Carbon Reduction Statement

Big Motive’s Commitment to Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Practices

At Big Motive, we strive to create a meaningful, sustainable impact, ensuring our work enhances lives and nurtures our planet. Recognising our role in fostering a sustainable future, we are committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and actively reducing our environmental footprint through practical, impactful strategies.

Our Sustainability Approach

To align with PPN 06/21 requirements, Big Motive, a small design agency operating within a serviced office environment, commits to minimising environmental impact through responsible practices and enhanced sustainability standards. We use the three scopes model to categorise our emissions, primarily focusing on reducing Scope 3 emissions as a service-oriented business. Additionally, we aim to keep Scope 2 emissions low and ensure Scope 1 emissions remain at zero.

In 2024, we identified the need to leverage digital tools and standardise frameworks to make carbon data accessible and actionable. After assessing potential partners, we selected Carbonfit, a Belfast-based carbon accounting consultancy, to support our efforts. They are now conducting our 2024 assessment, tracking our carbon emissions, and helping us update our carbon reduction strategy, set to launch at the start of 2025. Carbonfit’s expertise in streamlined carbon reporting strengthens our path to NetZero.

Key Environmental Initiatives

Energy Use and Commuting
Big Motive operates with a hybrid model, prioritising work-from-home complemented by office space at Urban HQ in Belfast City Centre. Urban HQ, a 100% renewable-energy-powered co-working space, aligns with our commitment to sustainable energy use. Its central location near public transit and facilities like bicycle racks supports low-emission commuting. The Urban HQ office also offers enhanced energy efficiency compared to our previous workspace in the 1860s Flatiron building, reducing our energy footprint further.

Environmental Awareness
We host quarterly strategy sessions for all employees, and in 2024, our Q3 all-hands meeting centred on social and ecological sustainability. This session featured a specialist lecture covering Climate Change, Carbon Emissions, the Three Scopes, and Planetary Boundaries, fostering an understanding of our environmental impact and encouraging team members to take individual actions toward our sustainability goals. We also held an interactive workshop envisioning practical steps toward sustainability, including events, product ideas, and client partnerships to guide our sustainability strategy for 2025.

Sustainable Delivery and Minimal Supply Chain
Our approach minimises supply chain impact by optimising digital tools, software, and server use. As part of our 2024 assessment with Carbonfit, we are evaluating emissions reports from key providers like Adobe, Miro, and Figma to ensure efficiency and explore carbon-neutral alternatives. This aligns with sustainable procurement best practices, selecting suppliers with robust environmental policies.

We’ve also begun phasing out project archives older than six years to reduce unnecessary data retention. Streamlining our digital storage cuts energy use and boosts operational efficiency, supporting our sustainability objectives and improving digital management practices.

Emission Reduction and Offset Commitment

Business travel remains our largest source of Scope 3 emissions. Whenever possible, we prioritise public or rail transportation over air travel and are exploring offset programmes for essential flights. To reduce travel further, we work closely with clients to enable remote collaboration via digital tools like Miro, for which we provide complimentary training. This approach not only supports sustainability but also enhances productivity and client engagement.

Design Declares
Design Declares emerged from the urgency of the climate emergency, particularly after the UK Government’s 2019 Climate Emergency declaration. This initiative encourages designers across various fields to address climate and ecological challenges actively. It offers a framework with toolkits and guidance to help designers understand and minimise their environmental impact. As an early signatory, Big Motive is proud to expand Design Declares into Northern Ireland, providing the design community with accessible sustainability resources.

Looking Forward

We partner with suppliers who uphold environmental standards, ensuring our supply chain aligns with our sustainability goals. By monitoring and reporting our practices, we are building an environmentally responsible culture that benefits our industry and community. Transparency is central to our mission, and we commit to sharing annual progress toward carbon neutrality, holding ourselves accountable each step of the way. At Big Motive, sustainability is integral to every project and decision, fostering a brighter future for people and the planet.

Read our 2023/2024 Carbon Reduction Plan below.

2023/2024 Carbon Reduction Plan

Our carbon reduction plan emphasises three key areas: business travel, procurement and supply chain, and office operations.

• Business Travel:
  We aim to reduce Scope 3 emissions from business travel by prioritising public and rail transportation. For essential air travel, we are exploring offset programmes to mitigate its impact. We also enhance remote collaboration by providing clients and our team with training in Miro, enabling efficient online workshops and reducing travel needs.

• Procurement and Supply Chain:
  We carefully select suppliers who share our sustainability values. This includes sourcing materials and services from eco-conscious vendors and those demonstrating transparency in emissions reporting. Prioritising local suppliers minimises transportation emissions while partnering with renewable energy users helps reduce Scope 2 emissions. We are implementing sustainability criteria for our supplier assessments to guide our decision-making.

Office Operations:
We liaise with our serviced office management to understand and enhance energy efficiency practices. Advocating for renewable energy suppliers and energy-efficient lighting, we conduct regular audits to monitor usage and identify areas for improvement. By fostering a sustainable culture within our team, we promote behaviours that support our carbon reduction goals, including waste reduction and recycling. Continuous evaluation of these practices will enable us to maintain and enhance our sustainability efforts progressively.