Resources
Insights, Ideas, and Inspiration
This archive of documents and references continues to grow as we identify purpose economy levers of change, leadership practices, and benchmarks from around the world. For a list of individuals and organizations talking about purpose, see our directory here.
Work to Date
2024
- Social Purpose in Canada Status Report 2024 | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- The Rise of Canada’s Purpose Economy | Forbes
- The State of Purpose Governance in Canada 2024 | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- From Profit to Purpose: Architecting the Purpose Economy | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Clarifying Purpose and Unleashing Profit with Dr. Victoria Hurth (video) | Canadian Purpose Economy Project in partnership with Coast Capital
- Building a Purpose Economy with Christelle François (video) | Diversity in Sustainability in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
2023
- Social Purpose in Canada Status Report 2023 | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Mobilizing the Canadian Social Purpose Ecosystem | MaRS
- Se mobiliser en faveur de l’écosystème Canadien à vocation sociale | MaRS
- CPEP Overview and Theory of Change (video) | SETSI
- Reshaping The Metrics of Business Success (webcast recording) | Globe + Mail
- Shaping the Future: Strategies for a Purpose-Driven Economy | CanadianSME Small Business Podcast
2022
- Social Purpose in Canada Status Report 2022 | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Top 10 Levers to Propel Purpose | GLOBE, United Way BC Social Purpose Institute, and Junxion
- Canadian Business for Purpose Report & Theory of Change | MaRS
- Propelling Purpose Summit Report | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Purpose Economy Ecosystem Map
2021
- Canadian Voices on the Role of Business in Society | Global Canada
2020
- GLOBE 2020 Advance Recommendations | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute & Globe Series
Full Report or Two-Page Summary
Tools & Resources
PURPOSE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
Developing Your Purpose
- Why Social Purpose Drives Success and Matters for Your Business (video) | BC Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Uncovering the Key Insights for Social Purpose (video) | BC Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Definition of a Social Purpose Business | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- How To Find Your Company’s Purpose | Junxion
- How to Write a Purpose Statement | Junxion
- Four Types of Purpose | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Statement Criteria | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Business Case Statistics | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Business Case | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Social Purpose Business Case and Workbook | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Receive Value for Your Values | Baker Tilly Canada Capital Corporation
- Social Purpose Continuum | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Purpose Leaders and Influencers | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
Embedding Your Purpose
- Embedding Purpose: A Roadmap for Social Purpose Companies | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Departments Checklist | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Strategy: Bring Your Corporate Purpose to Life | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Enhancing Risk Management Practices: A How-to Guide for Social Purpose Companies | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Transition Pathway: Helping Companies Move from “Say” to “Do” | Corporate Knights
- Social Purpose Assessment Tool | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Social Purpose Practices Toolkit: 40 Implementation Examples from 15 Social Purpose Companies | United Way BC
Social Purpose Institute - The Social Purpose Professional | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Purpose Playbook – Turn Purpose into Practice | Shared Value Initiative
- Organizational Purpose Toolkit | Saboteur
- How Risk and Internal Audit Operate in Social Purpose Companies | Deloitte & BCLC
- How Risk and Internal Audit Operate in Social Purpose Companies (video) | Deloitte & BCLC
- Marketing on Purpose | Forrester & BCLC
- Purpose Perception Survey Questions | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Product Transition Plan Tool | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Social Purpose Decision Lens Tool | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Employee Purpose Engagement Checklist | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Employee Social Purpose Lifecycle Tool | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Implementing your Social Purpose with Decia Wong (video) | Diversity in Sustainability in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
Collaborating on Your Purpose
Advancing The Purpose Economy
- Toolkit To Grow the Purpose Economy | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
LEVERS OF CHANGE
Social Purpose Boards
- What is the State of Purpose Governance in Canada? (video) | Governance Professionals of Canada and Canadian
Purpose Economy Project - Purpose Governance Guidelines for Boards | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Purpose and Stakeholder Governance Playbook | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Purpose and Stakeholder Governance Best Practices: Literature Review and Guidance on the Board’s Role in Purpose and Stakeholder Oversight | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Role of the Board in Oversight of Purpose (video) | University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
- Stakeholders and Purpose: A New Governance Era (podcast) | Governance Professionals of Canada
Social Purpose Associations
- Accelerating Social Purpose Business Through Associations: Case Study | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Associations as a Force For Good | Strandberg Consulting
- Social Purpose Association Framework | Strandberg Consulting
- Social Purpose and ESG Associations (video) | Grype Digital
- Building Your Social Purpose Business (free webinar series, recorded) | BC Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
Social Purpose Disclosures
- Communicating with Purpose (video) | Works Design in partnership with Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Disclosing With Purpose: Guidance for Preparers and Users of Purpose Disclosures | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
- Accounting for Purpose: A Discussion Paper on Social Purpose Accounting, Reporting and Assurance | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
Social Purpose Investing
- Purpose Due Diligence for Investors | Canadian Purpose Economy Project
Social Purpose Business Education
- Social Purpose Business Curricula Framework | Canadian Purpose Economy Project & Corporate Knights
- Social Purpose in Business Schools and MBA Curriculums | Corporate Knights
- Purpose Education in Canadian Business Schools | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
Social Purpose Governments
- Social Purpose Business Public Policy Options | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Bringing Corporate Purpose into the Mainstream: Directions for Canadian Law | David Suzuki Foundation
Social Purpose Procurement
- Social Purpose Procurement Toolkit | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
Case Studies
How to develop a social purpose for your business
- Return It (pdf), (video) | An industry-owned, product stewardship organization with beverage container management as its core business. | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- LGM Financial Services (pdf), (video) | An automotive financial services company, offering finance and insurance products to automotive brands and dealers across Canada. | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Hemlock Printers (pdf), (video) | Western Canada’s largest commercial printer offering digital, offset, display signage, mailing, warehousing, fulfilment, and distribution services. | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Social Purpose Vignettes | Learn about seven purpose statements, the environmental and social issues they tackle, and the companies behind them.
How to implement a social purpose
- Akamai | A cloud company that powers and protects life online
- LGM Financial Services (video) | An automotive financial services company, offering finance and insurance products to automotive brands and dealers across Canada.
- Coast Capital | A financial cooperative and Certified B Corp founded in 1940. | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- Hemlock Printers | Western Canada’s largest commercial printer offering digital, offset, display signage, mailing, warehousing, fulfilment, and distribution services. | United Way BC Social Purpose Institute
- BCLC (video) | The British Columbia Lottery Corporation is a BC Crown corporation offering a range of gambling products including lottery tickets, casinos and legal online gambling.
Association engaging business members on social purpose
- Family Enterprise Canada (FEC) | A national association representing the interests of family enterprises.
International Efforts
- Now is the Time for Purpose: Putting Purpose at the Heart of Scottish Business | Report by the Business Purpose Commission for Scotland