August 11, 2024

4 mins read

Our approach to social impact

A woman in a yellow sari smiles, holding a woven tray with nuts. A person sits in the background against a pastel-colored wall. "Fair Climate Fund" is printed on the image. Designed by Circular Design, a not-for-profit web design agency.

Introduction

Discover the actions we take to build better websites for a better world.

It may not be obvious why a web design agency would want to have a social impact. Indeed, there are many design agencies out there that produce stunning websites that donโ€™t have a social impact. But at Circular Design, we want everything we do to have a positive impact on the world around us. That means going above and beyond โ€˜net zeroโ€™ or the โ€˜do no harmโ€™ principle and instead striving to be as generous as possible to the planet and people on it. 

Our Social Impact Statement

Our social impact mission is baked into the core of Circular Design. Weโ€™re a registered nonprofit which means there are no shareholders โ€“ and any profit we make is governed by whatโ€™s called an โ€˜asset lockโ€™. This means that throughout the lifespan of our organisation โ€“ including the moment when we might wind-up our operations โ€“ all profits must be spent according to our stated objectives. Hereโ€™s what they lookย like:

โ€œTo identify, develop and deliver innovative solutions to fundraising; raising awareness of the UN SDGs to businesses, charities, other bodies and the general public; providing financial and non-financial support to charities, nonprofits and social enterprises that support people, animals or the planet; to foster networking and cooperation with actors working for similar goals and purposes.โ€

Our Web Design Services

As a nonprofit web design agency, weโ€™re also doing a lot more to further our social impact. To support charities and nonprofits to build great websites and have the best digital presence possible, we offer discounts of up to 40% on web design services. This comes on top of our already incredibly reasonable prices. We believe that every nonprofit deserves a website that will help supercharge its missions. Thatโ€™s why we specialise in designing affordable and sustainable websites forย nonprofits.ย 

Our Website Hosting

Weโ€™re also extremely conscious of the impacts the digital sector has on the planet and we want to be leading part of a positive, green transition where the internet and digital services can be a force for good. Thatโ€™s why all the websites we host are powered by renewable energy, made possible by our hosting provider Prostack. Prostack is a climate-positive UK-based company that uses green energy and runs highly efficient data centres to minimise the impact on the environment. 

Our Carbon Offsetting

But we donโ€™t stop there. Websites still generate carbon emissions every time someone visits one. To combat this, in addition to our sustainable website hosting, we work with the highest-standard FairTrade and certified carbon offsetting projects to make sure our websites are carbon positive. When you visit a site by Circular Design, you can be sure that this website is helping to reduce, not squander, carbon emissions. To do this, we donate to our partner, the FairClimateFund, who work with community projects around the world that sequester carbon. From biogas cooking equipment in India to landscape regeneration projects in Burkina Faso, these projects are giving communities a helping hand when it comes to stewarding the local and global ecosystem.

Our Team

Another key part of our work is about employability. As we grow as an agency, weโ€™re committed to creating job opportunities for people on the move, such as refugees and asylum-seekers. Thanks to our flexible model of work which can happen from anywhere on the planet, weโ€™re building a team of expert web developers who can be a part of our mission. Weโ€™re already a team from over 7 countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Afghanistan, Syria, Switzerland, Finland, and Ukraine. By working with Circular Design, youโ€™re also helping support brilliant developers rebuilding their lives in new countries. 

Our Future

And weโ€™re not stopping there! Over the coming years, we have big plans! From awarding grants to grassroots charities to expanding into support for wider digital communications, we are just bursting with ideas to help nonprofits and businesses go to the next level. 

So, if you want to be part of our network, get in touch and letโ€™s discuss how we can work together to build better websites and a better planet.

Join Our Quarterly Bulletin

Be the first to hear about purpose-driven web design tips, special offers, and how we reinvest 100% of profits into grassroots causes. Sent just four times a year โ€“ short, impactful, and worth your time.

You have Successfully Subscribed!