28.01.26 • PRESS
Our founder Mirella Arapian recently authored Design for Good: Designing Better Futures for the inaugural issue of Designfully magazine.
The article explores what it means to lead with purpose in design, and why now, more than ever, our industry must rise to meet the moment.
The Challenge Before Us
The design industry stands at a critical turning point. Global challenges like the climate emergency, genocide, war, social inequity, cultural vulnerability, and economic instability (to name just a few) demand more than aesthetic solutions.
'Design for Good' has become a trend and marketing phrase, but in essence it's a call to embed purpose and intention into every choice we make. It's about recognising that design shifts perceptions, challenges systems, and creates solutions that better serve people, animals, and the planet. Which is why MEK exists.
Voices Leading the Way
For the article, Mirella spoke with seven design leaders whose work embodies the Design for Good ethos:
– Aimee Kilmer (Good Stuff Partners, USA)
– Amber Bonney (Edison Agency, Australia)
– Anna Carlile (Design by Nature, Australia)
– Marianna Vardanyan (Proper Studios, Armenia & UK)
– Sarah Gross & Cass Mackenzie (Storyfolk, Australia)
– Sophie Thomas (Thomas.Matthews, UK)
Their insights reveal what it takes to build agencies grounded in values, measure impact beyond revenue, and balance idealism with the realities of running a sustainable business.
Key Insights
Purpose must be foundational. For these leaders, values weren't added later, they were the reason their studios exist. From refusing clients that don't align with their mission to embedding sustainability into every project stage, they prove that integrity and business success aren't mutually exclusive.
Impact is measurable. Traditional metrics like revenue and growth are important but they don't tell the full story. These agencies track donations made, carbon emissions reduced, behavioural shifts, and communities strengthened. They're building frameworks that prove design creates lasting change.