Sustainability

• To incorporate sustainability into our web design guidelines
• To promote environmental awareness among our team, clients and broader network
• To continually review and improve our processes so that we can make more sustainable changes

We have identified some areas where we can manage our environmental impact by incorporating sustainability into our web design guidelines. Through our web sustainability policy, we strive to apply a creative, ethical and responsible attitude to our work at Make it Clear. 

• As images are significant contributors to page weight, we carefully consider whether the images used genuinely add value to the user, provide relevant information and whether we could minimise the image to reduce the energy used. 
• We minimise energy consumption by reducing the amount of video streamed by removing auto-play and keeping video content as short as possible.
• We consider alternatives to video for informative content, such as SVG animations and real text descriptions, which are more accessible and energy-efficient. 
• Where possible, we use system fonts, e.g. Arial and use fewer font variations as web fonts can add significant file weight to websites. 
• We write clean and streamlined code, avoid duplication, and write efficient queries. If existing frameworks and libraries are being used, we ensure they are refined and tailored to deliver the functionality needed.
• In cases where a CMS such as WordPress is being used, we avoid unnecessary plugins that add bloat. 
• We choose plugins that minimise server load and don’t add unnecessary weight to the front end. 
• We use lazy load for anything below the fold to reduce initial page load time, initial page weight and system resource usage. 
• We use AMP to load content faster on mobile devices by stripping out unnecessary code and file weight. 
• We use caching technologies that reduce server overhead for most web visitors, reducing server energy consumption and page load time.
• We reduce white space and use dark mode wherever possible to save energy.

We endeavour to:

• Continually improve and monitor our environmental performance.
• Incorporate environmental factors into business decisions.
• Increase employee environmental awareness. 
• Provide a flexible hybrid working arrangement that allows our team to work at convenient locations and avoid excess travel. 
• Encourage all team members to minimise paper use in the office where possible. 
• Seek to purchase recycled and recyclable paper products. 
• Encourage all team members to reuse and recycle all paper where possible. 
• Seek to reduce the energy we use as much as possible and promote creative thinking amongst team members to generate ideas for how to do so.
• Ensure that lights and electrical equipment are switched off when not in use. 
• Favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products wherever possible. 
• Assess and monitor our energy usage and waste output.
• Educate the team on new methods and policies to reduce energy and waste generation.
• Ensure that all our activities and services comply with all relevant environmental legislation. 
• Seek new opportunities to help raise awareness of climate change.

This policy will serve as a framework for evaluating and improving all environmental goals and is reviewed continually.