How a brand that launched two years ago is one of the oldest social enterprises in the UK
Disclaimer: This Is Not An Ad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAzAr7vIe3k
OK, that was kind of an ad. But this note isn’t.
Once a month I aim to share some of my favourite businesses making a real difference: to their own communities, the environment, or society as a whole. And, crucially, all while remaining focused on making a profit too.
My goal for Firm Ethics is not to focus on ‘social’ (some have mixed feelings about that qualifier) enterprises alone. They do great work, of course, but social good is their reason for existing. The stories I aim to feature will highlight ways in which for-profit businesses can also achieve a positive purpose.
This first company focus combines the best of both worlds. While The Soap Co*. — was launched as a brand only two years ago, its parent company CLARITY, founded in 1854, is actually the oldest social enterprise in the UK.
The Soap Co. took what CLARITY had been doing for over 150 years — providing meaningful employment for disabled workers — and put it at the forefront of its brand.
The products themselves are, of course, ethically and environmentally friendly (still very much Not An Ad, promise.) They’re also — and this is the crux of their mission — handcrafted by workers who are blind, disabled, or otherwise disadvantaged; providing much needed employment and training opportunities in the local community and beyond.
And the business picture? The Soap Co. was founded, in part, to boost the long-term financial sustainability of CLARITY by appealing to an increasingly ethically-engaged consumer.
It’s encouraged large corporates to purchase The Soap Co. products as part of their CSR activities; corporate customers include PwC, Accenture and even the Houses of Parliament.
To date, The Soap Co.’s focus has been on creating a strong social presence (tick) and e-commerce strategy (tick) alongside a host of aspirational and ethically-minded independent retailers, but co-founder Camilla Marcus-Dew promises a major supermarket launch in 2018 — so watch this space.
Great ethics, great business; exactly the kind of project that proves you can have both.
Evan
not to be confused with ‘Soap and Co’ who hit the headlines last summer for entirely unethical employment practices. What a difference an ‘and’ makes!
P.S. To get Firm Ethics in your inbox every week, please sign up for my weekly email. And please share with your friends and colleagues — help me spread the word about doing business with a conscience.
