Leap: We Declare a Climate Emergency

Here at Leap, we formally recognise the urgent threat faced by humanity and officially declare a Climate Emergency and Ecological Breakdown. We urge you to do the same.

What Does It Mean To Declare A Climate Emergency?

 

Leap was founded with the defining principle of producing profitable design in a sustainable manner, to inspire and create lasting change. As such, we’ve always worked with the planet in mind as part of our triple bottom line approach and have always been a carbon neutral or net-positive business*. But doing that quietly isn’t enough any more; we need to showcase what’s achievable as a business to inspire other SMEs, share our knowledge and lead by example.

Declaring a Climate Emergency and acknowledging its economical impacts commits us to developing a ‘Climate Emergency Plan’, publishing a board resolution and annually reporting on the plan’s progress. The plan’s action points must be in line with what is needed to reach net zero timescale between 2025-2050 and keeps us within the critical 1.5 degrees global mean temperature increase. Because we are already working at net zero, we will be sharing best practices with others to help them achieve the same.

 

What is Business Declares?

 

Business Declares is a network of businesses that have declared a climate emergency and are committed to telling the truth about and acting upon the environmental crisis. They are businesses run and staffed by people who are determined to act in their working lives as well as their personal lives, and use their businesses for better.

Our senior eco-designer Nathan proposed creating a logo and resource pack for businesses wishing to pin their green heart to their sleeve, and was given the time and support to pursue that project and create a logo icon and website. It’s now been downloaded over 200 times.  Shortly, this website will divide into a separate business declaration site, and the original resource site.

 

Why Declare Now?

 

It might seem surprising that, having created the resources to allow others to declare a climate emergency, Leap has not itself declared until now. The reason for this, plain and simple, is that rather than rush in we have focused our time and energies on creating those resources and working with larger organisations such as our friends at B-Corp UK to spread the Business Declares message to as many businesses as possible so that they understand why and how. By working with them, we can have far more influence and impact than by making a declaration on our own. We are already operating within the targets set and fulfilling all of the suggested action points as part of our day to day operations, and have been for a long time, so it has been a case of “when” not “if” and using our time and energies to maximum effect, for the good of our planet.

 

Business and Design Can Create Change For The Better

 

Individual actions are essential if humanity is to minimise the risk posed by climate change, but most individuals spend a significant amount of time at work. That work, in the form of businesses and organisations, can also be used as a force for positive change. As designers, we strongly believe that considered design can have a hugely positive impact upon humanity’s fight to save itself, from itself. Almost everything that we come into contact with is designed, and with a tiny shift to include consideration of the planet and its people as well as profit, these items and services could put their weight, often imperceptibly, behind the effort to act upon the global emergency.

The scientific consensus is clear. We have run out of time and must act now, together. We urge you to join us in declaring a climate emergency and ecological breakdown, reduce your impact on the planet, and use your business to help stem and turn the tide.

 

How a Business Can Declare a Climate Emergency

 

 

*Since our founding in 2004 Leap has minimised its carbon footprint to (currently) between 7-10 tons per year (the same as the average individual) and then offset the remainder through CarbonZero accreditation.  
Photo of Earth from space by NASA/Apollo 17 crew; taken by either Harrison Schmitt or Ron Evans