In the heart of Sweden’s bustling capital stands the Riksdag, a neoclassical edifice steeped in history. For decades, it has been the epicentre of impassioned debates and legislative transformations. Yet, almost hidden below its imposing façade, a petite figure with a cardboard sign emerged every Friday for five years, commanding attention not through grandeur but through unwavering conviction.
In August 2018, fifteen-year-old Greta Thunberg embarked on a solitary protest outside the Riksdag, armed with a homemade sign declaring ‘Skolstrejk för klimatet’ – ’School Strike for Climate’. With a stern expression and clad in a blue hoodie, she ignited a weekly statement that resonated globally, catalysing the Fridays for Future movement and sparking discourse on climate action.
Thunberg’s action had impact.
Defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as ‘a powerful effect that something, especially something new, has on a situation or person,’ the impact of Thunberg’s activism reverberated far beyond the cobblestone courtyard of the Riksdag. It underscored the profound influence that individuals possess in shaping societal paradigms — a sentiment equally pertinent in business.
In today’s corporate world, it is impact that is needed to continue moving the dial on one of humankind’s biggest challenges — climate change.
This is where Cambridgeshire-based design agency, JDJ Creative, comes into its own. Founded in 2009, the agency is committed to effecting change. Specialising in sustainability-focused branding and reporting, JDJ embodies its mission — to leverage the power of design to enable clients to communicate more effectively – and thus meet their goals to affect positive change and impact society.
Initially a freelance endeavour for founders Jean and Mario Prelorenzo, the agency has grown into a full-service brand and design offering. Having first ingrained themselves into the marketing operations of global financial institutions such as Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and EY, more recently this mission has meant enabling large companies to promote their climate disclosures.
Celebrating its thirteenth anniversary this year, the agency is determined to help showcase its clients’ sustainability-led decisions and show how they can influence and impact others.
Mario Prelorenzo, JDJ’s Managing Director, explains, “We have children ourselves, so the future, their future, is at the forefront of our minds. Partnering with EY on sustainability initiatives highlighted to us the increasing significance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and sustainability reporting for corporations. Our journey seamlessly converged with this burgeoning imperative, enabling us to contribute meaningfully to this space.”
Amidst the rapid pace of change in today’s society, JDJ’s upward trajectory has seen them enjoy a marked increase in the number of sustainable report and brand design inquiries in recent years, matching the overall ascendancy of sustainability reporting.
According to the United Nations Statistics Division, in 2018, when Ms Thunberg first started her protest, 2,449 companies produced a sustainability report globally. By 2022, this had more than doubled to 5,203.
Change is coming, and it’s coming at pace.
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Last year, the European Commission updated its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), making its baselining and target setting applicable to all companies listed on EU-regulated markets.
This comes two years after the UK government introduced mandatory climate change reporting rules for large traded companies, insurers, banks and private companies with more than £500 million in turnover and 500 employees.
JDJ’s clientele mirrors this global imperative, encompassing multinational corporations, such as Logitech, Tipico and Agrocrops. Jean reflects on their recent collaboration with Bulgari’s perfume division, celebrating the eclectic tapestry of brands united by a shared ethos of environmental stewardship.
“We’ve recently designed an internal sustainability report and brand for the perfume division of Bulgari,” says Jean. “It’s been inspiring to design for these different brands, having focussed primarily on financial institutions for the past decade. Each one offers something unique, but their focus on improving their environmental and societal impacts unites them all.”
Having a sustainability-focused sub-brand is becoming increasingly popular and is an emerging market for JDJ.
“Taking an existing brand and evolving it to create a sustainability-focused sub-brand is a delicate process,” explains Mario. “It’s more than just introducing a green colour palette. It’s thinking about the reasons behind the sub-brand and ensuring the assets we create reflect that purpose.”
As the spectre of climate change looms large, sustainability reports emerge as potent tools in fostering accountability and driving organisational change. JDJ Creative stands at the vanguard of this transformative movement, exemplifying how businesses can wield their influence for societal good.
It is these qualities that compelled JDJ to once again sponsor the In Search of Wonder Lifetime Achievement Award at the recent Cambridge Independent Science and Technology Awards. Named after JDJ’s strapline – in search of wonder – the award celebrates an individual whose work has made a ‘significant and lasting difference to their field or sector’. The impact of this year’s recipient, the former AstraZeneca Executive Vice President, Mene Pangalos, has seen the Biopharmaceutical company adopt a more collaborative ethos with academia and transformed millions of patients’ lives. His award follows previous presentations to Professor Sir Mike Stratton and angel investor Peter Cowley.
“Like the companies producing sustainability reports with the aim of changing the planet, the individuals who have received this award have dedicated their lives to making the world a better place for others,” said Mario. “This fits with our ethos, and it is an award that we’re proud to sponsor.”
“Our journey has only just begun,” exclaims Mario. “We’re privileged to have collaborated with some large global players who have energised us through their approach to sustainability. But we’re also inspired by the Cambridge innovation space and stimulated to improve the future of our own local community.”
In the crucible of global challenges, the impact of the companies JDJ Creative represents is imperative to humanity’s future direction of travel. By showcasing how businesses can harness creativity to effect enduring change, they’re both preserving the unremitting power of purpose-driven design and encouraging further discourse around these important issues.
An enduring impact that will last for generations to come.
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