OUGD505: Ethics and sustainability in Graphic Design

Defining "ethics" - What does "ethics" mean?

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.

It's something that's constantly evolving due to the state of the planet or opinions and politics. Can have an impact on what people think of other people, races, genders, countries etc. Improve equality between genders, sexualities, religions and different cultures. It should help people and not be offensive. It's easy to offend people because of ignorances. Design should create social change for the better and influence people.

Write 3 principles of ethical practice that you would like to adopt in your practice:

Financial - "Creating financially viable work focuses on the design issues that affect the costs of distribution and production."
Beneficial to make it as cost effective as possible on a commercial scale. Sends a message of not being wasteful.

Social - "The overall question posed by this agenda is whether the finished design benefits society as a whole."
Spreading a positive message is important to influence other people as negativity festers negativity. A piece of Graphic Design should try spread a strong optimistic message.

Environmental - "Environmentally responsible design is about considering the natural resources depleted in the production process."
Being resourceful as possible, using the most eco friendly products and design methods to produce work to withdraw from damage to the environment.

Nancy Bernard (in Heller [Ed], 2003):
'...without claiming to change the world, we can raise the level of integrity in our piece of it - "think globally, act locally."
"In reality branding, our responsibility is to make the communication 200 percent real. [...] Make it honest. Make it relevant. Avoid hyperbole. Be respectful."

Steven Heller (2003):
"A designer must be professionally, culturally, and socially responsible for the impact his or her design has on the citizenry."

Katherine McCoy (in Heller [Ed]. 2003):
On current practice: "Remove our freedom of speech and graphic designers might never notice. We have trained a profession that feels political or social concerns are either extraneous to our work, or inappropriate."
"...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 to give them the tools to recognise when it is appropriate to act on them."

Organisations to take note:

Creative Concern, Manchester - born out of the belief that communications could change the world.

Footprint Workers Co-op - a print resource based at Cornerstone Resource Centre, sustainable approach to printing.

Cast Iron Design, Boulder, USA - Design for good not evil. We pair good design with positive impact by creating memorable brands, implementing environmentally responsible practises, and helping the design community do the same.

Re-Nourish - nonprofit organisation that provides online tools and advocates for awareness and action for sustainable systems thinking in the visual communication design community.