Expectations for suistainability actions are growing in the business environment. The challenge is how to effectively attune to and communicate suistainability messages. Sustainability is a cross-cutting theme in Päijät-Häme´s strategy for smart specialization. Design Foundation Finland has started to pilot a sustainability map design service for companies.
DESIGN FOUNDATION FINLAND: SUPPORTING AND IMPROVING DESIGN DEVELOPMENT IN FINLAND
Increasing the competitiveness of Finnish companies through design, the Foundation´s mission is to promote the use of design in Finnish companies and help them understand the potential of design in their business.
Design Foundation collaborates with universities, designers and businesses throughout Finland, facilitating mutually beneficial relationships between all parties. As a non-profit organization, the service is available to all companies cost-effectively. The Foundation´s headquarters are Lahti, Finland.
PILOTING A DESIGN MAP SERVICE FOR MAKRON
Makron is a local company in Lahti, Finland whose core business is providing engineering, intelligent industrial automation solutions and production expertise as a single partner. The company is a contract manufacturer for industrial companies whose factories are based in Finland and Estonia. Last fall, the company worked together with Design Foundation to pilot their design map that has now been published.
The Project involved a few company interviews and coordination of sustainability actions the company already engages in. Once we had gathered all the information, we started the visual design process where the aim was to summarize all the visual and written information onto one poster. Design Foundation Finland has its own guidelines for all design projects that are easy to follow. Next spring, We will launch sustainability symbol tools and instructions for companies to use for free. The idea is to facilitate companies journey into a more sustainable future.
Holistic sustainability is not just steps for greener environment. It includes also actions from social and societal perspective. Value based sustainability map is good tool for inner and public communication towards a more resbonsible business world.
TOOLS OF DESIGN CAN BE USED TO SOLVE ANY CHALLENGE IN BUSINESS
The Foundation implements design pilot projects bringing together students and companies. The projects are guided and coordinated by the Foundation and often give students their first opportunity to become experts in a real business project. Projects improve employability of design students and give companies a low-threshold opportunity to try out a design service. Cooperation benefits all parties.
Read more about
Makron
Design Foundation Finland
Regional council of Päijät-Häme