Design Declares
Design Declares is a UK Community Interest Company that mobilizes designers, studios, and freelancers to declare a climate emergency, providing a co-created Toolkit, 52 Climate Action Cards, and chapter-led events across four countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Design Declares does
Design Declares is a UK-registered Community Interest Company (CIC) founded in 2022 that operates as a volunteer-powered climate declaration movement for the design industry. It serves design studios, agencies, in-house design teams, freelance designers, and design students primarily in the UK with growing international chapters in Ireland, Australia, and Brazil. Its core framework, the 8 Acts of Emergency, requires signatories to commit to actions including sounding the alarm, measuring impact, redesigning for justice, and amplifying systemic change.
The organization's product portfolio centers on a co-created Notion-based Toolkit of climate-positive design methods, supplemented by 52 physical Climate Action Cards (launched September 2025 in partnership with the Design Council and sponsored by GF Smith, retailed through Morrama), a Brevo-powered newsletter, and a program of discipline-specific events and workshops. The website is delivered via low-carbon, serverless web architecture using Cabin Analytics for privacy-first tracking. Discipline-specific extensions include the Service Designers for the Planet (SD4P) Collective, co-developed with Imperial College Business Design Studio.
Design Declares operates a non-commercial model: declaration is free, and revenue derives from small fixed-tier donations (£10/£20/£50 via WISE), card sales, and CIC-eligible grants accessed after September 2023 CIC certification. Distribution is community-led via self-serve web declaration, social channels (Instagram, a 1,000+ member LinkedIn group), and a chapter network across four countries.
Design Declares firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Design Declares
- Legal name
- Design Declares CIC
- Website
- https://designdeclares.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Design Declares is a UK Community Interest Company that mobilizes designers, studios, and freelancers to declare a climate emergency, providing a co-created Toolkit, 52 Climate Action Cards, and chapter-led events across four countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Design Declares industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainable Design Community & Climate Action Resources
- akta.pro primary industry
- Climate Target-Setting, Transition Planning & Performance Management Platforms (EUABAEAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards) (EUABAEAJ)
Keywords
Where Design Declares is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Design Declares business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations: Design Declares accepts donations through their website at £10, £20, and £50 levels via WISE payment platform. As a CIC, the organization relies on community support to continue operations.
- Membership/Signatory Declaration: Design Declares is a CIC that relies on volunteer time and community support. The organization states 'each team member behind the D! scenes is working voluntarily.' Becoming a CIC opened the organization to grants and funding opportunities.
- Climate Action Cards Sales: The 52 Climate Action Cards are sold through Morrama at an undisclosed price point. Developed in partnership with the Design Council and sponsored by GF Smith.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | £10 Donation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | £20 Donation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | £50 Donation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Design Declares product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Design Declares is a volunteer-powered Community Interest Company (CIC) that mobilizes the design industry to address the climate and ecological emergency. UK companies with at least one full-time designer, UK-registered freelance designers, and global supporters can formally declare a climate emergency by pledging to follow the 8 Acts of Emergency framework. Members gain access to a community-co-created Notion-based Toolkit, physical Climate Action Cards, discipline-specific events and webinars, and a global chapter network spanning the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Brazil.
Product overview
Design Declares is a community interest organization that offers a portfolio of climate action resources for designers. The core offerings include the Climate Action Cards (a 52-card physical product for weekly climate action guidance) and the Design Declares Toolkit (a Notion-based collaborative resource site). These are complemented by a newsletter and events program. All offerings align to the organization's 8 Acts of Emergency framework.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Climate Action Cards A set of 52 physical cards providing climate-positive actions for designers, with one action per week. Each card is aligned to Design Declares' 8 Acts of Emergency and the Design Council's Skills for Planet Blueprint. Sold through Morrama.
- Design Declares Toolkit A live, evolving Notion-based resource site co-created with the community, filled with resources and methods to help designers integrate climate-positive practices. Available to all signatories and accessible to newsletter subscribers.
Quantifiable outcome
- 71% of designers have worked on projects designing for environmental impact, yet only 43% feel equipped to do so - the skills gap Design Declares addresses
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Design Declares
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Design Declares technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability2 records
Feature4 records
Design Declares partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- GF SmithminorGF Smith sponsored the Climate Action Cards project. The cards were printed on Colorplan paper, which is the signature paper in GF Smith's collection.
- Design CouncilcoreDesign Council is the UK's national champion of design and an independent charity. Design Declares partnered with the Design Council to co-create the Climate Action Cards, which are aligned to the Design Council's Skills for Planet Blueprint that outlines 18 skills in 6 key areas for the green transition. The Design Council also hosted Skills Hive sessions at World Design Congress 2025 using the Climate Action Cards.
- Ashley HouseminorAshley House printed the Climate Action Cards using sustainable processes, solely powered by renewable sources with a zero landfill policy.
- 1% for the PlanetminorDesign Declares is registered as a CIC recipient on 1% for the Planet, a global network asking businesses to commit to donating 1% of annual sales to planet-focused organizations.
- ustwominorustwo hosted the 'The real cost of cheap' event at their Shoreditch offices in March 2026, providing venue and support for the Design Declares digital sustainability event.
- Imperial College Business Design StudiocoreImperial College Business Design Studio supported the SD4P Collective's first in-person session in March 2025, hosting the event at their facilities and providing refreshments in crockery to minimize waste.
- Sustainable VenturesminorSustainable Ventures, a climate startup hub in County Hall Southbank, hosted Design Declares' 'Designing Tomorrow' event in November 2024, providing venue and aligning with the organization's sustainability mission.
- MorramaminorMorrama sells the Design Declares Climate Action Cards through their online store as the official retail partner for the physical card product.
- Eco Friendly Web AllianceminorDesign Declares Australia is collaborating with the Eco Friendly Web Alliance in the UK to reduce the environmental impact of their webinar video content, exploring weight reduction techniques and potential offsetting strategies.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Design Declares competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- D&AD: Global organization representing design and advertising with awards, education, and industry programs including sustainability and justice-focused initiatives. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the creative industry with overlapping climate discourse influence.
- Design Council: UK's national champion for design, an independent charity that Design Declares partners with on the Climate Action Cards and Skills for Planet Blueprint. A broader incumbent in the design ecosystem with the resources to expand sustainability programs that compete with or complement D!'s niche.
- AIGA: US professional association for design, representing designers across disciplines and operating climate-focused programs and resources. Comparable as an established design industry body with similar sustainability advocacy role on a larger geography.
Direct peers
- Ad Net Zero: Industry-wide initiative to decarbonize advertising production through shared measurement tools, training, and binding commitments. Comparable as a sector-specific climate framework with member pledges that seeks to standardize practice.
- Architects Declare: UK-based declaration movement where architects and architecture firms pledged to address the climate and biodiversity emergency. It is the founding template for the industry-specific 'Declares' model that Design Declares adapts for the design industry.
- Creatives for Climate: Global community of creative professionals taking climate action through their work, providing education, resources, peer support, and industry programming. Directly comparable community-led, creative-sector climate mobilization.
- Purpose Disruptors: Community-driven movement of advertising professionals working to drive climate action across the advertising industry, founded on industry pledges and educational resources — a structurally analogous industry mobilization to Design Declares.
- The Chancery Lane: Climate-positive legal industry movement providing climate-aligned contract clauses and toolkits for lawyers. Demonstrates the same industry-wide declaration/standard-setting playbook applied to legal services, conceptually parallel to Design Declares.
Others
- 1% for the Planet: Global network enabling businesses to donate 1% of annual sales to environmental organizations; Design Declares is a registered CIC recipient. Comparable as an enabling sustainability funding network and adjacent ecosystem participant.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Design Declares social profiles
Digital presenceDesign Declares compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Design Declares financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Design Declares leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Design Declares funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Design Declares M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Design Declares
What does Design Declares do?
Design Declares is a volunteer-powered Community Interest Company (CIC) that mobilizes the design industry to address the climate and ecological emergency. UK companies with at least one full-time designer, UK-registered freelance designers, and global supporters can formally declare a climate emergency by pledging to follow the 8 Acts of Emergency framework. Members gain access to a community-co-created Notion-based Toolkit, physical Climate Action Cards, discipline-specific events and webinars, and a global chapter network spanning the UK, Ireland, Australia, and Brazil.
Is Design Declares a public or private company?
Design Declares is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Design Declares founded?
Design Declares was founded in 2022. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Design Declares based?
Design Declares is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Design Declares make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership/Signatory Declaration and climate Action Cards Sales.
Who are Design Declares's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are D&AD, Design Council and AIGA. Direct peers are Ad Net Zero, Architects Declare, Creatives for Climate, Purpose Disruptors and The Chancery Lane. 1% for the Planet is listed as an others.
Does Design Declares have an API?
No public API is recorded for Design Declares.
What industry is Design Declares in?
Design Declares's product category is Sustainable Design Community & Climate Action Resources. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUABAEAF, Climate Target-Setting, Transition Planning & Performance Management Platforms, with a secondary code of EUABAEAJ, Benchmarking, Ratings & Stakeholder Reporting Portals (Scorecards, Dashboards).