The Rivers Trust is an environmental charity working across the UK and Ireland to protect and restore rivers. Through a network of local trusts and national programmes, they collaborate with partners, policy makers and communities to improve water quality, enhance habitats and build climate resilience.
Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions is made up of 23 partners, including water companies, The Rivers Trust and other NGOs. These partners are coming together to overcome the barriers faced when trying to implement nature-based solutions, with the objective of bringing greater social, economic and environmental value.
Awareness of the Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions (MNbS) programme was initially low, so our brief was to develop a brand identity and website that could bring MNbS to life, stand out amongst a large partnership group and support clear, accessible communication of its mission and work.
The initial step was to create a strong logo brandmark which embodied the essence of MNbS. A visual identity, full suite of marketing materials and clear, detailed brand guidelines were also needed to ensure consistency across everything produced as part of the MNbS programme.
We focused on creating a brand that feels natural, collaborative and technically confident — reflecting both the environmental heart of MNbS and the innovation behind it. The brand identity comprises an irregular branch with foliage, symbolising diverse sectors and collaboration; key elements of the programme.
The branch’s natural, uneven form reflects the integration of water and earth, embodying nature-based solutions. The design also has a slightly technical feel, highlighting innovation in the field.
The colour palette, a unique blend of gradient and bright shades, stands out from competitors’ typical blue tones, while also meeting WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
The second part of the project focussed on the website we were to build. After thorough analysis of the client’s needs we built a site that offered them an easy to use, customisable solution that promoted all the fundamental aspects of the MNbS programme, including:
The MNbS brand identity now has a clear visual presence that reflects the collaborative and nature-led spirit of the programme. The logo stands out confidently alongside multiple partner brands while remaining accessible and inclusive, meeting WCAG standards.
The brand guidelines have equipped partners with practical tools to use the identity consistently, helping maintain coherence across a large and complex programme. The website has provided a central hub to share progress, publish updates and promote regional test activity.
“Overall we received some very positive and constructive feedback about all the logo options. Thanks so much for the guidelines document, it’s looking great!”
Lorna Mann – Projects Communications Officer
