Task 5

Social responsibility and ethics in graphic design has its advocates in the public and private sectors, in big and small organizations as well as on an individuals. Design itself is a problem-solving process. Designers play big role not only responding, but also initiating. They bring their professional skills and personal beliefs into alignment. Through their work, graphic designers have the responsibility and an opportunity to place basic values into their work, to replicate the behavior that people want to see in the world.

When undertaking complicated issues, graphic designers are aware of larger contexts and, in various instances, the degree of the challenge moves them beyond their training. They partner with various experts like political scientists, anthropologists, biologists and sociologists. To such collaborations graphic designers bring unique historical perspective, cross-cultural awareness, humanist roots, critical thinking, project leadership, etc.

Graphic designers are also actively engaged in the political process to reset priorities and reshape institutions. Design is a unique and powerful tool for shaping the planet and how people live in it. Ethical design is a way to ensure diversity, health and abundance to future generations and to contribute to the betterment of all.

In mid 80’s Tibor Kalman was among the two major names that greatly changed graphic design. Kalman urged fellow designers to assume the responsibility for their own work as designers and as citizens. Throughout his career he prodded designers to refuse accepting any client’s product at its face value and to question the effects of their work. Kalman greatly motivated designers to employ their work platform to boost public awareness of a range of social issues.

David Berman, Fellow and Ethics Chair of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada and Canadian communication designer and author, worked to develop a new code of ethics for graphic designers which embraced ethics and social responsibility for graphic designers. His work on executing codes of ethics for national professional designers associations has extended globally.

Across the world as well as on an personal level, graphic designers are being challenged to develop work that is socially responsible and ethical.