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Get stuck in: Driving sustainability through design

pret_a_manger_logo_logotypePret A Manger’s Paula Chin has, over the last 10 years, worked on both sides of the fence in agencies and for businesses such as P&G, Sainsbury’s and M&S.

 

Pret A Manger, where Paula has worked for the last two years, has an established in-house team of designers and other experts whose collective knowledge is not just brought to bear on their own products, services and environments, but increasingly in high-level conversations that influence policy around the circular economy.

 

Here Paula shares her five tops tips for agencies and in-house teams to drive sustainability through design: 

1. Sustainability isn’t a separate consideration, it needs to be embedded into every design as one of the key criteria, even if your client isn’t asking for it.

2. Understand what ‘sustainable’ design really means within the context of the total supply chain infrastructure, factoring in end-of-life.

3. Design is at the start of the process but get close to the end of the chain as early on as possible i.e. engage with the packaging manufacturer/converter.

4. Get your hands dirty! Visit a manufacturer or a materials recycling facility to understand what really goes on.

5. Utilise the expertise already out there; get close to industry organisations who are influencing policy on sustainability issues.

 

Says Paula, “Design is an incredibly important part of the overall supply chain; currently all players in that chain work too discretely, but now’s the time to collaborate to deliver the bigger sustainability picture.”

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Pret A Manger are committed to finding new ways to reduce their environmental impact. Read about Pret’s initiatives and their approach to being a sustainable business here. 

 

Image credit: Pret A Manger

Image credit: Photo by Kyle Ellefson on Unsplash

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