How To Be A Business That Makes Change As Well As Profit

How To Be A Business That Makes Change As Well As Profit

Share to Linkedin Being kind has never been cooler, judging by the number of companies engaging in social missions. Chris Gale believes business really can be a tool for positive change — if leaders' hearts are truly in the right place. Now the Head of Social Impact for eBay UK, Gale began his career in nonprofits, researching how businesses could ethically drive development in low-income countries. He switched to the business side through On Purpose, founded by Tom Rippin, working at two socially conscious companies for six months each. One was UK food, fashion and homeware retailer Marks & Spencer, and the other was the UK office of Ben & Jerry's. The ice cream brand's social mission is almost as old as the company itself. Gale describes Ben and Jerry's business model as, "You've got all these people that love cookie dough: How do you talk to them about something that matters?" In contrast, eBay is relatively new to the concept of corporations as positive changemakers — but it's aiming high. Gale says that eBay's global mission is guaranteeing economic opportunities for everyone in the world. In the UK, that manifests as free training schemes to help social purpose businesses