Ten Years of Giving, Together.
‘One for One’ has already left a bigger footprint than a pair of shoes… and this is just the beginning.
10 years ago today, we sold the first pair of TOMS shoes to a guy named Ben Katz. I still remember how I felt getting that email notification. But I could have never imagined all that was to come.
3,650 days later, we have created four additional One for One businesses, and are selling TOMS in 75 countries. We have given over 60 million new pairs of shoes, restored sight to over 400,000 people, provided over 335,000 weeks of safe water, and supported safe birth services for over 25,000 mothers. But the countless smiles, warmed hearts, and inspired minds we’ve seen along the way speak even louder than these numbers.
We have truly built a movement. One that continues to grow, inspire others, and forge a path towards a better tomorrow. One for One sparked this movement, but One for One is only what we do, not why we do it. The why of TOMS mission is that we care for one another. And even more, that we have the capacity to act on this compassion and use business to create real change in the world.
It is bold ideas, not shoes, that make up the beating heart of TOMS. The idea that, together, we can create a better tomorrow. The idea that purpose and profit can live hand in hand. The idea that business can change lives. These are the ideas that have inspired a movement of purpose-driven citizens, empowered our employees to be agents of change, and are transforming the future of business.
As we look back on a decade of impact, there is so much to be proud of. But this pride is not personal or internal. Rather, it’s communal and connected. TOMS’ impact is a result of everyone who has joined our movement and continues to move it forward. Now, even greater potential for impact lies in the inspired minds and innovative companies who are adopting and scaling the model in ways we could have never imagined on our own.
Since our founding in 2006, the One for One concept has been adopted by more than 100 other businesses, and it is our hope that many more continue to join us on the frontlines of social entrepreneurship. These companies are helping to reshape the business landscape on a global level and are introducing models of collaboration that are unleashing a groundswell of unprecedented impact. With this shift towards business for good, the future of business has never looked better.
Ultimately, the most important part of what we are doing is not selling products, it’s inspiring other people to bring purpose into their lives and into their businesses. 100 years from now, the impact TOMS has had won’t only be measured in the pairs of shoes we’ve gifted or the eyesight we’ve restored, but also the people we’ve inspired to live a life that matters, and use business for good.
With the creation of the new TOMS Social Entrepreneurship Fund, we intend to do just that — investing in the most promising social enterprises to a fuel a better tomorrow. TOMS doesn’t have a logo, we have a flag. And for 10 years we have waved it proudly. As we look forward, we are excited to inspire a new generation of leaders to pick up their own flags and champion the mindset of living “For One, Another.” The TOMS story has become a collective one, strengthened and emboldened by the next wave of entrepreneurs that will continue push and evolve what is possible.
10 years ago today, our journey began with a single pair of TOMS. But the One for One model has already left a far bigger footprint than a pair of shoes…and this is just the beginning. As we use our success to empower others, we look forward to inspiring a community of ideas for a better tomorrow. And watching these ideas become reality.
