Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about social enterprises, ethical shopping, and how Purpose Picks works.

About Purpose Picks

What is Purpose Picks?

Purpose Picks is a curated directory of ethical brands and social enterprises. Each brand is featured in our newsletter after an editorial review of what it sells and the impact it creates, from inclusive employment to circular-economy production.

How do brands get selected?

Every brand starts as a story in the Purpose Picks newsletter. We look for real, verifiable impact rather than marketing claims: who a brand employs, what it funds, how it sources. There is no paid placement.

Social enterprises explained

What is a social enterprise?

A social enterprise is a business that trades for a social or environmental purpose and reinvests most of its profits into that mission. Unlike a charity, it earns its income by selling products or services, like a bakery that trains and employs women who have experienced homelessness.

What is the difference between a social enterprise and a charity?

A charity relies mainly on donations and grants; a social enterprise earns most of its income through trade. Many social enterprises support charitable goals, but they sustain themselves by selling things people want to buy.

How do social enterprises make money?

The same way any business does: selling products and services. The difference is where profits go, into the mission (training, employment, donations) instead of solely to shareholders.

What are purpose-driven brands?

Purpose-driven brands are companies built around a mission beyond profit, such as employing marginalised people, cutting waste, or funding causes. The mission shapes how the product is made, not just how it's marketed.

Shopping ethically

How can I shop more ethically?

Start with who you buy from: choose brands transparent about their supply chain and impact. Buy less but better, favour brands that publish what they pay and who they employ, and use directories like this one to find them.

What is conscious consumerism?

Conscious consumerism means treating every purchase as a vote for the kind of economy you want: considering a product's social and environmental cost, not just its price.

Are the products on Purpose Picks more expensive?

Not always. Prices are comparable to mainstream equivalents more often than people expect, and the price reflects fair wages and honest sourcing rather than externalised costs.

Where do these brands ship?

It varies by brand. Each brand page lists where the brand is based and where it ships. Many deliver across Europe and several ship worldwide.