Building a company means making choices that define what it actually stands for. Not what the marketing says, but what the finances prove.
Modern Squared is a certified 1% for the Planet member. That certification means something specific: one percent of every dollar in revenue- not profit- goes directly to environmental nonprofits. Every year. No exceptions.
**Why Revenue, Not Profit**
The distinction matters enormously. Profit-based giving sounds generous until the accounting reveals how easily profit disappears. Operational expenses, reinvestment, owner salaries—all legitimate, all reducing the "profit" available for donation. A company can claim big percentages while giving very little in absolute terms.
Revenue-based commitment removes the variables. One percent of every sale. One percent of every dollar of what you pay goes directly to environmental non-profits. The calculation is transparent. The obligation is unconditional. In lean years and profitable ones, the commitment remains identical.
For every piece purchased, one percent funds organizations working on forest conservation, ocean protection, climate solutions- the ecosystems that make materials like the FSC-certified cotton paper we use possible in the first place. If the company has $1M in sales in a year, $10,000 is donated. If the company has $100M, $1M is donated.
**Design for the Full Lifecycle**
Financial commitment is one lever. Supply chain design is another.
We're building toward a cradle-to-cradle model: materials that minimize waste and maximize recyclability at every stage. FSC-certified paper doesn't just protect forests during harvest- it's designed to decompose or recycle cleanly at end of life. Water-based inks eliminate toxic disposal concerns. Even packaging choices consider what happens after unboxing.
This matters because the planet our children inherit depends on decisions made now. Not abstract future generations- the actual kids who'll live with the environmental consequences of today's production choices.
**Why It's Personal**
Passion for environmental responsibility isn't a brand position. It's the reason these choices are non-negotiable even when they cost more, complicate logistics, and reduce margins. Modern Squared is built with the philosophy our actions speak louder than words, and that we all have a choice to make to be responsible eco-citizens. That none of what we hold dear matter if our house- the broader environment- degrades beyond recovery.
One percent of revenue. Cradle-to-cradle design. Decisions that cost more now because the alternative costs everything later.