OUGD505 - Product, Range & Distribution - Ethics & Sustainability in Graphic Design

Defining Ethics 

1. 'Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.'

2. 'The branch of knowledge that deals with moral principles.'

Do you think ethics are important in Graphic Design and Why? What must be considered?

• Yes, especially in practices such as advertising, marketing and promotion design.
• Cannot supply subliminal messages.
• Can't fuel consumerism.
• Can't target vulnerable audiences, old or young.
• Can't promote unethical products. e.g. cigarettes.
• Must be socially responsible.
• Must consider who you work for - not large companies with poor ethics.
• Perhaps partake in charity work. 

What defines 'good' in Graphic Design?

• Consideration of equality and diversity.
• Sustainable production (materials, method etc.)
• Copyrighting - crediting others efforts and contributions.
• Purpose driven work - work done for charities and good causes.
• Design that contributes to social progression.

What does ethical practice entail in Graphic Design? What principles?

• Honesty.
• Transparency.
• Charitable practices. 
• Taking social responsibility. 
• Sustainability. 

3 principles of ethical practice I would like to adopt:

'...what I have in mind is nurturing a crop of active-citizens - informed, concerned participants in society who happen to be graphic designers. [...] we must help them to clarify their personal values and give them the tools to recognise when it is appropriate to act on them.'

Katherine McCoy (in Heller [Ed]. 2003)

'...to device an ethical code for designers, one would do better to say: here are examples of what a responsible and well-intentioned designer might be like; go and do likewise.'

Anthony Grayling (in Roberts, 2003)

'Make it Honest. Make it relevant. Avoid hyperbole. Be respectful.'

Nancy Bernard (in Heller [Ed], 2003)

Defining Sustainability 

1. The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.

2. Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.

Sustainability is:

• Social sustainability (people and societies)
• Economic sustainability (capital and growth)
• Environmental sustainability (the planet)

How does sustainability relate to ethics?

Sustainability may form a part of ethical practice because to consider affects on the environment in  design is a moral principle.

Eric Benson (in Sherin, 2008) - Best practices to design sustainably (considerations):

• Is this the best method to communicate the message?
• What is the impact of making this piece?
• How can we lessen the impact if we print the piece?
• Respect and care for the community.
• Improve the quality of life.
• Conserve earth’s vitality and diversity.
• Minimise the depletion of nonrenewable resources.
• Change personal attitudes and practices to keep with the planet’s carrying capacity.
• Design for re-use/longevity.
• Design cyclically, not linearly.
• Choose recycled/nontoxic materials.
• Minimise waste.
• Minimise ink coverage.
• Choose vendors that use renewable energy and employ socially equitable and environmentally friendly business practices.
• Educate consumers about the lifecycle issues through messaging/marketing.
• Encourage others to design sustainably.

How practical and achievable do you think this is?

In the current climate of print, this is much more achievable. Print, these days, is most typically used in bespoke projects from which the content/product would want to be kept and not thrown away. 

Notable Organisations

• Footprint, Leeds.
• Creative Concern, Manchester.
• Cast Iron Design, Boulder (USA)
• Re-nourish.

Sustainability Issue Mapping (in Roberts, 2003)

Rupert Bassett and Lynne Elvins developed an approach to sustainable practice planning, this being 'Sustainability issue mapping, in which a diagonal cross axis is used to represent 4 tenets of sustainability:

• Financial: 'Creating financially viable work focuses on the design issues that affect the costs of distribution and production. [...] But, if designers focus too much on cost cutting or profit making, the danger is that the results will be uninspiring and bland.'
• Social: 'The overall question posed by this agenda is whether the finished design benefits society as a whole.'
• Environmental: 'Environmentally responsible design is about considering the natural resources depleted in the production process.'
• Personal: 'Creating personally desirable design work is about fulfilling the dreams and desires of the individual consumer.'

This approach recognises that each project will posses different needs and potentials in sustainability, with items closer to the centre most important and recognising items can relate to more than one area of sustainability.