I value companies with a purpose. It lights me up. It makes me feel a sense of relief after despair that commercialism might be ruining our planet. Actually, it turns out, there are many companies out there whose leaders display a very high ethic and really want to be beacons of positive change--from chocolate brands to cosmetics and clean beauty creators... to coffee and tea, to herbal and aromatherapy, to organic food and beverage.

The Corporate Purpose Myth

Companies are inherently profit-driven, otherwise the endeavor is just a hobby. But profit doesn't need to be the only motivating factor. A purpose that shines within (for the team) or without (for customers) can be as much a motivating factor as making money and, I believe, should be a central pillar for businesses simply because they have secured wealth and influence and they should be responsible.

In digging around, I discovered that the Australian nonprofit Pro Purpose found that 65% of consumers believe a company’s primary purpose should include “making the world better.” Those of us with organic brands naturally understand this to be true.

Compare this to many business owners who would quickly say their primary purpose is to generate a profit (often at any cost), and we have a strong disconnect between sellers and buyers. Pro Purpose also found that 72% of adults believe that companies should be mission-driven and that 74% of consumers believe companies can and should take action. This is a huge share of consumers who are LOOKING for brands that serve a greater purpose.

Can My Brand Support a Purpose?

What does taking action to be a mission-driven company look like? For one thing, any company of any size can be mission-driven -- you don't need to leave it for the big mega-companies. And there are many missions you can steward and make your own.

For instance, a company’s actions toward “doing good” can be focused on the environmental—such as committing dollars and hours directly to farm, forest, ocean, and/or waste reduction activities. They can also be social—such as implementing policies and systems that promote diversity, equity, fair hiring, and fair trade.

Many companies are women-owned or minority-owned, and customers are increasingly seeking to purchase products and services from businesses that not only value women and minorities but that reflect the consumers’ own experience, which is often diverse. In my reference e-book Business on Purpose, I share dozens of certifications and commitments that exist to support businesses in making their purpose a reality.

Gaining a certificate such as B-Corp status is a strong way to start. B-Corp is a private vetting entity that holds companies to certain standards so that the consumer public can be assured that the company is transparent and accountable. Becoming a B-Corp is one way to attest to a company’s ethics and purpose. Other ways include partnering with strongly ethical and aligned vendors.

One company that serves as an example of this is Here We Flo, a period-care company that operates both in the UK and the US. Not only is Here We Flo Vegetarian Society Approved and Cruelty Free, they went an extra step to ensure their rubber ingredients were produced ethically (they produce condoms). The company is a founding member of the Regenerative Rubber Initiative; their website states that this means they use Fair Agroforestry Latex and cooperate directly with smallholders who earn fair wages and practice biodiverse, sustainable farming of rubber trees.

Are My Vendors & Suppliers Ethical?

Your vendors are an incredibly important business partner that, unfortunately, many companies prefer to hide or simply ignore, allowing vendors and suppliers to "do their thing" without insisting that they follow your same standards.

Take animal welfare: a company can state loudly that its finished products are not tested on animals, meanwhile its individual ingredients have been tested. I’m always hyper-alert to the wording on labels that attest to animal welfare, and finding a statement about “finished product” does nothing to allay my concerns about ingredients in the pipeline. Consumers are not so easily fooled and most recognize the sly language used to cover up a vendor’s unsustainable activities.

All of this is to say that consumers want more accountability from their product and service providers, and companies that intentionally go out of their way to produce ethically-made products tend to win the market. Pro Purpose finds that purpose-driven companies grow 3 times faster than their competitors, and that customers are 4 to 6 times more likely to purchase from, protect, and champion purpose-driven companies. This means you must be careful to choose vendors and suppliers that match your standards.

Gen X and the Millennial generation are well-known advocates for honesty and integrity in the corporate realm, with more than three-quarters encouraging their peers to buy from such companies. This word-of-mouth loyalty is key to a company’s ability to weather storms and remain in business for years to come. 

Strategy Consulting

Bellebuono International is an enthusiastic supporter of natural and organic product brands, including herbal and aromatherapy, clean beauty and cosmetics, chocolate, tea and coffee, and organic food and beverage. Our online course Natural Brand Certifications teaches the environmental and social commitments your business or brand can make, including B-corp, organic, fair trade, WBENC, and cruelty-free.

Our powerful coaching services walk your business through these processes and help you strategize and build a solid business plan and vision. We provide the business services you need as a small to medium organic brand, including strategy and business planning, leadership coaching, customized course design and build, and speaking services for events.