Forward-thinking social enterprise, CLARITY & Co. reinvents itself on its 165th anniversary

2019 marks social enterprise CLARITY & Co.’s 165th anniversary. Having been founded in 1854 as CLARITY Employment for Blind People, this year has seen the organisation adopt a new name and undertake a major organisational rebranding with the launch of a revised logo, updated manifesto and accompanying video featuring many of CLARITY & Co.’s employees www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-7IWKEg4VA .

In addition, CLARITY & Co. recently unveiled its re-designed contemporary website www.clarity.org.uk encapsulating the rebrand and the social enterprise’s history, evolution, social mission, people and products.

2019 has also seen Willmott Dixon Interiors – fit out and refurbishment specialists – bring CLARITY & Co.’s offices up to date with a new-build kitchen and canteen area, improved step-free access for people with disabilities to the front entrance and a re-designed board room. This work was all carried out free of charge as a part of Willmott Dixon’s corporate social responsibility agenda and its ongoing management trainee programme.

CLARITY & Co.’s new manifesto describes its purpose:

Today we generate over 10,000 days of employment every year for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions through our eco-ethical and everyday bath and beauty brands – The Soap Co., BECO. and CLARITY. We aim to achieve this without compromise, and continually strive to develop both sustainable and eco-friendly products which can be found in national retailers, premium department stores or online. Work lifts lives; raising self-esteem, increasing confidence and building independence. And at CLARITY & Co. that’s what we work for – every working day. 

In September, CLARITY & Co. held its 165th birthday Summer BBQ with many former employees, volunteers and pro-bono partners from many industry sectors in attendance to watch the first public showing of the manifesto video.

“As we continue to bring our eco-ethical bath and beauty brands to many of the UK’s most popular retail outlets and sees them in use in many corporate and business washrooms nationwide, we felt a new more accessible name, contemporary look and way of explaining our social mission and sustainable sourcing was appropriate,” explains Marketing Manager, Diane Cheung.

“Our luxury, designed-for-good The Soap Co. brand is on sale in John Lewis & Partners, Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges with our playful, better-considered BECO. brand on the shelves of Boots, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and the Co-op. This recent and dramatic increase in our public profile at this stage of our evolution afforded us the perfect opportunity to reposition our organisation.”

To round off a great year for CLARITY & Co., award-winning The Soap Co. will embark on the next stage of its rapid evolution to a plastic-free brand by introducing infinitely recyclable aluminium bottles in time for Christmas 2019 and this month will launch their new collection of 100% natural, vegan and plastic-free body products made in collaboration with fellow social enterprises. The Soap Co. adheres to the ethos of The Circular Economy – eliminating waste and pollution wherever possible.

With Christmas nearly here, The Soap Co. has the perfect beautiful and hand-crafted gifts and gift sets for family and friends suitable for any budget. Please visit thesoapco.org or find them in Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and John Lewis & Partners.