TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE WAY OF LIFE
Design Advantage are very passionate about our impact on the environment and the ethical treatment of other people.Here are some of the business oriented issues we have already considered:
For customers requiring printed work, we offer paper made from post consumer waste and/or paper sourced from sustainably managed forests (FSC certified). We can source commercial printing with vegetable based inks if required.
We can offer a range of eco promotional gifts and environmentally friendly exhibition stands.
We try to keep business communication and documents in electronic format, to
cut down on paper use (eg: your brief and bill would be via email where possible).
Due to cheques being phased out in the near future, we pay and receive money via online banking.
We buy our 100% renewable electricity from Good Energy.
We use BT Internet (BT signed the worlds biggest renewable energy deal).
We would not do business with a company we know to be ethically irresponsible
(eg: those that exploit humans or animals, or those involved in arms trading, the oil industry, etc).
Design Advantage use MacBook Pro computers, low energy light bulbs and recycled paper toilet rolls. We drink fair trade coffee and eat fair trade bananas to keep us going. Sue is a vegetarian. Leon is a lapsed vegetarian, but only eats line caught fish and organic 'happy' meat wherever possible. Our water is heated by our solar panel much of the year.
When we need to drive to meetings and attend business events we use a Toyota Prius.
We are strong believers in existing and emerging communications technology, and the assistance it provides for everyday contact. If you have a Skype account, we are quite happy to video-talk or instant message you as an alternative to email and telephone calls.
In addition to our environmentally conscious practices we also try to look after our suppliers, we pay them on time and support them, when requested, with testimonials and sometimes with advice.
Outside of the business we run a website called Green Information.co.uk which offers information towards a sustainable way of life.
Sue is also the Chair of the Canterbury Partnership Environment Group working on the enviornmental strategy for the Canterbury District for the next 20 years. She is also a Funding Buddy helping community groups access funding for environmental projects.
We have joined 10:10 and are corporate members of the Kent Wildlife Trust.
