Jan. 21, 2008 -- Thousands of designers have signed on to the Designers Accord, a formal set of principles for sustainability in design, BusinessWeek reports. The so-called "Kyoto Treaty of Design" is earning widespread support throughout the design industry.

Written for designers of every discipline, from industrial design to graphic arts to architecture, the Designers Accord calls for signatories to "proactively engage in a dialogue about environmental impact with each and every client, and to evaluate sustainable alternatives in design." Signers also pledge to measure and work to minimize their carbon footprint. (Click here for a complete list of principles.)

While many design firms already address sustainability issues in their daily practice, Designers Accord adopters see value in codifying their commitment. Says Allan Chochinov, editor-in-chief of design firm Core77: "One of the firms I spoke with last week told me that they are already doing most of the things in the accord, and that signing up would simply help them commit to taking sustainable practice all the way. If you look at most of the principles outlined in the accord, they're not particularly onerous, and will in a very pragmatic way increase the skill sets and awareness on both the design firm and the client side. This creates a kind of partnership toward positive change."

In addition to founding designer Valerie Casey, the Designers Accord advisory board includes Paul Hawken of the Natural Capital Institute as well as representatives from leading design firms IDEO, Core77, o2NYC, and Marc Alt + Partners. A complete list of adopters is available here.