A Swindon firm has pledged to refuse future contracts with fossil fuel companies.

GEL Studios, a web design and graphics agency, has been made an ambassador of Clean Creatives, a movement of PR and advertising businesses committed to cutting ties with fossil fuels.

The studio has pledged to refuse any future contracts with companies whose primary business is the extraction, processing, transportation, or sale of oil, gas, and coal.

This also includes utilities and electric cooperatives that generate more than half of their electricity from fossil fuels, generate more than half of their revenue from business in fossil fuels, play an active role in funding fossil fuel infrastructure, and trade associations or other industry-funded non-profit groups representing the interests of these companies, utilities, or cooperatives.

The GEL Studios teamThe GEL Studios team (Image: GEL Studios)

GEL Studios is a B-corp certified firm. This means it has been verified by B Lab to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.

To receive the certification, companies must go through a process that measures their social and environmental impact. 

As such, it is committed to doing good in and around the community and being environmentally conscious.

The firm's recent office move saw the modernisation of a 300-year-old farmhouse into a state-of-the-art premises, with a focus on renewable materials and energy, and a commitment to local trades.

Graeme Leighfield, managing director of GEL Studios, said: "My view (and that of many others) is that not enough is being done to help tackle issues surrounding climate change and the environment.

"As a parent to two young boys, and leading a team with many young families, this cause is one that’s very close to my heart.

"Being an ambassador of the Clean Creative movement, we aim to be a beacon in and around Wiltshire, to show all business sectors how they can help contribute to positive changes that will make a difference for generations to come.

"We will do this by continuing to publish our work, come up with ideas, and hold seminars within our local community to raise awareness."

The move to become an ambassador of the Clean Creatives movement is seen as a logical step by the company in helping to spread the word about the importance of environmental consciousness.

By refusing to work with fossil fuel companies, GEL Studios hopes to contribute to a future where the voices of scientists, young people, and frontline communities demanding action on climate change can be heard more clearly.