In 1982, Paul Newman and his friend A.E. Hotchner decided to turn their salad dressing into a business, and invested $40,000 of their own money to get Newman’s Own started. After a year, they had turned a profit of about $300,000. That was quite an impressive return! But perhaps more impressive was what Paul did next: he decided to “give it all away” to good causes. So since 1982, Paul and Newman’s Own Foundation have given away over $600 million to good causes thanks to the millions of consumers who buy Newman’s Own products which now range from salad dressing to salsa, popcorn, lemonade, pizza, dog treats, and more. Newman’s Own Foundation’s unique structure is possible thanks to the Philanthropic Enterprise Act of 2018.

Newman’s Own Foundation continues Paul Newman’s commitment to use all the money that it receives—100% of the profits and royalties—from the sale of Newman’s Own products in service of its mission to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity.

Humanitix started in 2016 out of Australia as a pact between founders, Adam McCurdie and Josh Ross, to escape the corporate world and do something meaningful. They looked for industries with inefficiencies that could be disrupted for good. Enter: ticketing platforms.

Event ticketing is frustrating for hosts and guests alike, with high fees, poor customer service, and monopolistic trading practices. Fast forward to today, and Humanitix has expanded to New Zealand, the United States, and soon Canada and the UK. Through their growth, they have also become profitable, and never taken a dollar from venture capital. To date, they have given away over $10 million to great nonprofits, transforming those annoying booking fees into a force for good, not greed.

Ecosia started in 2009 out of Germany as founder Christian Kroll’s mission to turn internet searches into a force for good. Unlike traditional search engines, Ecosia uses 100% of its profits to fund reforestation and climate action, dedicating over €91 million (and counting) and planting over 200 million trees worldwide. 

Running over 200% renewable energy and removing more CO₂ than it emits, Ecosia is both privacy-friendly and climate-positive. In 2018, Kroll ensured the company could never be sold by adopting a steward-ownership model—locking its profits into protecting the planet, forever.

Thankyou is a social enterprise on a mission to end extreme poverty by flipping consumerism on its head. Founded in 2008 by Daniel Flynn, Justine Flynn, and Jarryd Burns, Thankyou offers over 50 consumer products, including personal care and cleaning essentials. Thankyou is owned 100% by the Thankyou Charitable Trust, whose sole purpose is to help end extreme poverty. After all the costs involved in getting great products to market, every cent left funds game-changing partners who serve communities in need. To date, Thankyou has raised $18.55 million for its impact partners.

Thankyou became known for its breakthrough, viral consumer marketing campaigns. These ambitious campaigns have sparked global conversations and helped to raise millions to fuel their mission. By reimagining consumerism, Thankyou empowers consumers to turn everyday purchases into a powerful force for good.

50 years after its founding, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of beloved outdoor clothing company Patagonia, declared Earth the company’s only shareholder in September 2022. 

The organization set up a perpetual purpose trust taking ownership of 100% of Patagonia's voting stock, and therefore decision-making control; and a 501(c)4 nonprofit taking ownership of 100% of non-voting stock, owning the vast majority of the financial value of the company. Patagonia issues annual dividends to these two stockholders, which are distributed to environmental organizations.

Through donations, investments in grassroots organizations, and funding conservation initiatives, Patagonia reinforces its commitment to preserving the planet for future generations.

Greater Boston philanthropists Joyce and Bill Cummings began their journey to “all profits to nonprofits” with Bill’s 1970 launch of commercial real estate company Cummings Properties. Raised on the heels of the Great Depression, the modest pair soon felt that their thriving firm had provided more than enough for their family and decided that it should provide for others as well. 

Joyce and Bill established Cummings Foundation in 1986 as a vehicle to give back in the communities where Cummings Properties operated and where its staff and clients lived. Today, the Cummings organization manages a portfolio of 11 million square feet of commercial space in 11 suburban Boston communities.

Businesses that lease commercial space with Cummings feel good knowing that 100 percent of all rental profits are dedicated for philanthropic purposes, with $600 million awarded to local nonprofits as of 2025.