Purpose Economy: soulbottles belongs to itself
The Purpose Foundation
The Purpose Foundation is an international organization that supports companies in remaining permanently independent and purpose-driven. It not only provides advice but also enables them to legally embed a company's independence and values into its ownership structure. This is ensured by transferring a share of the company to the Purpose Foundation. This gives the foundation the right of veto if the company seeks a decision that undermines the realization of its original corporate purpose. In our case, for example, the Purpose Foundation would intervene if we were to change our social entrepreneurial focus.
Furthermore, the Purpose Foundation also has veto power when it comes to decisions such as the distribution or use of profits. Profits may not be paid out to external shareholders, but must always be reinvested in the company's purpose. This ensures that the company remains true to its original purpose and is not tempted to align its activities with profit maximization for shareholders. This makes the Purpose Economy an important concept on the path to a new way of doing business.
The Responsible Ownership Foundation
In German, purpose-driven companies are also referred to as "Unternehmen in Verantwortungseigentum" (responsible ownership companies). While the Purpose Foundation is an international organization, the Stiftung Verantwortungseigentum (Foundation for Responsible Ownership) was also founded in Germany on November 25, 2019, to strengthen the network of responsible ownership companies. soulbottles is a founding member and has been involved from the very beginning. Together, we are calling for better legal frameworks for the implementation of responsible ownership.
Self-determination
Are you wondering what it actually means that the company belongs to us, the employees? This means that control over the company is shared among many people, and we collectively decide where it should go in the future. According to our company statutes, control over strategic decisions lies in the hands of the people who have an employment contract with soulproducts GmbH.
Asset retention in the company
What's important to understand about the concept: For us, profits are not an end in themselves, but a means by which we achieve our corporate purpose. All investment decisions are guided by this corporate purpose and are therefore socially and ecologically oriented. For example, with the soulbottle drinking bottle made of stainless steel, steel light, we have not only invested in the development of a sustainably produced outdoor drinking bottle, but also in improving local working conditions .
