We live in turbulent times. Poverty, health inequity, gender-based violence and climate disruption are not abstract headlines; they are daily realities for millions.
In such a world, words are insufficient. What matters is execution: philanthropy that is strategic, measurable and fast.
Michelle Martin, COO at Cypress Minerals and CEO at A Thousand Plus, and Sameer Joshi, COO at Cepham and CFO at A Thousand Plus, report.
Beyond the statement: closing the divide
Brands throughout our industry speak about “purpose” and “vision.”
But purpose without proximity is empty. The supply chains that sustain us are often drawn from communities living on the other side of an impossible divide — rich in resources but starved of opportunity.
The responsibility before us is not just to acknowledge this, but to bridge it. Leadership today is defined not by statements of intent, but by uniting boards, teams and partners to deliver outcomes that change lives.
From optics to action
Too often, philanthropy has been treated as a performative gesture: a press release, a post or a logo on a backdrop.
But authentic impact cannot be outsourced to a marketing department. It requires leaders to engage directly with communities, cocreating solutions that endure long after they leave.
If 100 leaders pledged just 1% each, the collective effect would be transformative. Yet what holds us back is not capability, but commitment.
Lessons from business history
We know it can be done. Blake Mycoskie’s TOMS Shoes showed how embedding giving into a business model could catalyse global change — first through shoes, then through eyewear, restoring vision for hundreds of thousands.
Unilever’s purpose-led brands have consistently outperformed their peers, demonstrating that responsibility and profitability are not mutually exclusive.
Harvard Kennedy School is clear: “The central challenge is to integrate social and environmental considerations into core business strategy, not treat them as peripheral.”
For nutraceuticals, this is not optional; it is existential.
A story of hope from Nairobi, Kenya
This year, alongside Anand Swaroop and Paul J. Willis, we visited Wings of Hope Rescue Home in Nairobi.
Fifty-seven young mothers and their babies were days away from losing their shelter. Some were as young as 11, already navigating motherhood in circumstances most of us can scarcely imagine.
Behind the sanctuary walls, we heard stories of abuse, resilience and determination. Founders Irwin and Liuba Mukonyole have built more than a home: they have built a pathway to dignity.
One 17-year-old told us with absolute conviction: she will become a TV anchor. Not “might” but “will.”
That visit became the catalyst for the #HopeNeedsAHome campaign — to raise $140,000 by 15 August 2025 — to purchase the property, secure safety for the 57 residents and lay the groundwork for expansion.
As Anand Swaroop later wrote: “Charity isn’t about patting yourself on the back; it’s about partnership, about seeing the worth in every person and creating paths for them to reach their potential.”
Why the industry must lead
Our sector exists to improve health. Yet too often, our contribution stops at the point of sale.
Harvard Business Review highlights a fundamental shift: companies are now being measured on their ability to create shared value — meeting societal needs while driving growth.
Shared value is not theoretical. Some nutraceutical businesses are piloting impact-linked investments, tying success to measurable health outcomes in vulnerable populations.
Others are embedding equitable sourcing programmes, ensuring farmers and local communities benefit directly from the global wellness economy. These are not side projects: they are the future of competitive advantage.
Nelson Mandela, on serving those less fortunate than us, said: “Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.”
That perspective should guide how our industry thinks about its responsibility: not as optional giving, but as fundamental justice.
Speed, scale and accountability
The nutraceutical industry has proven it can launch a product globally in less than 6 months. Why should we not mobilise social impact with the same urgency? Communities in crisis cannot wait for quarterly cycles or budget reviews.
The question for boards is no longer “Can we afford to do this?” but “What is the cost of failing to act?” If our companies were to disappear tomorrow, would our stakeholders — or the communities that sustain us —feel the loss?
Walking the talk
As scientists, innovators and leaders, we recognise the importance of evidence. Just as clinical data validates nutraceutical claims, tangible outcomes must validate philanthropic ones. Inspiration without execution changes nothing.
Closing the talk–action gap requires us to lead differently — with humility, transparency and urgency. Leadership today is not defined by rhetoric but by outcomes that stand the test of scrutiny.
A collective call
The nutraceutical industry is uniquely positioned to redefine philanthropy: not as charity but as strategy; not as optics but as obligation.
Wings of Hope is just one example, but it shows what is possible when words give way to measurable action. In a fractured world, we cannot delay.
The tide of change rises only if we rise with it … together.