AIGA is pleased to announce a partnership with the GDC in developing the Living Principles for Design website as a global, trans-disciplinary source of best practices in socially responsible design, considering environmental, economic, social and cultural implications. This open site, which aims to evolve with the participation of concerned designers and environmentalists globally, resulted from early conversations with GDC, recognized by AIGA as a leader in defining the dimensions of responsible design; other partners will be invited to join from among the international design community, although GDC will always be among the most influential of partners as a result of their longtime commitment and pioneering work.
- Ric Grefé

A Year of Sustainability
The GDC adopted Sustainable Values and Principles in April 2009. Since launching the first known sustainable graphic and communication design definition, we’ve been networking with other like-minded organizations. National Sustainability Committee (NSC) chair, Valerie Elliott traveled to New York to discuss partnering with AIGA in the sustainability cause. This lead to the GDC being represented at the table while building the AIGA’s Living Principles. Our partnership continues.

Meetings were also held at TypoBerlin (photo above) where the NSC Chair met with Robert Glogowski from the The Coalition of German Graphic Designers (Bund Deutscher Graphikdesigner) and various members from The Alliance of German Designers (Allianz Deutscher Designer). These opportunities allow us to widen our networks and share information, moving our mandate ahead more effectively.

During Vancouver’s Design Week our partner SGDQ (Société des designers graphiques du Québec) and others from the NSC met with Icograda, to brainstorm on a self-assessing LEED-like process. We are also working hand-in-hand with Re-Nourish on a Sustainable Design Auditing Project (SDAP) that is a multi-stakeholder project to develop open-source metrics for the industry.

Our goal this 2010/11 work year is to post a number of GDC member case studies so members can aim high and continue building resources for sustainable practices. We also welcome representatives from each chapter stepping forward to distribute information from the NSC to their chapters. More coming soon as the NSC committee works to make sustainability easier for you and your design practice.

— Valerie Elliott, CGD, CERT PR, National Sustainability Committee Chair

What colour is carbon neutral?
Read more about how Canadian designers are applying sustainability principles to their business practices here.