Driving Responsibility

Design Shapes Sustainability

Design is a key driver of sustainable transformation. We support design that takes responsibility – environmentally, socially and economically.

Kate Crawford – Speaker at the Third German Design Debate, held as part of the German Design Council’s 70th anniversary celebrations. Paulskirche, Frankfurt am Main. Photo: Renato Ribero Alves © German Design Council

Haltung und Vision

The German Design Council directs attention to the sustainability debate – from a design perspective. As a foundation of the German Bundestag and a driving force for companies, institutions and the design industry, we take responsibility for unlocking design’s potential for a sustainable future.

We believe: Design is the key to sustainable transformation. Many of our members already demonstrate how circularity can become reality – through material innovation, durability and circular business models.

Circular design is the key to sustainable innovation. Around 80% of a product’s environmental impact is determined at the design stage. Design defines how products are made, used and reused.

Why Design Matters

If design can be part of the problem, it can also be part of the solution.

“As a designer, you have the opportunity to shape how people perceive the world. You can design a packaging to be environmentally friendly. Or you can design it to motivate people to make sustainable choices. Design is more powerful than many people think.“

– Kate Raworth, Economist and „Personality of the Year” of the German Design Awards 2025

Our Contribution

We foster knowledge, exchange and visibility for sustainable design through:

Circular Design Clinic: From Principle to Practice

Circular design applied directly to your product – with expert guidance, hands-on implementation and a close eye on the EU Ecodesign Regulation.

German Design Award, "Circular Design” category"

honouring pioneers in sustainable design.

German Innovation Award

recognising innovation that unites progress and responsibility.

Research projects & publications

such as our study “Design in Business”.

Sustainability Starts with Ourselves

That's why we've put concrete measures in place – across our day-to-day office operations and the events we run:

Certified green electricity for our office
Event planning in line with the German Federal Environment Agency's recommendations, including venues chosen for their public transport links and active promotion of Deutsche Bahn's event travel ticket
Carbon footprint calculation for the German Design Award to keep our emissions transparent and on record

Event Carbon Footprint (ECF) 2023

Members Driving Change

More than 330 member companies of the German Design Council demonstrate how design connects innovation and sustainability – from circularly produced smartphones to material innovations enabling recycling. They share knowledge, collaborate and prove that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.

We are convinced: Design is the key to a future-oriented economy. Together with our members, partners and award winners, we shape sustainable transformation – in Germany and beyond.

Join our network!

We support

Contact

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.