OYNK wins Gold for Best New Business at the 2025 SME Northamptonshire Business Awards
OYNK, the sustainable branding and digital design agency founded by Ashley John, has been named Gold winner for Best New Business at the 2025 SME Northamptonshire Business Awards, held in partnership with Hope Centre.
Founded just nine months ago in August 2024, OYNK has quickly established itself as a standout force in the region’s business landscape, championing design with purpose and pushing the boundaries of digital sustainability. The award recognises the agency’s fast growth, creative innovation, and commitment to reducing digital carbon emissions across branding and web projects.
“This win means everything to me,” said Ashley John, founder and creative director of OYNK. “I started OYNK with a clear mission, to prove that impactful design can also be responsible. To be recognised so early on, and for something we care so deeply about, is an incredible honour. I’ve not been going long, but I’ve already raised awareness around such an important subject that is massively overlooked and I’m fortunate that people care enough about sustainability to listen”
OYNK’s work spans brand strategy, visual identity, web design, and sustainable digital consultancy. It also operates EcoPigs, a platform helping businesses track and lower their website and digital carbon footprint which will soon be used for a massive local challenge to reduce the counties digital carbon footprint.
“I created EcoPigs to ensure the accuracy of the sustainability reports I was delivering. Giving companies true visibility into their digital emissions has proven invaluable. While not every business is ready to rebuild their website from scratch, I’ve seen first-hand that significant carbon reductions are still achievable.
"Because of this, much of my time is now spent auditing and consulting on the entire digital ecosystem, helping businesses cut their digital CO₂ footprint in ways that are both practical and impactful. In doing so, we’re not just improving performance, we’re contributing to a healthier planet.”
Through bold design and honest advice, OYNK empowers organisations to build brands that look good, feel good, and do good for the planet.
With this award, OYNK is setting its sights on further growth, new partnerships, and continuing to lead the conversation around digital sustainability in the UK and beyond.