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

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

Hear insights from our Ethical Materials Director, Nora Rizzo, on the virtual webinar panel, "Lighting: The New Fast Fashion?" by the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) on Thursday, November 21st, at 12:00pm EST. Nora will present alongside experts at the forefront of prioritizing human dignity and creating a more ethical, transparent, and sustainable built environment, including: Edward Bartholomew, IALD (principal of Bartholomew | Lighting, Founding member of BUILD (Black United in Lighting & Design) and co-founder of Light Justice); Rob Handfield (Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at North Carolina State University, Executive Director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative); Tim Kraft (Associate Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at NC State University, Associate Research Director of the Supply Chain Resource Cooperative), and Gayathri Unnikrishnan (founder, Liveable). The panel will be moderated by Paula Davoli Ziegenbein, Assoc. IALD, LEED AP, LC, and Jamie Rose Devenger, Chief Innovation Officer at QTL. Edward and Jamie both worked on the Harriet Tubman Monument in Newark, NJ which was one of the very first Design for Freedom Pilot Projects. Together, they will discuss strategies and resources to create responsible lighting supply chains. Registration details: https://lnkd.in/ek2QiQvH

That’s a wrap #Greenbuild 2024! A look at Tuesday’s sold-out Materials Summit which included the session "Environmental and Social Transparency of Building Product Supply Chains: Industry Insights," featuring our Ethical Materials Director, Nora Rizzo, and industry thought leaders paving the way for sustainability and supply chain transparency: Josh Jacobs (Sustainability Director, WAP Sustainability), Lionel Lemay (Executive Vice President, Structures and Sustainability, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association), and Olivia LaMarche (Sustainability Manager, WAP Sustainability). Thank you to all who joined us for this session which represents another milestone for the global Design for Freedom movement. Not only will attendees now have a greater awareness of the impact of ethical material sourcing on the environment and humanity, but also gain insight on tools and strategies to address forced labor in building materials supply chains. Let's keep the momentum going! Register now at the early-bird rate to attend the 4th annual Design for Freedom Summit on March 27th, 2025. Join hundreds of leading experts across sectors united in the collaborative, global movement to raise awareness of forced labor in the building materials supply chain: https://lnkd.in/et443rxq Pictured: 1. and 2. "Environmental and Social Transparency of Building Product Supply Chains: Industry Insights" 3. (l-r): Nora Rizzo, Erin S. (Manager, Sustainable Building Solutions, ASSA ABLOY Group), Brigid Abraham, AIA (Design for Freedom Senior Project Manager) and Amy Musanti (Director of Sustainable Building Solutions, ASSA ABLOY Group) attend Greenbuild 2024. 4. (l-r): Nora Rizzo, Brigid Abraham, Gillen Bryan (Director of Corporate Partnerships, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee), Adam Thatcher (CEO and co-founder, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee) 5. The 2024 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo

Submit your mission-aligned proposal to participate in the Design for Freedom Pilot Project Program! We are actively seeking additional Design for Freedom Pilot Projects across a range of typologies and invite firms to respond to our Request for Proposal (RFP) through Monday, December 16th. The Pilot Project Program is a unique opportunity to conduct research at the forefront of the global Design for Freedom movement and gain insight into the process of supply chain transparency within the built environment. Every Design for Freedom Pilot Project is a tangible example of a more humane built environment and an opportunity to be at the forefront of creating a more ethical and transparent building materials supply chain! Be part of this groundbreaking movement in architecture and construction and demonstrate that incorporating humane building practices are not only possible, but also essential. Submit your project: https://bit.ly/3Tg6Fsj Bigfork Library Pilot Project. Credit: Chuck Collier Schmidt

#happeningtoday #ISSCRB2024 ?? Join us today for the Session: "India 2047: Enhancing Circularity, Ethical Decarbonisation & Social Wellbeing in Buildings & Infrastructure", co-hosting by Design for Freedom by Grace Farms, of CRB's 11th Annual Sustainability Conference – India and Sustainability Standards (ISS) 2024 Summit, this session will take place on: ?? November 15, 2024 ? 12:00 - 1:30 ?? Silver Oak 1, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi ? Register here: https://bit.ly/3TOmaah The panel will bring together esteemed industry leaders, policymakers, business executives, and sustainability champions to share valuable insights on the future of sustainable development in India. ??Elaine Mitchel-Hill, International Lead, Design for Freedom by Grace Farms, Grace Farms Foundation ??Sarbjit Sahota, Disaster Risk Reduction Specialist (Risk Informed Programming specialist), UNICEF India ??Anshu Sharma, Co-Founder, Seeds and Partner STS Global ??Anshika Gupta, Specialist - Urban Development, NITI Aayog ??Ankur Bisen, Senior Partner, Technopak Advisors ??Nirmal Kulkarni, Co-Founder & President of INDES, Investigating Design Objectives of the Session: ● Deliberate the role relevant stakeholders can play towards India's 2047 mission, in the buildings and infrastructure sectors. ● Share Design for Freedom’s principles on circularity, ethical decarbonization and social wellbeing in the buildings and infrastructure sectors and deliberate its relevance in India ● Demonstrate Design for Freedom principles in action in India through The Brij project, by Serendipity Arts. Register now here https://bit.ly/3TOmaah to be a part of the Summit #CRBISS2024 #Sustainability2_0 #ClimateAction #ThoughtLeadership #SustainableDevelopment #SustainabilityDialogues #SustainableBusinessConference #SustainableBusinessSummit #ISS2024

I will be part of an exciting panel to discuss the following title -?'India 2047: Enhancing Circularity, Ethical Decarbonization, & Social Wellbeing in Buildings & Infrastructure',?on?15th November from 12.00pm - 1.30pm. The venue is?Silver Oak 1?India Habitat Centre , New Delhi The context for this discussion lay in the following realities? * 80% of India's population reside in areas that are prone to high risks due to climate change? * 40% of India's urban population lives in slums and informal settlements? * 8 out 10 top most polluted cites in the world are in India * 30% of roof-top solar energy needs are in sub 1 KW category and current solutions for pricey for this segment How can India's built environment (buildings and infra) of the future resolve these challenges. How can India's buildings (much of them in cities) address climate related risks, inequality and public health crisis from air, soil and water pollution ? India's buildings in the future will require cooling solutions to fight extreme heat risks, spaces that promote equality and justice and designs that can be built and operate in net zero zone. Let's discuss Thank you Elaine Mitchel-Hill?Centre for Responsible Business Rijit Sengupta Design for Freedom by Grace Farms for organising this #Sustainability #JustTransition #ClimateChange #Decarbonization #buildingdesign #urbanism