Is inequality always the price of economic freedom? Certainly the primary goal of business is to make a profit – often funnelling wealth towards the few. The system we have can compound inequality. But it doesn’t have to.
The function of businesses in concentrating wealth gives them the power to improve the lot of those with less, should they choose. So what would happen if more people made it their business to tackle inequality?
We’re about to find out, by launching a premium health and beauty brand, and donating 100% of profits to projects that empower girls in need, by removing barriers to education.
We chose to concentrate on girls because of the compound inequality that impacts their lives, generation through generation. Gender discrimination intensifies poverty by depriving girls of an education. Stigma around menstruation, child marriage and lack of access to healthcare are among a myriad of issues that deny girls across the world this basic right, ensuring the odds are stacked against them throughout life.
Sales of OneSqin products – organic cotton tampons and natural skin cream – will support projects that redress the balance, providing education for girls across the world who would otherwise go without.
We chose everyday products already used by millions – giving consumers the opportunity to participate in social change, simply by switching brands. We already know the small choices we make each day add up to an enormous impact on our world. We’re hoping that impact can be harnessed for positive change.
The first production run of our products will be powered by crowdfunding on Kickstarter – with support from the Royal Society Arts. Crowdfunding is now live at http://kck.st/2pVGLdc – and we’re calling for all the noise that caring humans can muster, to help the movement grow.
Social enterprises offer consumers an easy way to make a difference – and we’d love to see this model become a popular way for causes to generate funding. With enough momentum, this could even drive brand leaders to sharpen their own stance on social responsibility, with a more compassionate approach to commerce rippling out across industries. Consumer power shapes the world we live in – and together, conscious consumers and social entrepreneurs are a potent force for change.
Neil Richmond FRSA, Co-founder, OneSqin C.I.C
This is a guest blog, kindly provided by Neil Richmond, Co-founder of OneSqin. The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Equality Trust.