In our 2018-2019 report we illustrated the important relationship between our values, purpose and prosperity and how these connected intimately with those of our clients and other stakeholders. Over the past year that equation has remained true and the growing momentum and success of the business is testament to that.
In this report we address our response and performance against strategic matters (our Priorities section) and operational measures (KPI’s in our Measurement section). In relation to the former, this year has been one of consolidation of the key areas of Relationships, People, Branding, Design culture and Technology. Each area has demonstrated momentum and a level of consistency which we feel are at a point where they are being habituated within the business and can evolve further through a regular monitoring and management process.
All but one of our key performance indicators is moving in the right direction. The one disappointing result is the increase in our CO₂ emissions, up nearly 12% on the previous year, the main contributor result of increased air travel by both studios, followed by motor vehicle use. Our increase in revenue and new project opportunities is in (approximate) inverse proportion to our CO₂ emissions and our challenge in 2019-2020 is maintaining the former two whilst reducing the latter.
The arrival and rise of the Covid-19 pandemic in the closing months of the year prompted an unprecedented sharpening of focus across our whole operations. At the end of this reporting period, it’s an ongoing process of information processing, strategising and operational planning in dealing with a major threat to the personal wellbeing of our team and the continuation of our business. It will be in our next year’s report that we can fully relate what the effects and outcomes have been for us all. What is clear and true is that in living with covid the world as we may have imagined it will now be significantly, if not irrevocable changed.
The phenomenon of covid has overshadowed, but has not shifted the threatening climate emergency, and future conversations will be concerned with effective responses to each and what the cross learnings can be in terms of public knowledge, understanding and action.
We acknowledge our responsibility to contribute to the conversation, but more importantly, to a meaningful and positive response. The coming year will potentially involve working around changing work patterns, client environments and shifts in client priorities, as well as expectations and desires in relation to patterns of social behaviour in the public environment.
106%
The number generated of budgeted revenue compared with 108% in 2018-2019, operating margin 42% above budget AND writeoff 9% compared with 14% in 2018-2019.
15 countries
of origin for our diverse team of 35 male and 35 female staff.
140.38 tonnes
Increase in CO₂ emissions from 125.5 tonnes the previous year.
Maurice Kiely
Director, Sustainability
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