Swinburne University, Victoria, has become the first educational institution in the world and the first organisation in Australia to adopt an international Designers Accord, aiming to set a new standard for sustainability in design and innovation.

Signing the accord commits organisations and individuals to adopting ten guidelines that focus on creating a positive environmental and social impact.

The Designers Accord began more than a year ago when US product designer Valerie Casey wrote a ‘Kyoto Treaty of design’ as a call to arms for designers to engage in the environmental movement.

Since then, it has gathered more than 3,500 signees, including several multinationals, major designers and leading consultancies such as IDEO, SmartDesign and Continuum.

“The signing of the Designers Accord is an opportunity for Swinburne to lead the way nationally,” said Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Design Professor Lyndon Anderson.

For more information about the Designers Accord

http://www.designersaccord.org/