At Karen Wilson Art, sustainability isn’t a new trend or a buzzword—it is a natural extension of the values that have shaped this business since 2014. From my studio and gallery in the historic Skerries Mills Courtyard, my original palette-knife paintings and limited-edition prints have always been deeply inspired by the natural world around us, from local flora and fauna to our beautiful Irish seascapes.

As a proud member of Guaranteed Irish, a respect for the environment, a commitment to quality Irish craftsmanship, and a strong connection to our community are at the heart of everything I do. Every piece of art is proudly made, hand-signed, and framed right here in Ireland.

Growing with Intention

It is an incredibly exciting time for Karen Wilson Art. We are currently expanding—welcoming our very first employee and moving our print and frame manufacturing into a dedicated, brand-new premises.

But with growth comes responsibility. I want to ensure that as we scale, we do so in a considered, responsible way. Rather than trying to retrofit sustainable practices down the line, I wanted to embed them into our foundations from day one.

To make this happen, Karen Wilson Art recently participated in the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Green for Business programme. Our goal was to create a comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CAP) that would help us measure our environmental impact, find practical ways to reduce it, and strengthen our sustainability credentials for our wonderful collectors both at home and abroad.

Knowing Our Numbers: The Results

Through the Green for Business programme, we have successfully established a verified baseline of our carbon footprint. Having concrete data means we no longer have to guess where we can make the biggest difference.

Here is what we achieved and discovered:

• Our Carbon Baseline: We established a verified carbon footprint of 6.89 tCO₂e as our baseline. This gives us a clear starting point to measure our progress year-over-year.

• Identifying the Impact: The assessment revealed that travel is our dominant emission source, accounting for approximately 82% of our total footprint. This gives us a clear target for reduction as we look at how we manage deliveries, sourcing, and business travel moving forward.

• Building Green from the Ground Up: Because we timed this assessment to coincide with our expansion, we were able to specify our new print premises for maximum energy efficiency from the outset. It features LED lighting, high-quality insulation, efficient heating, and its own dedicated meter so we can track energy use precisely.

• Better Governance: We have developed and implemented a formal Waste Management Plan, a Supplier Code of Conduct, and a Supplier Sustainability Register. These structures ensure that our partners and suppliers align with our environmental values as we grow.

• The Climate Toolkit: Our Climate Action Plan is now officially completed and registered on the Climate Toolkit 4 Business platform (which also successfully fulfilled the drawdown conditions for our LEO Business Expansion Grant!).

Rooted in Community

Sustainability is about more than just carbon numbers; it’s about people. For the very first time, this process allowed us to formally document our community contributions.

Whether supporting the arts, mental health initiatives, humanitarian efforts, or local causes close to our hearts in Skerries, reinforcing these connections is just as vital to our brand identity as our Irish-made credentials. We are incredibly grateful for the community that has supported this business for over a decade, and we are committed to giving back to it.

The Journey Ahead

This Climate Action Plan is not a final destination, but the beginning of a new chapter. It ensures that when you bring a piece of Karen Wilson Art into your home, you are supporting a business that respects the landscape that inspires it.

Thank you, as always, for being part of this journey with us. Stay tuned for more updates from the new space soon!