The International Standards Organisation confirmed on 7 September 2021 that GSD®’s systems and procedures still meet their rigorous ISO9001 quality standards. We have retained this standard now for 21 years and ongoing.

GSD® also successfully passed the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management System Accreditation on 8 September 2021. This is an internationally recognised standard that details ways in which we seek to reduce our impact on the environment. Activities cover all areas of our business, which are contributed to you, our supplier/employee/client/customer. We have retained this standard for 10 years and ongoing.

The International Standards Organisation confirmed on 20 December 2021 that GSD®’s systems and procedures still meet their rigorous ISO27001 IT systems, security, procedures and standards.

ISO9001 quality standards – ISO/IEC 27001 is an information security standard, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the joint ISO and IEC subcommittee, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27. ISO/IEC 27001 specifies a management system that brings information security under management control and gives specific security requirements.

GSD® are pleased to announce our digital partnership with Auto Trader Group on exciting new projects for 2021-23.

Auto Trader is the UK’s largest automotive marketplace for buying and selling new and used cars. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange, and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.

GSD® will be delivering bespoke platforms for OEM’s and dealer groups using Auto Trader’s stock management API’s. The drive for the collaboration comes from on-going advancements in the automative industry to keep up with the high demand of new and used vehicles after the UK’s multiple Covid lockdowns. Harnessing the power of Auto Trader’s market intelligence and GSD®’s passion for online development, we are excited for this partnership.

As a trusted Partner of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®) were honoured and delighted to be recently commissioned to contribute website design and development, to commemorate the Duke’s centenary.

www.intaward.org
 
Prince Philip was a passionate, relentless and dedicated champion of young people and in so many respects, a pioneering figure in the sphere of both informal education and non-formal learning. He placed continued emphasis upon character above all, as the defining factor that influences destiny. He had an unshakeable belief in young people and will be remembered for so many dimensions of his long and distinguished life, but especially his abiding faith in the potential of young people.
 
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award will continue to carry forward his legacy of public service and respect for the welfare of others. On this understanding, the values he portrayed and the vision he showed, is the very foundation upon which we will build and grow in the twenty-first century and beyond.
 
As an abiding tribute to His Royal Highness, the ‘Founder’s 100’ was launched as a campaign to reflect all of his many attributes. Over the next three years, it is fully anticipated that a figure in excess of £25 million will be raised and deployed for a variety of worthwhile objectives. Notably, to enable more than two million additional young people, some of whom have been at risk or come from marginalised backgrounds, to embark upon their own journey of discovery and realise the ultimate accolade of a Duke of Edinburgh Award.
 
Graham Shapiro, Chief Executive and Founder said
 
“It’s such a huge privilege to be a Partner of The Duke of Edinburgh International Awards. His Royal Highness was a towering figure; he helped so many young people to learn that that they were capable of so much more than they ever realised. In this way, the real potential of all these young men & women is simply unknown but I’m proud to be part of an organisation that stands to offer so much to so many, in 140 countries, all around the world.”

As Partner of The Duke of Edinburgh International Award we were very sad to hear the news that the founder, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh had died on 9 April 2021.

For more than sixty years HRH The Duke of Edinburgh dedicated immeasurable time and energy into making The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award what it is today. Because of his vision, leadership and dedication, the Award has transformed the lives of millions of young people across more than 130 countries and territories.  His legacy will continue to reach countless more young people to the benefit of communities around the world.

He will be hugely missed, but his legacy will continue.

Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®) celebrated 25 years on 11 November 2020.

Our CEO & Founder Graham Shapiro commented: “November 2020 marked a quarter of a century since I first embarked upon what has proved to be a remarkable journey of discovery, innovation and achievement. I can scarcely believe what has been accomplished since Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®) began on 11 November 1995. At that time, I began operating as a sole trader, quite literally situated under ‘the stairs’ at Globe House Office in Nantwich, Cheshire in the United Kingdom.

Looking back at the start, winning the pitch to deliver all of the European product brochures for Samsung was pivotal. This was truly a great platform to springboard the business onto a successful future.
I have been leading my team to evolve, innovate and develop branding and websites in an ever-increasingly competitive global market. Starting out as a traditional Graphic Design business, followed by a move into Digital and New Media I continue to drive my business to create online and offline designs for some of the world’s most respected companies.

At GSD® our core is ‘design is life enhancing’ and like anything important is worth doing well. We have built our business on a strong culture where everyone has great ideas and our clients are the most important asset. Our team is passionate about creating innovative work to help businesses succeed.
There have been many incredible GSD® directors, managers, designers, suppliers and collaboration partners over the 25 years. This is my opportunity to acknowledge their work and extend my sincere thanks for their support, great work and dedication.

As a leader, I make a habit of looking to stimulate and inspire with my own energy, rather than seeking to censure or offer reproof. I am driven by an endless curiosity and whilst I know that some can find such a relentless quest to be unreasonable at times, it is for me at least, an abiding feature of what leadership is all about, when harnessed to the pursuit of excellence. I dream big and laugh a lot, surrounding myself with the best people along the way.

Our valued clients are incredible. Cultivating long-term working relationships with them provides so many dimensions to the harmony of all our dealings. This is something we share together and in turn, provides me with the best possible understanding of their brand attributes and values. It is this above all, that ultimately enables us to identify their needs and create exactly what they want. Long may it continue.
We have flourished over the years and weathered the more difficult months of 2020 with such fortitude, an acquired blend of tenacity and business acumen. We have emerged as a company endowed by experience, enriched by clients’ fidelity and now facing the future with confidence, all built upon a foundation of strong client relationships and satisfaction.

Finally, a special thankyou to my current GSD® team for continuing to support me to drive us forward, so that our future will be as great as our past.”

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, the leading Italian American multinational corporation, is one of the largest and most celebrated automobile manufacturers in the world. With 100 manufacturing facilities and 40 Research & Development centres of excellence, the company successfully design, engineer, manufacture and sell vehicles. In addition, they supply parts related services and production systems, around the world. They currently sell through dealers and operate a highly selective network of appointed distributors worldwide.

During 2020 and still ongoing, Graham Shapiro Design (GSD®) were commissioned to produce a series of innovative UVL Websites for each of the four distinctive Fiat Chrysler brands: Fiat, Abarth, Alpha Romeo and Jeep.

Key features include:

Graham Shapiro, CEO at GSD®, said: “I am extremely proud of our working relationship with Fiat Chrysler, one that is built upon a foundation of trust, mutual respect and the shared desire for excellence that has flourished during the last three years. These four sites reflect the dedicated work of our design teams who have attended to the identity of each brand and yet shown how much they share common values, all operating under the umbrella of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. There is real drive on our part to continue to evolve  and progress with these innovative digital platforms.”  

Ian Thomas, from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles UK, commented: “Graham and the team at GSD® have recently launched completely refreshed and updated versions of our UVL websites, worldwide, enabling our franchised retailers to deliver a complete brand experience and drive engaged used car buyers to their digital forecourts. These were delivered within budget and the experience, knowledge and support delivered by the team during the development and launch phase was second to none.”

July 2020 marks 20 years since we at GSD® were first invited to undertake some exclusive creative work for CH Moody & Son.

Founded upon the highest principles, CH Moody & Son succeed in providing the finest jewellery and watches. This tradition continues through the fourth successive generation, by working with talented designers with flair and exemplify passion. Together, they represent some of the leading names in the world of luxury lifestyle.

GSD® CEO Graham Shapiro commented, “At the time, it was perhaps a leap of faith on the part of Carl Moody and his mother, Mrs. Moody to place their trust in me. For my part, although I felt privileged to be working with such a distinguished firm, which even then had a distinguished history dating back to 1883, it was nevertheless a huge responsibility and one that I took very seriously.

Carl initially asked me to work on their brand and since then, we have advanced to create online and offline designs that have evolved naturally over 20 years.

I shall always be grateful to Carl and Mrs. Moody for placing their profound trust in me, for their endless patience, courtesy and the goodwill that my team and I continue to share with Carl Moody and his dedicated team at CH Moody & Son. This relationship has also helped us to form collaborations with Stephen Webster, Rolex and Clive Christian over the years.”

With this ‘new virtual world’ we live in, over the last few years GSD® has been working towards obtaining some crucial additional accreditations. We are proud to announce now that the three that we will have alongside ISO9001 and ISO14001 are:

Cyber Essentials Plus – Cyber Essentials Plus is a Government backed scheme designed to guard against the most common internet based cyber security threats and allows organisations of all sizes to demonstrate their commitment to cyber security.

IASME Governance – The IASME Governance standard was developed over several years during a government funded project to create a cyber security standard. The standard allows companies in a supply chain to demonstrate their level of cyber security and that they are taking good steps to properly protect their customers information.

ISO/IEC 27001 – ISO/IEC 27001 is an information security standard, published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) under the joint ISO and IEC subcommittee, ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27. ISO/IEC 27001 specifies a management system that brings information security under management control and gives specific security requirements.

“In this time of uncertainty and unprecedented challenges for the whole world, my thoughts are with our customers, clients, partners and their families. With rapid announcements and the situation changing on a daily basis, I’ve been constantly impressed by the way our communities have adapted, and how quickly we’ve come to terms with new and different ways of living and working.

That said, the impact is being felt by individuals and businesses alike, so at Graham Shapiro Design, I’m overseeing measures that will ensure our services continue to meet our customers’ needs.

Keeping your business online
We know that our infrastructure provides critical services to our customers, and that communication and collaboration is crucial at this time. Please rest assured that our business will continue to operate as normal, and our designers and developers will remain on hand to carry out key tasks as needed.

Helping our customers and Supporting our employees
We are totally committed to helping our customers even through these testing times. You will still have our best attention at all times, whenever possible. Obviously, these are not normal circumstances, so we ask for your patience if required.
The nature of our business means our graphic and digital services can continue as normal with staff now working remotely at home, and we’ve supported this shift by adapting our ways of working. We’ve made sure to implement social distancing and stopped all physical interaction in line with the latest health advice, creating the safest possible environment for our staff.

In these uncertain times, we’re totally committed to providing a reliable service for you and your business, and supporting our community any way possible. We’re doing everything we can to minimise the impact on your design for print, websites, email, servers and other services, and we’ll continue to prioritise our customers and employees as the situation develops.

Thank you for your understanding, please stay safe.”

Best wishes,
Graham Shapiro
CEO & Founder

In a ceremony at the historic Guildhall of London, our CEO, Graham Shapiro was made a Freeman of the City of London on 22 January 2020, thereby granting him all the privileges that accompany this ancient honour. In accordance with tradition, Graham has in turn, duly agreed to observe the duties and obligations that this title places upon him.

Graham was granted for his services to design and innovation, following a nomination by the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Harness Makers of London.

The honour of being made Freeman imparts huge historical significance and carries the obligation to protect the Sovereign, Lord Mayor and servants of the City of London.

On the occasion of this official declaration, Graham Shapiro said:

“I am honoured to be made a Freeman and Citizen of the City of London. This carries considerable significance to me and I accept the duties and obligations that it brings, with pleasure. Above all, it is perhaps the greatest symbol of my respect for the City of London that I have been honoured and welcomed in this way”.

Started in 1237, Freedom of the City is believed to be one of the oldest surviving traditional ceremonies still in existence in the UK – and even the world. It is handed to people who have achieved success in their chosen field.

Previous recipients include: Winston Churchill, JK Rowling, James Cracknell, Morgan Freeman, Sir Bob Geldof and Dame Judi Dench.

In 2019, Graham Shapiro was also admitted to the Freedom of the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers and Harness Makers of London, one of London’s most distinguished livery companies with origins dating back to 1677.

Pictured below: Graham Shapiro granted ‘Freedom of the City’ of London.