The Graphics Company
The Graphics Company is an Edinburgh-based workers' co-operative providing print and web design to the voluntary, public and social enterprise sectors.
The company was started by three young designers who had worked together in a community-based printshop in 1987. Founder member Steve West explained: "Two of us had been in a co-operative before and the other founder hadn't enjoyed their experience of a traditional management structure, so we agreed that if we were going to start our own business, we all had to be equal."
With practical help and a small grant from Edinburgh Co-operative Development Agency, The Graphics Company started trading on a shoestring in September 1989.
The co-operative now has five members and a following of loyal customers, including Scottish Women's Aid, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Scottish Investment Fund and Changeworks. The Graphics Company has a strong green ethic and tries to reduce the environmental impact of its operations in a number of ways, including using renewable electricity, carbon-neutral servers, recycled materials and bicycle couriers.
Being a co-operative has other benefits for clients. "You're always talking to the boss," Steve said.
"The customer is always dealing with someone who really cares about the company and cares about getting it right."
One of the biggest benefits of co-operation for the members is the feeling of "being in control of our own destiny," Steve added. "We're also quite happy to accommodate people's lifestyles, and have had policies like flexible hours for parents since the beginning." The team tries to keep meetings to a minimum and tends to reach a consensus on key decisions through discussion and debate.
When the Edinburgh Cowgate fire completely destroyed the company's studios over the course of a Saturday night in 2002, this co-operative ethos helped the members respond to the crisis.
"This, our existing emergency plan involving off-site data backups, and the support of loyal clients and suppliers were all central to the survival of the business," Steve said.
Visit the Graphics Company website for more information.
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