Purposegrown

Purposegrown is a term used to describe a philosophy and practice in product design, business strategy, and governance that places purposeful social and environmental outcomes at the center of value creation. Enterprises identify and pursue a clear mission and embed it into product development, sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and company policy, aiming to balance financial performance with measurable positive impact.

Origin and usage: The term emerged in sustainability and impact investing discourse in the early 2020s. It is used by startups, social enterprises, and consumer brands to signal that purpose is embedded from concept to delivery. Examples include explicit impact claims, public reporting, and third-party verification of goals such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving labor conditions, or advancing local communities.

Principles and practice: Purposegrown organizations typically pursue an explicit mission, engage stakeholders in design and governance, and pursue transparent reporting. They emphasize responsible innovation, supply chain transparency, lifecycle assessment, and regenerative or restorative practices. Impact metrics are tracked and disclosed, with third parties verifying progress against frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals or local equivalences.

Criticism and challenges: Critics warn that the term can be vague or used as marketing, risking greenwashing if claims are not verifiable. Measurement complexity, trade-offs between impact and cost, and potential mission drift are noted risks without strong governance and independent auditing.

See also: Sustainability, ESG, impact investing, social enterprise, B Corp.