How many design agencies can say they work in the midst of a Certified Wildlife Habitat? Well, our little acre-and-a-half is just that — certified by the National Wildlife Federation for providing the four basic habitat elements needed for wildlife to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise their young.

Why create a wildlife habitat?

It’s eco-friendly. Landscaping practices that help wildlife, like reducing the use of chemicals, conserving energy and water, and composting also help to improve air, water and soil quality.

It invites wildlife back home. Restoring habitats where commercial and residential development have degraded natural ecosystems is a way of giving back to wildlife.

It adds curb appeal. Replacing grass lawns with native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees will increases the beauty of property and provides a nurturing refuge for wildlife.

It builds community. Gardening for wildlife helps us share our love of wildlife with neighbors and visitors and helps them get involved in creating a home for wildlife.

It’s the right thing to do. Sometimes small businesses believe they can’t make a difference. At Perdue Creative, we believe we can. And we look for creative ways to do our part and to help our clients do theirs as well.

It’s fun! Watching wildlife in action is fun and relaxing. Our habitat attracts beautiful songbirds, butterflies, frogs, squirrels and other interesting wildlife viewed from the windows of our studio. And while working on those occasional late night deadlines, we’ve spied racoons and foxes as well!

Come visit us sometime. We welcome all of Nature’s creatures!

What a week at the Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) Designing a Sustainable Future conference in beautiful San Francisco! More than 1350 participants from nearly 50 countries gathered to learn what the future holds for Corporate Social Responsibility, with keynote speeches from Gerd Leipold, Exec. Dir. of Greenpeace, Robert A. Eckert, Chairman & CEO, Mattel and Cynthia Carroll, CEO, Anglo American, among others. The breakout sessions were lively and instructive. I’ve got lots to share later on, but basically, here’s the gist:

CSR is the hot topic for businesses from manufacturers to telecom to financial institutions.

Charts and graphs of key CSR indicators are no longer enough — the emphasis now is on processes and best practices.

Companies are being encouraged to “put the squeeze” on vendors and suppliers who are not doing their part for CSR. If they can’t comply, find a supplier who can.

When a company remains silent about a CSR issue, they will be considered complicit.

It’s time to put a metric on your IMPACT — both negative and positive — quantify your sphere of influence.

There’s so much more to share. Check back for key lessons learned at this informative and well-attended conference. I am sure that our participation in this important event will help Perdue Creative serve our clients better — whether it’s creating the right kind of sustainability report or crafting messages that help your company articlate processes and impact.

If you haven’t read Hugh MacLeod’s “The Hughtrain”, you really must. Go. Now. And read it.

Like Hugh, we believe we are here to find meaning. We are here to help other people do the same. Everything else is secondary.

That’s why we do things the way we do them. That’s why we ask so many questions — particularly questions that begin with “why?” when embarking on a new assignment. We don’t know how to slap something together, how to “just gitterdone.” We don’t know how to crank out crap. It just isn’t in us. We want to know how the things we make are going to improve the lives of the people it reaches. How the identity we create for a company can become a rallying cry for its employees. How the product a client makes connects with customers on an emotional level. What lies at the heart of the venture deeper than the mere drive to make money. Because there really should be more to it than that.

Whether they’re reducing the environmental footprint of fiber-based packaging (as with the container division of International Paper) or giving the unemployed a second chance by teaching them a trade (as with HopeWorks), offering cancer patients hope and a higher quality of life (GTx, Inc.) or inspiring a more socially responsible corporate culture (Verso Paper), we’re seeking to make a difference for clients who make a difference.

Here we hope to keep you apprised of our progress in this quest. Come along. Join us. Let’s make a difference. And along the way we will find meaning. Together.