Foreword
Leading an 80 year old organisation that has had such an important role in the UK’s design history is a responsibility.
We and our colleagues carry the torch for the Design Council as we face into the greatest challenges of our lifetimes.
Design had a role in getting us to this place, in which we take more from Earth than it has to give, yet design also has a critical and potentially transformative role to play in the creation of a positive, joy filled future.
Design for Planet Is not just our mission, it’s a call to action, a practice, a movement. A new definition of good design.
We are hopeful that together, as part of a global design community, we can truly drive the change we want to see in the world.
Minnie Moll Chief Executive
William Eccleshare Chair
The Design Council
Our history and role
03
Since 1944
Design Council was founded in 1944 to help Britain build back from the devastation of the war by helping accelerate a societal and economic transition through design ‘promoting by all practicable means the improvement of design in the products of British Industry’.
In 1976 the Design Council was incorporated as a registered charity by Royal Charter. Our fundamental purpose was and remains to make life better by Design and in pursuit of this purpose Design Council plays a clear role as the UK’s National Strategic Advisor on Design.
Since 2011
In 2011 Design Council merged with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), bringing together two world class centres of design excellence to speak with one voice and support the full spectrum of design including architecture, public space and place as key drivers of social and economic progress.
“Now more than ever we need design at the heart of social and economic renewal, and a strong message about design in all its forms” Lord Bichard. Design Council Chair (2011)
At this time, the Design Council’s charitable objects were updated to reflect the expanded role for our work. Whilst much has changed in the last 12 years, these objects remain relevant and continue to underpin our activities, outcomes and how we measure success.
Charitable Objects
The advancement of British Industry and public services by the improvement of design in their processes, products and services
The protection, enhancement, improvement and revitalisation of the natural and built environment (including architecture)
The advancement of the education of the public in such subjects and in subjects relating to sustainable development and sustainable living
To promote study and research into the value of design and to actively disseminate the results to the public at large
SKILLS + TOOLS
DEMONSTRATOR PROJECTS
CAPABILITY BUILDING
In 2024
TRUSTED
STRATEGIC PARTNER
KNOWLEDGE
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
STRATEGIC ADVICE
Today the Design Council exists, as we always have, to fulfil our organisational purpose ‘To make life better by design’. We believe our work is as important today as the day we were founded.
Design shapes the world, and when it is well understood and well utiltised it truly has the power to make life better - both societally and economically. Yet bad or poorly utilised design can and often does make life worse.
We deliver our role as the National Strategic Advisor on Design, supporting the UK in the good use of design in three ways:
Voice of Design: We advocate for the design sector and its societal value;
Knowledge: We create, synthesise and distribute design knowledge;
Trusted strategic partner: We advise on the good use of design and creation of the best conditions for good design.
We are proud to work in partnership with AHRC and UKRI alongside a wide array of public and private client partners to deliver our charitable objects through a range of activities.
We do it for four connected audiences
We champion and support the 1.97m people working in the design sector, giving them a voice, providing access to knowledge, helping them build skills and creating new markets for their work
*Those commissioning projects which would benefit from design and design thinking DESIGN SECTOR COMMISSIONERS*
We raise awareness and demonstrate the power of good design as well as supporting the development of design literacy within organisations. Helping commissioners to understand where good design can support their work and to commission it confidently
We build evidence and knowledge of the role, value and potential of good design as a contributor to a thriving society, economy and environment. Fostering the right investment and support for good design to maximise it’s potential
We increase the value of design helping all citizens benefit from and appreciate the role design plays in their lives and support every member of society to transition to a regenerative way of life
A new organisational mission for a new era of design
Our context has changed
WARTIME ECONOMY
We need to be here
SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY CONSUMER ECONOMY REGENERATIVE SOCIETY
Today’s economy is degenerative. It takes more energy and resources from the environment than can be produced in the same amount of time.
A sustainable society maintains life support systems, drawing only as much resource as the environment can produce in that time. Nothing more.
A regenerative society restores its life support systems – it helps to create more health, resilience and productivity than would have been created without it.
“We won’t win the battle against the climate crisis unless we design the solution”.
Rt Hon the
Lord Deben. Chair of the Climate Change Committee
A new responsibility for Design Council
A regenerative society requires us to redesign nearly every aspect of our lives. We need to redesign how we design. Not just through improvements in how we design but by designing and contributing to systems which serve to regenerate rather than extract from our home planet. And we need to ensure that design never makes things worse
37% 80% of cost effective climate change mitigation could come from nature based solutions¹ of the environmental impact of any new product is determined at design stage² 60%
of emission reductions needed by 2035 will require societal and behaviour changes³
A new responsibility for Design Council
To accelerate a new societal transition from consumer economy to a regenerative society.
A new Design Council Vision
A regenerative world for all
Our responsibility ‘to help accelerate the transition to a regenerative economy’ set the foundation for our new Design Council vision.
A regenerative world for all is a long-term ambition, years away and requiring much more than design to achieve it. But it is indisputable that it requires good design.
We must mobilise the design sector, commissioners, government and the public to understand and maximise the potential of design, and in doing so to accelerate our societal journey to a regenerative world for all. There is no time to waste.
Design Council Mission Design for Planet
Design for Planet is more than the mission that sets us on a pathway to delivering our vision – it is a clarion call to the design community.
Together we have huge power. Time and time again, design has changed the world for the better. Now it is time to unlock its potential as a transformative asset in our collective fight against our planetary crises.
This requires us to change. We must design differently, better and less. Reflect, reconsider, reuse and reinvent. Make our planet our partner in all we do, and in doing so be brave enough to challenge the very principles of modern society.
It is a mindset, a practice and a movement. A new way that must become the only way for our sector. If all of us Design for Planet we can redesign the future – it’s our role as the Design Council to facilitate the movement.
“If you’re not designing for planet, what planet are you on?”.
Kate Raworth, economist and author of Doughnut Economics
Our values underpin Our mission
Our values were updated in 2022 to support us in delivering our role as National Strategic Advisor on Design.
Each value is designed to support the development of a powerful culture internally, with our experts and within the wider design community.
Powerful Together
Boundless Curiosity
Inspire Possibility
We’re collaborative and inclusive. Seeking diversity of input, creating safe spaces for all and fostering teamship at all times
We’re inquisitive and expansive. With humility and openness we seek to learn from everyone, looking up and out and thinking big picture.
We’re hopeful and energising. Leading with optimism we bring positivity to every challenge, celebrating successes and inspiring action in others.
Design Council strategic architecture
PURPOSE
ROLE
VISION
How we will define success
Our impact goals are our Design for Planet KPIs
To champion and support the 1.97m people working in the design sector, giving them a voice, providing access to knowledge, helping them build skills and creating new markets for their work
To raise awareness of the power of good design, and to improve design literacy. To help commissioners understand where good design can support their work and to commission design confidently
To build evidence and knowledge of the role, value and potential of good design as a contributor to a thriving society, economy and environment. Fostering the right investment and to maximise design’s potential
To increase the value of design helping all citizens benefit from and appreciate the role design plays in their lives and support every member of society to transition to a regenerative way of life
The design sector knows how to Design for Planet and does this as part of its practice
Commissioners value design to help them to grow sustainably and as a result, they commission more design
Government sees design as critical to the green transition and supports it
The public benefit from Design for Planet and make increasingly sustainable choices
Green skills and innovation as a golden thread
Design has potential to be a transformative asset for the UK, but we’re facing a skills gap. Our role must be to prepare the 1.97m people of the design sector to play their part in our transition to a regenerative society for all. of designers feel proficient or expert in DfP skills
66% 71% of designers have designed for environmental impact in the last 12 months of designers believe demand for this kind of design will grow in the next 3 years 46% 20
What it requires it all starts with skills
Designers’ skills
All designers know how to design for planet and do so as part of their core practice
Commissioner
literacy
Commissioners across all areas of design understand its role in the transition and commission it
Government support
Government understands the value of all types of design for planet in our societal transition and supports its use
Public value
The public values design for planet, sees its impact on their lives and make regenerative choices
Design for Planet outcome goals
By delivering Design for Planet across all of our audiences, the design sector can act on its power. It has the potential to support measurable reductions in GHG emissions, accelerate a mass movement towards circularity and to help in the urgent revival of our biodiversity.
Not only this, we can do it with approaches that are equitable, fair and just, not only regenerating our world but improving the lives of many as we go.
Over the next year, we will identify how we can set targets for and measure the impacts we have as an influencing organisation.
NET ZERO:
Design is driving zero emissions through equitable behaviour change and technology
CIRCULARITY:
Design is reimagining materials and re-using waste through a fair, circular economy
BIODIVERSITY:
Design is reviving biodiversity and the skills of people to care for our environment and each other.
Our theory of change
Our theory of change clarifies how our work will enable us to deliver our impact goals through our role as National Strategic Advisor on Design. In doing so, we believe design has the potential to deliver measurable reductions in GHG emissions, to support our movement towards a circular economy and to help revive our planet’s biodiversity. The design sector can be a transformative asset capable of accelerating the UK’s transition to a regenerative society for all.
All our work should advance our strategy within the structure of our theory of change
Onwards
We believe that the Design Council, our Trustees, our partners AHRC and UKRI, our Design Council Experts and Ambassadors, our valued network, and the 1.97m strong design sector have great power.
We can and must fight these crises together, in the UK and as a global design community. We can create meaningful and measurable change. There is no time to waste.
The Design Council is incredibly proud to be committing our organisation to taking its role in tackling the most critical challenge of our times.
Over the next year, we will set targets and define measurement criteria for our work and will report our progress.
The 2024 Design Council Expert Network
Endnotes
• Pg 5 https://www.theicod.org/resources/news-archive/cabe-and-the-design-council-to-merge
• Pg 11
1 Griscom & Ellis, Natural Climate Solutions 2017, Design Museum,
2 European Commission (2012),
3 Committee for Climate Change.
Thank you.
