Better World Via Innovative Design

The Challenge for designers is surely how to build systems and processes so as to meet sustainable standards. Srini Srinivasan, Chairman and CEO of Lumium Design, said the ways to attain sustainability is to manage the supply chain process and recycling and waste reduction. He was speaking at the third edition of the Future of Design conference and award program organised by BW Businessworld on the 10th of April.

Srinivasan is also the president of the World Design Organisation (WDO), which is “a global community that promotes the spirit of collaboration in order to advance and facilitate innovative designs and solutions that has the power to contribute in creating a better world”. He shared insights about the World Design Organisation and its sustainability objectives, and how important it is for us to take steps in order to conserve the environment. 

Srinivasan mentioned how the community of WDO is a network from different sectors and fields, it comprises academia, promotional institutions as well as public and private sectors from across 40 countries across the world. From 2017 the World Design Organisation shifted their focus from consumer-driven product-oriented design to a collaborative creative solution driven focus, thus underlining the importance of preserving the  world for future generations through the lens of design. 

The idea of sustainability is becoming more and more important with every passing day to preserve the resources of our planet, and therefore companies and designers should know that they have to design products as well as services in a sustainable manner. According to a report by the United Nations, the percentage of consumption of non-sustainable products are increasing every year by almost 58 per cent, and if we want to live in a better world, we have to start working towards it right now.

As per experts, some of the ways to attain sustainability is to manage the supply chain process and recycling and waste reduction. This can be achieved by finding and using locally available raw material and also by minimising the production of waste. Eg: the detergent companies in the USA have come up with a washing come bathing soap thus reducing the chemicals being produced in these products. Many companies are eliminating the thin plastic around the cardboard for environmental conservation. Hence, many organisations across the world are already thinking in terms of sustainability, we just need to appreciate the steps that are already being taken and try to incorporate more organisations to work with the same objective. Arguably, however, everyone working in the design space should keep in mind the objective of sustainability and the need to use creative and innovative solutions.

Srinivasan also spoke about the Paris agreement and how many countries have already taken steps to manage their carbon emissions and hence, the investment and the consumer community both are taking necessary steps to keep in check the environmental conservation; it is also predicted that in the years to come this might also become a factor in the stock prices of companies. He informed about the circular economy and how it affects the entire chain of design, from selecting the materials of design to production and the sales and marketing. “Circular economy is becoming an important factor.”