Design for Freedom by Grace Farms

Our 4th annual Design for Freedom Summit registration is open! Be part of the movement to end modern slavery in the built environment?and join us at Grace Farms on March 27th, 2025: https://bit.ly/48REohw We will continue to accelerate the movement with hundreds of leading experts from the full ecosystem of the built environment and highly-engaged students at Grace Farms. Thought-provoking discussions, exhibits, roundtables and Pilot Projects will focus on inspiring action to tackle one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time: forced labor in the global building materials supply chain. Our 2025 Summit will welcome incredible speakers at the forefront of creating a more ethical and transparent future and prioritizing justice and human dignity. We are honored to share that Grace Forrest, founding director of Walk Free, an international organization dedicated to eradicating modern slavery (and responsible for the landmark Global Slavery Index report), and Hannah Rose Thomas, acclaimed artist and human rights advocate, are just some of the inspirational leaders who'll provide their perspectives. "Today, hundreds of leaders of the built environment are standing together to issue a clarion call to action. We are not just in agreement that forced labor in the building materials supply chain is unethical and immoral. We are also in agreement that now is the time for action and true market transformation to design and build more humanely.” - Sharon Prince, Founder and CEO of Grace Farms Foundation. Every building tells a story of humanity. It's up to us to ensure they're built on a foundation of dignity, not exploitation. Don’t miss this vital opportunity to design a more humane future. Tap the link above to register to attend our 2025 #DesignforFreedom Summit. Photo by Sahar Coston-Hardy

Exciting news! Humanscale's new Chicago Showroom, a Design for Freedom Pilot Project, is a 2024 Metropolis Magazine Planet Positive Awards winner in the Retail and Showroom category! Congratulations to the Showroom's project team, Humanscale (a member of our Design for Freedom Working Group), Reddymade Architecture & Design, and the The Sheward Partnership, LLC, on this well-deserved recognition. We are honored to have been a part of this incredible showroom's story, working directly with the team on ethical material tracing and documentation of humane labor practices. A model of ethical and sustainable designed, it beautifully combines functionality and is a beacon of all that can be achieved with a planet positive approach. A Living Building Challenge Petal Certification Ready space, the street-level showroom is a tangible demonstration of the Design for Freedom Principles and embodies Humanscale's dedication to prioritizing the environment as well as human dignity. Read more about this incredible recognition by Metropolis, a Design for Freedom advocate, and to learn about the Humanscale showroom: https://lnkd.in/gDrnCxXV

Temporal Shift, a site-responsive sculpture by Alyson Shotz, is not only the first completed Design for Freedom Pilot Project, but also a hopeful symbol of awareness and action of the global Design for Freedom movement. The mirror polish stainless steel sculpture (on view at Grace Farms through October 2022) is notable for its ability to interact with natural light. While at Grace Farms, Temporal Shift animated an interior courtyard, describing time as the seasons changed. When fabricating and installing the work in summer 2021, Grace Farms was presented with the opportunity to align the process of bringing this exciting work to the public with the ever-expanding framework of analysis, inquiry, and collaboration demonstrated by Design for Freedom. Working with Design for Freedom Working Group members Joseph Mizzi and Jay Gorman from Sciame Construction, LLC, we traced the stainless steel and concrete used in Temporal Shift to ascertain sources and labor inputs. Download the full Temporal Shift Pilot Project case study to learn more about the sculpture, a tangible example of ethical sourcing and all we can achieve to create a more humane future: https://bit.ly/3WCPwdn Photo by Melani Lust

??Exciting news! We’re thrilled to share that Grace Farms Tea & Coffee has made the list of BuzzFeed's Best Foodie and Kitchen Gifts of 2024! ?? ??This holiday season, give a gift that gives back—our delicious, organic, fair trade tea and coffee! Let’s make a difference together! ???? We are incredibly grateful for this recognition alongside so many amazing brands. Explore the full list and share with a friend who needs help finding the perfect gifts this year! https://bzfd.it/4g64n6X #GraceFarms #SipWithGrace #BuzzFeed #Best #Foodie #Kitchen #Gifts #News #GiveBack #FoodieGifts AppyHour?? Inc. Champagne Laurent-Perrier Citarella - The Ultimate Gourmet Market Ten Thousand Villages US ButcherBox Susan Vizvary Divine Chocolate USA Carbone Fine Food Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream Slofoodgroup Mermaid Straw Hamilton Beach Brands Inc. Popsmith McConnell's Fine Ice Creams Cooking Gift Set Co.

Be part of the global Design for Freedom movement and create a new ethical path forward! We're now accepting applications for the Design for Freedom Pilot Project Program. Architects, designers, contractors, owners, and project partners are invited to help drive the movement toward ethical building practices. Selected projects will examine building materials to ensure transparency in the supply chain, making significant strides in eliminating forced labor from building materials. Pictured: Bigfork Library, a completed pilot project in Bigfork, Montana. Credit: Chuck Collier Schmidt This is a unique opportunity to partner with Grace Farms, enabling teams to prioritize ethical sourcing and initialize new outcomes. The 2025 Request for Proposal (RFP) will be open until December 16, 2024. Join us in setting a new industry standard for responsible, humane design. Download the RFP: https://lnkd.in/ekxR-BJ7

?? Last chance to register for the Online Anti-slavery Forum. Extensive research exists about modern slavery risks in the construction industry, and large construction companies have taken steps to implement due diligence measures. But abusive practices persist, both on worksites and in supply chains. How do we bridge the gap between commitments by business and the conditions for workers on the ground? Join us at the Online NSW Anti-slavery Forum on 26 and 27 November to hear from industry leaders about tackling modern slavery in construction industry. Registration for Day One: https://lnkd.in/g4t5A9yB Registration for Day Two: https://lnkd.in/g8JXsHJb

Sign up for the 2024 NSW Online Anti-Slavery Forum to hear insights from Grace Farms CEO and Founder, Sharon Prince, on Monday, November 25th, at 5:00pm EST: https://bit.ly/3OknjTH Prince will present as part of the session, "Bridging the Gap Between C-Suite and Worksite: Modern Slavery in the Construction Industry," joining fellow speaker, Anwyn Shoemark (Ph. D candidate and Graduate Architect) and moderator, Robin Mellon (CEO, Better Sydney and Director, UN Global Compact Network Australia). This must-see panel will address the human rights violations plaguing the construction industry and why it's more critical than ever before to act to eliminate forced labor in building materials supply chains and worksites. This also marks a continuation of working with Dr. James Cockayne, NSW Anti-Slavery Commissioner. We are grateful for Dr. James Cockayne’s essay contribution to our upcoming Design for Freedom International Guidance & Toolkit and to have previously welcomed him to engage with our work at Grace Farms. Register now to attend the 2024 Online NSW Anti-Slavery Forum, an impactful two-day event by the Office of the NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner bringing together experts and thought leaders across sectors from Australia and across the world to foster a more ethical and transparent future and act against modern slavery.

Take advantage of the early-bird rate and register now to attend our 4th annual Design for Freedom Summit on March 27th, 2025, at Grace Farms! Be part of the movement to design a more humane future and stand alongside hundreds of thought leaders across multiple sectors all committed to addressing one of the most horrific human rights violations of our time: modern slavery in the built environment. We are gearing up for a momentous day, further accelerating the global Design for Freedom movement to end forced and child labor in the building materials supply chain. Throughout the Summit, attendees will have the opportunity to join thought-provoking discussions and immersive workshops to accelerate our work and explore strategies for actualizing ethical and transparent supply chains. As millions of people around the world continue to suffer under forced labor conditions, the time for action is now. Awareness is the first step to making a difference. Be part of this inspiring annual Summit that is essential to laying the groundwork for a world that prioritizes human dignity and solutions that protect people and the environment. Don't miss the opportunity to register with early-bird pricing, available through January 31st! Register now: https://lnkd.in/et443rxq

The Design for Freedom movement is accelerating! Last week, we were in New Delhi, India, to participate in the Centre for Responsible Business’s (CRB) annual flagship India Sustainability Standards Conference, which took place from November 13 – 15. The three-day conference convened industry leaders and practitioners, private sector actors, renowned academicians and researchers from distinguished institutions, policymakers, civil society representatives, youth champions, and other diverse stakeholders. Our Design for Freedom International Lead, Elaine Mitchel-Hill served as a moderator for the stellar panel, “India 2047: Enhancing Circularity, Ethical Decarbonization and Social Wellbeing in Buildings & Infrastructure,” which included ex-senior government minister with a specialist interest in bricks, senior government advisor on urban development, specialist on mass housing and climate change who is also an architect, UNICEF representative specializing in housing and disaster risk reduction, and also academia from a planning and architecture perspective. Coming off of this vital experience, we are energized to accelerate the movement with our 4th annual Design for Freedom Summit on March 27th, 2025! Be part of the Summit and join hundreds of thought leaders and experts spanning the built environment to change the future and create a more humane and transparent building materials supply chain. Register now for the Summit at the early-bird rate: https://lnkd.in/et443rxq Pictured: 1. Nirmal Kulkarni (Co-Founder & President of INDES - Investigating Design) and Elaine Mitchel-Hill participate in the panel session, “India 2047: Enhancing Circularity, Ethical Decarbonization & Social Wellbeing in Buildings & Infrastructure." 2. Pictured (l-r): Ankur Bisen (Senior Partner, Technopak Advisors), Nirmal Kulkarni, Elaine-Mitchel-Hill, Sarbjit Sahota (Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist (Risk Informed Programming specialist), UNICEF India), and Anshu Sharma (Co-Founder, Sustainable Environment & Ecological Development Society (SEEDS)). 3. Pictured (l-r): Ankur Bisen, Nirmal Kulkarni, Elaine-Mitchel-Hill, Sarbjit Singh Sahota, and Anshu Sharma. 4. Pictured (l-r): Nandini Sharma (Business & Human Rights Director, CRB), Neha Tomar (Senior Programme Manager-Business & Human Rights, CRB), Ankur Bisen, Nirmal Kulkarni, Elaine-Mitchel-Hill, Sarbjit Singh Sahota, and Anshu Sharma.

Calling all architecture students! Be part of creating a more ethical and sustainable built environment and sign up for our 2025 Design for Freedom Student Competition, "Ethical and Equitable Materiality to End Forced Labor," in partnership with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). The competition, for the 2024-2025 academic year, challenges students (working individually or in teams) to explore the impact of architectural material research and design to help eliminate forced labor in the building materials supply chain. It's also an opportunity to further examine how architects can work together to create a more humane future. With two categories to choose from (Category I Design Project and Category II Materials Research), the deadline to register is April 9th, 2025. To sign up, find more information on rules and registration, and helpful resources, visit: https://lnkd.in/e_KwJ7aj Here's to the next generation of leaders moving the global Design for Freedom movement forward! Pictured: Rob Natke and Patricia Saldana Natke (Founding Partner and President, UrbanWorks, Ltd.; Adjunct Professor, Illinois Institute of Technology College of Architecture; Design for Freedom Working Group) with students at the 2024 Design for Freedom Summit. By Jacek Dolata