Q&A with Stephen Ledwidge – Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies Certificate Graduate

Sustainability in Design: A Conversation with Stephen Ledwidge, Founder of Chart and Graduate of Design Skillnet’s Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies (DfSCE) Programme.

Wondering if the Programme is for you? Interested in Sustainability and Circular Design? In this Q&A, Stephen Ledwidge, brand strategist and founder of Chart, a design studio specialising in brand identity and strategy design, shares his journey into sustainability. 

Stephen delves into how the belief that designers have the responsibility to create design solutions that has a positive impact on people and planet has led him to his leadership role at Design Declares Ireland, setting up Chart as a studio driving changes and how Design Skillnet’s Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies (DfSCE) has influenced his work, helped him back up his knowledge, shift the dial with his clients and systematically and practically bringing a sustainability mindset into projects.

Read on to learn how you can support your own sustainable design practice.

• Could you introduce yourself and describe the work you do as a brand designer and design strategist?

I’ve been working in brand identity and strategy for over 20 years, having started with a degree in Visual Communication at NCAD. After some time in various London’s design and advertising studios, I returned to Dublin to work with a number of leading agencies like Zero-G for eleven years, where I really cut my teeth before moving up to Design Director, RichardsDee and as a freelancer with RedDog. Throughout these director roles, I was fortunate to work across large scale multinationals, national cultural brands, right the way to smaller startups, giving me a wide and varied range of experience in brand building. In 2023, I founded my own studio, Chart, where I now work with clients across diverse sectors including charity, architecture, engineering and energy infrastructure.

• What motivated you to found Chart and how is sustainability a core pillar of your business?

Chart’s focus has always been to work with clients aiming for innovation to move into new directions—whether startups carving out new paths, new businesses exploring fresh ways of working or building new products or services, or large and established businesses seeking transformative change. My approach combines brand identity design, brand communications and brand strategy, with sustainability at its core.

From the outset, I aimed to ensure that sustainability wasn’t just a consideration but integral to every project—guided by the idea, ‘looks good, does good.’ This principle not only drives us  and challenges us to not only create visually appealing, interesting and innovative designs but also ensures that they have a meaningful, positive impact on both people and the planet.

When founding Chart, I set out to embed sustainable thinking into the DNA of the business, with a commitment to crafting design that challenges norms, while remaining both impactful and innovative.

For me, ‘Good’ design goes beyond aesthetics—it’s about the seamless integration of form and function, where how something looks is as important as the positive impact it generates. By rooting our work in strategy, we delve deeply into our clients’ needs from the very start, getting under the skin of and uncovering the core challenges and unique qualities they wish to communicate. This process enables us to amplify those distinct characteristics, resulting in work that is both distinctive and meaningful.

• How did your passion for sustainability and circular design begin?

Working in an industry that produces both physical and digital products and in direct contact with clients, coupled with the growing public awareness of the climate crisis, the impact of our actions on the world became impossible to ignore. Designers are constantly being pitched as ‘problem solvers’—there are few bigger ‘problems’ than the climate crisis. So, I coupled my personal long-standing interest in sustainability with exploring how I could play a critical role in addressing these challenges through my work.

• You’re a graduate of our Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies Certificate (DfSCE). What does it mean for you and your business to have a qualification in sustainability?

For me, the course was all about bringing sustainability into design practice and means and methods of achieving that. Taking the course allowed me to bring elements that I had been interested in outside of design and to find ways to use it and align my personal interest with what I do every day. Having the qualification itself also felt like it gave me more confidence – in that I knew the information I had learned was recognised and backed by TUS and not just an assortment of things I had gleaned or learned organically from books and articles online. Having this backing added credibility and weight to the course.

• What other reasons did you have for wanting to certify in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies?

Before starting the course, I hoped to connect with peers in the industry interested in similar approaches. The course was invaluable for meeting designers from diverse communications design and related design fields—interior, fashion, digital and industrial design. Conversations with a wide range of design practitioners enriched the experience and gave me access to a wider spectrum of perspectives beyond my own field of design. I am also delighted to say, I still continue to collaborate with peers I met through the course through Design Declares and other initiatives.

• What were the key takeaways from the course?

My key takeaway was about seeing the bigger picture and connecting dots. Heading into the course I was definitely struggling to see how I could possibly make and impact within my area of design. Brand and identity design tends not to have a huge amount of physical outputs – so my focus was on smaller, more tangible things outside of design. Following on from the course I feel I was able to see things from a wider perspective and see how things like influencing sustainability and circular thinking within strategy can help to shift the dial and bringing a sustainability mindset into projects allows me to look for opportunities to start conversations around sustainability with clients. It gave me the confidence that I understood sustainable practices and methods that had the backing of the insights and approaches from the course.

• How did the course change your approach to design / day-to-day practice? In particular, what have you changed in your design practice to align your branding with sustainability?

Since taking the course I’ve felt a responsibility to apply what I’ve learned. It’s easier to be able to plead that you didn’t know any better when you’re self-learning or when you’re only starting out. Following the course and equipped with the knowledge, I’ve felt that I needed to put it into practice. The course opened my awareness not only of the issues but also of the potential solutions and I feel a need and responsibility to apply this.

• How do you pitch sustainability to clients (to take them on the journey)? Any challenges? 

I’ve been very lucky in that my clients have generally been very receptive to the idea when it’s pitched to them. Many of my clients work in areas related to sustainability or with an interest in being more sustainable themselves – so it has never been a particular issue. One area though that there had been challenges is in maintaining and following through on the intention. Lots of the more sustainable options – from sourcing suppliers or sustainable digital hosting etc., tend not to be the easier options to find. It can be very easy with budget and time pressures in projects to default to the ‘easy option’ which often isn’t the more sustainable option. So I think for designers there is a challenge now in making sure that any sustainable or curricular ideas that are brought into a project are followed all the way through.

• After graduating, you went on to become part of the Steering Group of Design Declares Ireland. How did it all come about? And what’s next for Design Declares Ireland?

I had been aware of Urge Collective and Design Declares UK since they were founded. I discovered them both while watching talks from the Design for Planet festival that the Design Council in the UK hosted as part of COP 26. Following the DfSCE course I was looking for ways to start a similar group or collection of designers concerned with Sustainability in Design in Ireland. At the time I was also a member of the steering group at 100 Archive where we had been having conversation about how to bring more awareness of sustainable design practices into the articles on the 100 Archive site. 

When Charlotte Barker at the IDI mentioned on an instagram post that she had been chatting with Design Declares UK about the possibility of starting an Irish version – I jumped on it straight away. I messaged Charlotte to say I was interested in helping get it off the ground. We had a chat and pulled together a group of designers – some connections like Brian Byrne and Fiona O’Reilly who had taken the DfSCE course with me, and Lara Hanlon who was a member of the 100 Archive steering group with me – and so it was born.

We had a fantastic first year – securing funding through Creative Ireland, hosting events and talks and getting the site live and building the community of designers. We’re working on a number of upcoming events and talks and continue to work with a range of studios, design departments and colleges to build awareness and share the tools in the Design Declares toolkit.

• What are the first steps designers can take to start to help the design industry become more sustainable and contribute to a more circular economy?

Conversations and learning. As we say in the Design Declares toolkit – step one is to ‘Start the journey’. And that’s what it really it’s for everyone – no matter what stage you are in your design career or what business you are in – the first step is about committing to making a start. That might be to talk to others that you work with – and they don’t have to be designers – copywriters, strategists, project managers – whoever you work with or know has an interest. Get a conversation going and start to see where you can learn more.

• Can you share a sustainability project you’re particularly proud of?

I have an upcoming project that I’m looking forward to sharing which was created for an architect client of mine. We worked together to help define the design principles of their practice — all of which are built around sustainability and bringing sustainable practices into their work. We created some beautiful illustrations to bring them to life. There’s still a small bit of work left before we can share the project publicly. So, I’m looking forward to being able to share that project.

• Would you recommend the course and why? 

Absolutely. I’d recommend the course for all the reasons covered here — From the opportunity to meet and collaborate with multidisciplinary design peers, the guest lecturers’ excellence and wealth of inputs and experience to the deep dives into sustainable practices to get an in-depth understanding of the wide range of topics and methods, the course offers unparalleled insights for anyone looking to integrate sustainability into their design work. It’s a must for any designer interested in sustainability and making a positive impact.

Don’t be a stranger. Pick Stephen’s brain and get in touch with Stephen via Linkedin and Instagram or visit Chart‘s website for any questions.

Find out more about the Certificate in Design for Sustainability and Circular Economies

Registrations of interest are now open for 2025.