion trip
  • Target previously referred in error was the SBT Net Zero 2030 target (500+ employee companies). Officially adjusted, however still aiming for this ambitious target of Net Zero 2030. 
  • Now have a Carbon + Nature Impact Reduction Plan 
  • Concern that treeplanting is not immediate offsetting - switch to mangrove planting and other fast carbon sequestering methods.
  • OFFSETTING: Next year look at Nature-based carbon avoidance (Gold Standard) + Wildflowers, wetlands and wildlife - habitat restoration  (Ecologi + Soil Association)
  1. Clean Growth UK scope measuring
  2. Website Carbon  
  3. MotherTree pension measuring

3. FOOTPRINT clients' projects: carbon emission impact

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 

4. HANDPRINT: Giving back

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.     

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, 

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 :   

*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 

 

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!

  1. Ask your election candidates to back the cross party Climate and Nature Bill 
  2. 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. 
  3. Earth Overshoot Day: talk about, promote and donate to 
  4. Share Action campaigning against the financing of fossil fuels

5. HANDPRINT: Influence my industry

SHARING KNOWLEDGE: 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 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: 

  • 3rd Birthday Social - gathered 60 signatories at The Building Centre, London for talks and networking, March 2024
  • Futurebuild stand and panel discussion, March 2024
  • Decorex panel series - 2023, and set for 2024 
  • Panel discussion participation for industry events (regular)
  • Sharing learning through our quarterly newsletter
  • Developed a SUPPLIER QUESTIONNAIRE for designers to use
  • Partnered the UK scientist fire retardant chemicals campaign and UK government FR chemical consultation
  • Partnership with Decorex to make the event more sustainably focused and run, along with a series of Decorex X IDD panel discussions

 

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).

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.

Registered Interior designer - full member since 2013.

  • Updates to the BIID Strategic Plan
  • Part of the Sustainability Committee to encourage Sustainability throughout the organisation and our members.
  • 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) Panel member
  • 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

SHARING KNOWLEDGE: General public

CONNECTING TO OTHER BUSINESSES

B Corp community

Networking with fellow B Corporations, sharing knowledge and advice. B Corp Festival 'Louder Than Words'.

SustainabiliTEA Bird and Blend - June 24
B Corp 'Louder Than Words' - September 24

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

Restore Nature Now march - June 2024
With Interior Design Declares steering group colleagues at the Business Declares picket for The Big One - Apr 23

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

CAMPAIGNS

Nature advocacy

Restore Nature Now march  June 2024

BUSINESS FOR NATURE signatory  July 2024

Joined ACAN's Ecology group  October 2024

 

CAMPAIGNING:

  • PESTICIDE USE BAN  Call for ban on pesticide use in urban areas (gardens, parks,  other urbans green spaces) - the poisionous 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/
Restore Nature Now march June 2024
BUSINESS FOR NATURE signatory July 2024
Restore Nature Now banner workshop - RSPB - June 2024
Sharing learnings - social media

Animal Welfare advocacy

More news on the collaboration with the Naturewatch Foundation

....coming soon....

Inequity in the Interior Design Industry

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.

Design For Diversity
United in design

GIVING BACK Charities + initiatives supported

MONTHLY SUPPORTER:

RNLI

YEARLY SUPPORTER:

Children On The Edge
Gower Bird Hospital
Isle if wight donkey sanctuary

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