About Binary Ink

I fell in love with the idea of values-led business a few years ago, so when I decided to launch binary ink, I knew it had to be good for the community as well as for business.

There are three main stages that we’ve set out to accomplish:

Minimise Environmental Impact

The first thing on the list of priorities was to ensure that binary ink, as a company, had as small a negative impact on the environment as possible.

First we looked at how business processes could be streamlined to reduce waste, reduce power consumption and recycle as much as possible. We use electronic invoicing to reduce the amount of paper we generate, in fact we try not to have to switch our printer on at all if we can help it.

We only have electronic equipment switched on when we are actively using it. The amount of energy we’ve saved by scheduling backups during the day so that we can turn machines off overnight was surprising.

For those areas where we can’t help but use power, like running my design machine (and boiling the kettle) we have invested in carbon offsetting with the World Land Trust. In essence we have secured the survivial of enough primary rainforest in South America to absorb the carbon emmissions that we create. Cool eh?

Donate an Average of 20% Profits to Charity

The two charities I have been a long-time supporter of were natural choices to benefit.

Oxfam hardly need introduction, as arguably the best know humanitarian organisation in the world, they are the first on the ground in a crisis and are the last to leave. Arms trade regulation, education, climate change, clean water, end to child-labour, the list of areas in which Oxfam make a big difference to the world is astounding. They have my support, and I’m sure they have yours too.

The World Land Trust was established in 1989 in response to the devastation of unique habitats around the world, especially primary rainforest. Since 1989 the WLT have taken direct action agains deforestation by buying the threatened habitats, and holding them in trust, acre by acre. So far over 350000 acres of habitat in Asia, Central and Southern America have been protected for posterity.

By working with binary ink on your web design project you will be making a vital contribution to whichever of these charities you choose. I am aiming to donate an average of 20% of my earnings each year to these to organisations, so the more we do together, the more thay can achieve for us all.

Use Community Positive Suppliers

Of the three principal areas, this is the hardest. Finding companies that are already “community positive” is proving to be a tall order. As a small design company, we don’t actually buy in very much.

Our main supply need is web hosting, and we have chosen to work with Memset as they are the first Carbon Neutral hosting company (as well as being darn good at what they do) and now we don’t have to feel so guilty about our webserver being on all the time.

Finding the other things we require, like printing services, promotional materials, etc. are proving difficult to source.

We’re not just looking for climate-neutral suppliers, if your company is actively working with disadvantaged groups in the community, or contibutes in some other way, and you have a product we might need we’d genuinely like to hear from you! You can get our details from the contact page.